Authentic Memorial

I sense that recently this country has seen a great interest in its own spiritual roots, and has been found hungry to find truth.

1.      The tragedy, turmoil and uncertainty has caused us as a nation to remember our God.

1.      Many have not chosen to call upon Him, but there has been a great awakening to the fact.

2.      There is a hunger for the true presence of the Lord, a desperate people searching for real answers to hard questions.

3.      In a sense we have all become “Pursuers of the Supernatural.”

1.      We see it in our every day culture through mediums, reality tv shows about the dead, zombie craze, the vampire craze, the haunted house hunts, and every scary movie imaginable.

2.      Let's engage the supernatural is what people want and they'll pay a very high price to achieve it.

4.      But the challenge isn’t if they will find a church, a place to go, or even a place where they can experience God’s presence.

1.      The true challenge is will they find “Authentic People?”

2.      An authentic memorial of what Christ has set forth in scripture for us to live out, model out, as living authentic memorials to. His cause.

1.      Authenticity: Being real; touchable; tangible; making sense.

Luke 24:36-43 NLT "[36] And just as they were telling about it, Jesus himself was suddenly standing there among them. "Peace be with you," he said. [37] But the whole group was startled and frightened, thinking they were seeing a ghost! [38] "Why are you frightened?" he asked. "Why are your hearts filled with doubt? [39] Look at my hands. Look at my feet. You can see that it's really me. Touch me and make sure that I am not a ghost, because ghosts don't have bodies, as you see that I do." [40] As he spoke, he showed them his hands and his feet. [41] Still they stood there in disbelief, filled with joy and wonder. Then he asked them, "Do you have anything here to eat?" [42] They gave him a piece of broiled fish, [43] and he ate it as they watched."

2.      Is He real, can I touch Him, can He relate to me?

1.      I've had so many set backs, disappointments, let downs, frustrations, and I constantly feel deserted, will He too desert me in my time of need? 

John 20:24-29 NLT [24] One of the twelve disciples, Thomas (nicknamed the Twin), was not with the others when Jesus came. [25] They told him, "We have seen the Lord!" But he replied, "I won't believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side." [26] Eight days later the disciples were together again, and this time Thomas was with them. The doors were locked; but suddenly, as before, Jesus was standing among them. "Peace be with you," he said. [27] Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here, and look at my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don't be faithless any longer. Believe!" [28] "My Lord and my God!" Thomas exclaimed. [29] Then Jesus told him, "You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me."

2.      The world is full of people like Thomas.

1.      We are facing a generation that has witnessed:

1.      Fallen high profile religious figures.

2.      Computer animation unreal and manipulation so believable.

3.      Slick politicians cashing checks with their actions that their mouths can't cash.

4.      And the most intense marketing known to man.

3.      We just don’t take life at face value anymore.

1.      We have websites designed to specifically tell us if the other websites are for real.

4.      Thomas had to see it, touch it, hear it, and experience it.

1.      Just like this culture today.

5.      Jesus met him at the point of his need, so Thomas would not be questioning, not be wavering, not be untrusting but believing of the Christ, believing in the Christ as a moment of authentic memorial.

1.      But this generation can’t put their finger into the nail prints of Jesus's hands, or their hand into His side where the Roman soldier pierced Him as blood and water flowed.

1.      They are those who have not seen but still must believe.

1.      That’s a tough sell.

2.      But not an impossible one.

3.      So what is it that they can put their finger on?

1.      What is it that they can put their hands onto?

2 Corinthians 3:2-3 NLT "[2] The only letter of recommendation we need is you yourselves. Your lives are a letter written in our hearts; everyone can read it and recognize our good work among you. [3] Clearly, you are a letter from Christ showing the result of our ministry among you. This "letter" is written not with pen and ink, but with the Spirit of the living God. It is carved not on tablets of stone, but on human hearts."

2.      That is how they will be able to put their finger on it, and put their hands in it.

1.      In us the message is strong and clear.

1.      Authentic Memorial?

2.      Cheap knockoff?

2.      Culture, they really don’t really care how high we raise our hands, how long we kneel, or how conservative or liberal our standard are, they just wish to know are they real.

