What More Do I Lack?

Matthew 19:16-22

What More Do I Lack?: What More Christians Need

I. Introduction
-Ill. Put together a puzzle.
1. Only one piece missing.
2. How annoying!
-I may describe you this morning.
-The yearning in your heart.
1. ...for something more.
2. ...for completion.
-I wish to speak to Christians who are discontent.
1. Those who do not wish to play at religion.
2. Those who are tired of doing all the right things, but not making progress.
-Maybe you will identify with the young man in our Scripture this morning.

II. Scripture

III. Plague of Christianity
-There is among Christians today a discontentment.
-This discontent is not only with the way our world is going and is operating, but also w/ Christianity itself.
-Talk to people from different churches.
1. They are unsatisfied with life in general, they are distracted, restless, inconsistent, bored, shallow, naive about spiritual things.
2. And all this wells up deep w/in their soul.
-Sinners come into churches looking for something to fill the void of their life and we tell them about forgiveness (not adoption or regeneration) just about forgiveness.
1. So sinners "get that" and walk away w/out the void in their life filled.
2. Yet in all of our "religiousness" we cannot escape the nagging spiritual instinct that there is something more!
-"More than forgiveness?"
1. "Isn’t that all we have to have?"
2. Yes, but it is not all we should have.
-Point: But at the same time that we desire something more than what we have, we also bring with that a pessimism.
1. There is a cynicism that we cannot ever have what our souls ache for inside.
2. So we come to church hoping the preacher will give some key to a deeper spirituality.
3. Some key to the pressing & urgent need of our souls.

IV. Some Kind of Desire
-Our initial experience has worn off. Some of us are years & years removed from being born-again.
1. The fire that burned in our hearts has all but turned to heaps of ashes.
2. The passion (not emotional excitement) has dwindled to church attendance and spiritual chores.
-Can I stir the ashes looking for an ember of that is still glowing hot, holding on.
-I’m not talking about a rousing sermon to flare your emotions (that may occur).
1. I’m not talking about a pep talk before the big game.
2. I’m talking about that thing in your life, that you know, as a Christian you are missing, but you cannot quite put your finger on.

V. People Are Seeking More
-All of Christianity is seeking what you are seeking.
-If you are seeking, it is to you that I am speaking this AM.
-Go to a Christian book store and look at the best selling shelf.
1. Publishers sell only what will make money.
2. Ppl are seeking.
-Here are some of the titles and quotes from the jackets & backs of the books.
1. Mike Yaconelli, Messy Spirituality: "This book has been written for the silent majority of us who have been convinced that we just can’t do Christianity right."
2. Rick Warren, Purpose-Driven Life: "Make sure you’re not missing the point of your life. Read this book. The purpose-driven life will guide you to greatness."
3. Bruce Wilkerson, The Dream Giver: "Let Bruce Wilkerson show you how to rise above the ordinary, conquer your fears, overcome your obstacles that keep you from living your big dream."
4. Beth Moore, Believing Jesus: "Come, experience a fresh explosion of faith. God meant for His children to succeed. Are our Christian lives successful? Are they achieving and experiencing what Scripture said they would?"
5. John Ortberg, The Life You’ve Always Wanted "What does true spirituality really look like? What keeps you from such a life? What can you do to pursue it? If you’re tired of the status quo – if you suspect that there’s more to Christianity than what you’ve experienced – John Ortberg points you to a road of transformation and spiritual vigor that anyone can take."
6. John Eldredge, Waking the Dead: "Here are four streams through which we can discover the abundant life" (John Eldredge Waking the Dead)
-The irony is, that while these authors all promise something more, they fail to deliver.
-Most, although a good read, are enmeshed in "good advice" rather than fulfilling your spiritual yearning.
-They do not believe that this side of heaven you can be restored into the divine image of God.
1. Colossians 3:10 "and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator."
2. Instead they do reconstructive surgery.
-They speak of trying to imitate Jesus; but do we believe that Jesus the Christ can be fully formed in you?
1. Galatians 4:19 "my little children, for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you!"
2. Christians/Preachers today say the most you can hope for is being a "God-chaser," but do we believe that you can actually partake in the divine nature of God and escape the corruption that is in the world?
3. 2 Peter 1:4 "y which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire."
4. They say you can only try to be holy, but can we actually share in God’s holiness?
5. Hebrews 12:10 "For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness."