1.      Thomas said, "Unless I see."

2.      Stop being faithless, stop living our lives faithless, believe and be authentic.

3.      Authenticity is a matter of finding people, being people we can trust.

1.      Most people can spot a “phony”, a “con artist”, or “rip off."

2.      But spotting someone who's authentic in their faith, authentic in their love for God, authentic in their giving, authentic in their worship, authentic in their service to others is tough to pin down.

4.      Authenticity goes against the grain.

1.      In war you can see the heroes from the cowards easily, one will hide, one will run away, one will dodge the enlistment.

2.      The other fights in the presence of fear, acts upon the safety, benefit, and concern for others, runs into the conflict trusting in his team, trusting in his weapon, trusting in his training, that's an authentic memorial that anyone can see.

1.      We assume if we do something wrong that bad things will happen, and if we do things right good things will happen; but once in a while the test of “Authenticity” is that while doing right, things come at a very high price.

5.      Let’s look at authenticity.

Daniel 6:1-27 NLT [1] Darius the Mede decided to divide the kingdom into 120 provinces, and he appointed a high officer to rule over each province. [2] The king also chose Daniel and two others as administrators to supervise the high officers and protect the king's interests. [3] Daniel soon proved himself more capable than all the other administrators and high officers. Because of Daniel's great ability, the king made plans to place him over the entire empire. [4] Then the other administrators and high officers began searching for some fault in the way Daniel was handling government affairs, but they couldn't find anything to criticize or condemn. He was faithful, always responsible, and completely trustworthy. [5] So they concluded, "Our only chance of finding grounds for accusing Daniel will be in connection with the rules of his religion." [6] So the administrators and high officers went to the king and said, "Long live King Darius! [7] We are all in agreement-we administrators, officials, high officers, advisers, and governors-that the king should make a law that will be strictly enforced. Give orders that for the next thirty days any person who prays to anyone, divine or human-except to you, Your Majesty-will be thrown into the den of lions. [8] And now, Your Majesty, issue and sign this law so it cannot be changed, an official law of the Medes and Persians that cannot be revoked." [9] So King Darius signed the law. [10] But when Daniel learned that the law had been signed, he went home and knelt down as usual in his upstairs room, with its windows open toward Jerusalem. He prayed three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his God. [11] Then the officials went together to Daniel's house and found him praying and asking for God's help. [12] So they went straight to the king and reminded him about his law. "Did you not sign a law that for the next thirty days any person who prays to anyone, divine or human-except to you, Your Majesty-will be thrown into the den of lions?" "Yes," the king replied, "that decision stands; it is an official law of the Medes and Persians that cannot be revoked." [13] Then they told the king, "That man Daniel, one of the captives from Judah, is ignoring you and your law. He still prays to his God three times a day." [14] Hearing this, the king was deeply troubled, and he tried to think of a way to save Daniel. He spent the rest of the day looking for a way to get Daniel out of this predicament. [15] In the evening the men went together to the king and said, "Your Majesty, you know that according to the law of the Medes and the Persians, no law that the king signs can be changed." [16] So at last the king gave orders for Daniel to be arrested and thrown into the den of lions. The king said to him, "May your God, whom you serve so faithfully, rescue you." [17] A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den. The king sealed the stone with his own royal seal and the seals of his nobles, so that no one could rescue Daniel. [18] Then the king returned to his palace and spent the night fasting. He refused his usual entertainment and couldn't sleep at all that night. [19] Very early the next morning, the king got up and hurried out to the lions' den. [20] When he got there, he called out in anguish, "Daniel, servant of the living God! Was your God, whom you serve so faithfully, able to rescue you from the lions?" [21] Daniel answered, "Long live the king! [22] My God sent his angel to shut the lions' mouths so that they would not hurt me, for I have been found innocent in His sight. And I have not wronged you, Your Majesty." [23] The king was overjoyed and ordered that Daniel be lifted from the den. Not a scratch was found on him, for he had trusted in his God. [24] Then the king gave orders to arrest the men who had maliciously accused Daniel. He had them thrown into the lions' den, along with their wives and children. The lions leaped on them and tore them apart before they even hit the floor of the den. [25] Then King Darius sent this message to the people of every race and nation and language throughout the world: "Peace and prosperity to you! [26] "I decree that everyone throughout my kingdom should tremble with fear before the God of Daniel. For He is the living God, and He will endure forever. His kingdom will never be destroyed, and His rule will never end. [27] He rescues and saves His people; He performs miraculous signs and wonders in the heavens and on earth. He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions."

1.      The mark of authenticity.

1.      An Excellent Attitude

1.      Daniel possessed an excellent spirit.

2.      People loved to be around him, work with him, and people showed him favor.

2.      Faithful To His Work.

1.      Taking care of responsibilities.

2.      No cheating.

3.      Personal Purity.

1.      Even when nobody was looking.

2.      Even as his enemies were plotting, scheming, talking, planning behind his back.

4.      A Consistent Walk With God.

1.      Regardless of the circumstances.

2.      Right is always right.

2.      So how do we develop and live out this kind of authenticity?

1.      We can learn three lessons, three authentic memorials from Daniel.

1.      We seldom get what we deserve from people, so don’t expect it.

1.      Whether criticism or honor.

2.      Blame or credit.

2.      We will always get what is best from God, so don’t doubt it.

1.      Maybe not in the package we thought it would be delivered but it is always best.

3.      Our ability to handle both is directly related to the consistency, maturity, and authenticity of our walk with God.

1.      Handling what we get from people and what we get from God then staying true, is authenticity.

2.      Handling what we don’t get from people and what we don’t get from God then staying true, that's authenticity.

1.      We have to confident and committed in what we're telling the world as truth.

3.      For those in scripture who stand out as unwavering models of authenticity, unwavering authentic memorials of faith men like Job, Daniel, Jesus, women like Ruth, Mary, Rahab.

1.      The thread I see is in their consistency:

1.      Job: He offered sacrifices on behalf of his family, this he did regularly.

2.      Daniel: Knelt to pray, as was his custom.

3.      Jesus: Went to church, as His custom was.

Pull out the weeds

Dirt week 2 Pull out the weeds

We're going to work this week.

Matthew 13:24-30 NLT

[24] Here is another story Jesus told: "The Kingdom of Heaven is like a farmer who planted good seed in his field. [25] But that night as the workers slept, his enemy came and planted weeds among the wheat, then slipped away. [26] When the crop began to grow and produce grain, the weeds also grew. [27] "The farmer's workers went to him and said, 'Sir, the field where you planted that good seed is full of weeds! Where did they come from?' [28] "'An enemy has done this!' the farmer exclaimed. "'Should we pull out the weeds?' they asked. [29] "'No,' he replied, 'you'll uproot the wheat if you do. [30] Let both grow together until the harvest. Then I will tell the harvesters to sort out the weeds, tie them into bundles, and burn them, and to put the wheat in the barn.'"

1.      Pull out the weeds.

1.      Pastor Mike the bible says to not pull the weeds, that's for those young in their faith but for us seasoned Christians the directions are very different.

2.      The weeds are those things that keep us from fulfilling our God given potential and hold us back from our fulfilling life in Christ. 

3.      Define the weeds of our lives, then pull them.

1.      We're going to pull out the weeds of frustration, pull out the weeds of lack, pull out the weeds of fear.

2.      Some of us need to pull the weeds of addiction, the weeds of abuse, the weeds of disappointment.

3.      Pull out the weeds of discord, the weeds of dissension, but Pastor Mike I'm tired of pulling the weeds, well pulling the weeds is the only way to see past what the enemy is doing and see what God is trying to do.

4.      Many of us have to pull the weeds of failure, pull the weeds of our current stresses which instead of worrying about we should pray about then leave with God.

5.      Pull the weeds of gossip, backbiting, negativity, laziness, and mediocrity.

6.      I'm so weary of weed pulling, well weed pulling will define you it will encourage you, it will discipline you, it will help you raise the standard in your your life, oh when was the last time you raised a standard instead of lowering one.

1.      Vs.25 As everyone slept, weeds were planted.

1.      While we relax, while we're not focused, while we're not looking, while we're not paying attention, while we're not thinking about it or expecting it, while other things activities and adventures transpire, the enemy drops by for a disturbing, life altering visit. 

2.      I promise that as you keep lowering your standards the Devil will destroy you, the enemy will have his way with you and he'll define your next steps rather than God.

1.      He is an expert in his field.

3.      Weeds are always destructive and distracting.

4.      Vs.26 When the crop began to grow, and produce grain, the weeds also grew the growth in both cases running parallel, as antagonistic principles are seen to do.

1.      Enemies of each other.

2.      Batman and the Joker.

3.      Dogs and cats.

4.      Superman and kryptonite.

5.      Tom and Jerry.

6.      Sponge Bob and Plankton.

7.      Wylie coyote and the roadrunner.

8.      Pastor Mike and country music.

5.      Dark and light.

1.      Enemies of each other, weeds and wheat.

2.      Enemies of each other sin and righteousness.

3.      Enemies of each other doing wrong and doing right.

6.      Vs.27 But we planted good seed right?!

1.      This well expresses the surprise, disappointment, and anxiety of Christ's faithful servants discovering those faking it among the Church.

7.      Vs.29 It will be done in due time, but not now, nor is it your business.

1.      My business is planting good seed and weeding me.

8.      Vs. 30 The weeds are good for us they are motivational to our growth, to our work structure, to our perseverance, to our abilities, they produce a healthy competition if you will.

9.      Young weeds and young blades of wheat look the same and can't be distinguished until they are grown and ready for harvest.

10.One will ripen for salvation the other for destruction.

1.      Harvest represents the rapture of the church, the judgement, meeting God face to face which we'll all do.

4.      Everyone’s weeds and seeds look different based upon your priorities and what you want to accomplish for God, for your family, and for others; however, here are some “seed planting” activities to keep yourself in a strategic mode.

1.      Ask yourself, “What am I working towards?"

2.      Define your top priorities for the next day and for each one answer the question, “If I do nothing else on this priority tomorrow, will I, will the team advance or suffer?"

3.      Remind yourself, “No one else can do this but me.”

4.      Ask yourself, “Do I REALLY need to do this?”

5.      Call a spiritual mentor and ask “How am I doing?”

6.      Use quiet times to refocus on what’s most important and how you’ll use the rest of your day.

7.      Get out of your boxed in frame, office, cubicle, work structure, paperwork, baby sitting and energize yourself, stir up the gift of the Holy Spirit in your life.

2.      The enemy plants weeds continuously.

1.      The Devil is feverishly, passionately, and destructively doing everything possible to destroy you, your fields, your family, and your future.

2.      The enemy makes a copy of the good things of God to use against you and give you a lesser than design than God ever designed for His children.

3.      The copy he makes will never fulfill you, the copy he makes will never satisfy you, the copy he makes will never bring you to your purpose in God but the copy he makes will always end up destroying you.

4.      The devil desires you focused on the weeds and not on the fruit of your labor, points out all the negative things to show you your lack, show you your waste of time, waste of resources, and show you your unbelief.

5.      Your doing good he's doing bad it's in his nature it's also in us and we battle against that nature.

1.      Most of us have some discipline around establishing goals and priorities for the things that need to be done to achieve our goals.

1.      However, no plan survives contact with the enemy. 

2.      The enemy planting continuous weeds of I'm so busy I don't have time to read the bible, no time to go to church, no time to pray, fast, serve, or care for others.

3.      The enemy is I'm so far behind on my bills I can't afford to give to God.

1.      I can't afford not too.

2.      God is my strength, my source, my rescuer, my salvation, if I can trust Him with my eternity I better be able to trust Him with my finances.

4.      The enemy is well this cute guy or girl from my job asked me to lunch and he/she pays attention to me unlike my husband/wife.

5.      The enemy is well I don't care if it offends anyone around me I'm living my life to make me happy and everyone else can just...take a long walk off a short dock.

6.      All these so-called “enemies” are insidious in that they draw us into “the weeds.”

7.      Satan desires to sift us like wheat; to separate us from God's goodness and His way.

8.      He wants to snatch God's word out of our hearts and minds.

2.      In those moments when the enemy attacks, the simple thing to remember is that's a weed.

3.      Sort out the weeds and burn them.

1.      When we first come to Christ it all begins with DIRT doesn't it. 

2.      Dirt representing sin this week.

3.      We ask God to forgive us of our dirt, cleanse us of our dirt and keep us from reengaging back into the culture of the dirt. 

4.      Next there is a developmental process that we must go through that allows us to adjust our human life to conform to the spiritual life.

1.      Growth-to develop into maturity.

2.      Progress-forward advancement through successful stages. 

Galatians 5:22-26 NLT "[22] But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, [23] gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! [24] Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. [25] Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit's leading in every part of our lives. [26] Let us not become conceited, or provoke one another, or be jealous of one another."

3.      The fruit of the Spirit is our measuring apparatus to gage our spiritual growth in God or for the lack thereof.

4.      The Fruit of the Spirit displays growth and is the evidence of the Holy Spirit being active in your life.

5.      As we begin the spiritual development process we must turn our lives over to God for control.

1.      You can not do it alone.

2.      Don't be overcome by temptation.

3.      Get sin out of your life.

4.      Let the Holy Spirit guide you.

1.      Sorting out weeds and burning them requires some heavy attention on my part:

1.      Love: Affection for others.

2.      Joy: Exuberance about life.

3.      Peace: Calm, peaceful, and untroubled; when all HELL breaks loose in your life.

4.      Patience: Willingness to stick with things; Don’t Give Up!

5.      Kindness: Compassion for others.

6.      Goodness: Conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people.

7.      Faithfulness: Make loyal commitments and follow through.

8.      Gentleness: Not needing to force our way.

9.      Self Control: Able to marshal & direct our energies wisely.

2.      Progressive Development: forward advancement through successful stages.

1.      The problem is that we think that it should all come at once. 

1.      Salvation is an instant redemption from sin.

2.      Spiritual growth is a progressive development.

3.      Sanctification is a process.

2.      If you want to see if you are beginning to experience growth, test yourself on the Fruit of the Spirit.

1.      Spiritual development is a process, growth is a process, successful things take time, energy, effort, hard work, and sincere concern.

4.      Put the wheat in the barn.

1.      Every person I know generally has a vision of creating something that adds value to life and will be sustainable.

2.      They don't want their life's work destroyed by the enemy, by the weeds, by this culture, or by their lack of productivity.

3.      They desperately wish to fill the barn with the fruit of their labor.

4.      The seeds are important goals, missions endeavors, ministry moments that contribute to the growth of your business, your church, your family, or yourself.

1.      An investment.

2.      Most of the things we call weeds have a ruderal growth strategy.

3.      Ruderal means they grow fast and have a short life cycle; they put all their resources into rapid growth and reproduction instead of long term stable growth.

4.      The things most likely to grow in sidewalk cracks, an old dirt pile, a bare spot on the lawn, or growing in waste places have this ruderal growth strategy.

1.      It’s not so much that weeds grow better, its just that we call things that grow fast "weeds."

2.      You know what grows fast, sin.

3.      A weed is a weed.

1.      It cannot change it's shape, form or future it's a weed.

2.      Once a weed always a weed.

1.      Planted to destroy it will destroy, it will accomplish what it was sent out to do.

3.      Be careful what you plant or allow to be planted in your life!

1.      Many of us allow friends, family, culture to plant all manner of evil into us, into our spirits, into our heads, into our lives, never estimating their destructive patterns or behaviors.

2.      Put the good things in.

3.      Allow the good things to remain.

4.      Don't remove the good things because you're busy, because your tired, because your sidetracked, confused, frustrated, or depressed.

1.      Put the wheat in the barn to save it, to store up for using at the right time.

4.      Weeds adapt to their surroundings better than a lot of plants.

1.      I refuse to adapt to this culture.

2.      I refuse to modify to the enemies motives and destructive methods in my life.

3.      I refuse to be just another weed that going to get plucked up, sorted out, and burned.

5.      Weeds don’t cut trails or set the pace for longevity.

1.      Wheat is beneficial for every person.

2.      Wheat was served at every meal in bible times and was very healthy for them.

3.      Sifting like wheat today is not a good illustration.

1.      This modern culture thinks of sifting flour, the soft fluffy substance.

2.      But when God was talking about sifting wheat He was referring to a very violent action used to separate the grain (wheat berry) from the stalk and the chaff.

3.      It meant literally tearing the wheat apart.

4.      I remember the name threshing floor because it's not that far away from thrashing and that's what they did.

5.      They beat and bent and thrashed the wheat stalks until the grain had fallen out and had been separated.

6.      It separated the valuable portion from the worthless portion.

6.      Weeds don't leave legacies, create inspiration, change their world positively, sow into the next generation they only concern themselves with themselves and what's most beneficial to them.

7.      Weeds steal water and nutrients.

1.      They have no original ideas for themselves they steal every thing they possibly can to live for their short span of time.

2.      Don't trim, don't weed eat, don't cut em low, spray some killer on em', but pull them from the root.

8.      They eat or drink whatever is given them with no thought, care or concern for future repercussions.

1.      Pull out the weeds.