VI. Holiness & Skepticism
-Allow me to put words to your desire this morning: holiness.
1. Yes, your cynicism just bubbled to the surface.
2. You would think in such a world as we live that the message of heart and life holiness would be popular!
3. But alas even the church has abandoned it today!
-Not only do we not believe in God’s ability to cleanse our hearts of sinfulness, but we also don’t believe in miracles, healings, prophetic words (preaching), or anything that demands more than the normal.
-The church has trouble believing in the miraculous work of God.
1. Transformational work of God.
2. Reformational work defined by the world.
-Point: We have adopted the world’s philosophy of therapy.
-Everybody just needs a little "Jesus" therapy.
1. We don’t believe that anybody ever gets over anything today!
2. Not sin, not addictive behaviors, not their hurtful past, not their homosexual tendency... nothing!
3. Nobody is cured.
-Some people go to their "counselors" for years never realizing any measurable or real healing or wholeness.
1. I’m not against seeing a counselor.
2. I’m against not seeing The Counselor!

VII. Christianity Begins with...
-Let’s not be too skeptical since the skeptics seem to be right.
-Christianity has become more of a title than a way of life.
1. I think every politician running for anything was a Christian!?
-So when this young man asks Jesus how to obtain eternal life (more than Heaven), Jesus says: you know the law... keep it.
-Christianity begins with obedience to Christ.
-And while that is where it begins, it certainly does not end there.
-Some of you here this morning have got that part of it down, but you , like the young man still have a hole in the middle of your faith.
1. It’s not that you don’t love Jesus, or don’t want to live for Him, or want to be a sinner.
2. It’s that there is something that is incomplete.
3. It’s why so many ppl sit through church and "feel" like there is something more.
-And it is terrifying for a preacher to preach holiness, b/c it seems so unlikely that you could be holy.
-So many Christians who are struggling & fighting for something they do not feel they can obtain.
VIII. Are You Lacking?
-Is it God’s design for you to be lacking in your spiritual life?
-Does "making it to Heaven" suddenly make you spiritually pure and mature?
-Maybe God has the proverbial carrot on the stick in front of us.
-"You can try, but you will never succeed."
-Ill. If I asked you to raise your hand this morning if you are right where you need to be, could you raise it?
1. Maybe some infected w/ spiritual pride.
2. Maybe some w/ spiritual ignorance.
3. Maybe some could say yes.
-But do you know what we will do?
1. We will walk right out of here sad.
2. Just like this young man.
3. We never confront the problem.

IX. Do you Want to be Perfect?
-The young man says I have kept all the law from my youth.
1. "What more do I lack?"
2. There it is, the discontent.
-v. 21 "Jesus said to him, "If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.""
1. Perfect?
2. No way.
-I’m not here to define biblical perfection this morning, but maybe it’s a perfect love of God.
-Jesus "demands" of the young man are not a prescription for us but a principle for us.
-Point: Jesus will ask for the most valuable thing in your life.
-If you deny Him, you will go away sad.
1. You will carry your discontent into eternity.
2. The nagging instinct that something is missing may be able to be dismissed, but you will never escape it.

X. Conclusion
-I wonder if you would go away sorrowful today?
-I wonder if you would accept the words of Jesus.
-I wonder if you are sensitive to the moving of the Holy Spirit this morning & see what you may lack.
-Like the young man, ask "what more do I lack?"
-But unlike the young man, do not go away sad.

Response

Can You See It?

Matthew 13:10-17

Can You See It?: Seeing What God is Doing

I. Introduction
-Have you heard from God lately?
-Have you seen his fingerprints in your life?
-Have you witnessed His handiwork?
-God is hard to understand!

II. Scripture

III. I See Something...
-Jesus is in the middle of a number of parables.
-The problem is people have ears, but do not hear.
1. They have eyes but do not see.
2. They're missing it.
-Jesus walked among the people and they missed Him!
1. They missed the Messiah.
2. They missed the Savior.
-We do that today.
-Jesus spent all His earthly ministry trying to get people to see something!
-Do you see something?

IV. Pastoral Pause
-Do you see something around here?
-Ministry is hard to measure.
1. We try to measure it in human ways.
2. Numbers, attendance, averages, line graphs, programs, participation.
3. Only God knows the heart.
-When ppl lay out of church they are moving in the wrong direction!
1. Not coming like they use to... wrong direction.
2. Detached, uncaring... wrong direction.
-Right now, in our church you can see visible signs of God's work.
1. Increased church attendance.
2. Sunday Night, SS, Wednesday night.
-Financial situation.
1. We are about to be out of debt!
2. No more mortgage payment.
3. Nursery.
-There is a sense of burning in my heart that God is about to do something we aren't ready for.
1. Visions & Dreams when the Spirit comes upon them.
2. Expectancy.

V. I See Something!
-Elijah & Ahab
1. "No rain until I say so."
2. Mt. Carmel Baal challenge.
3. Elijah prayed, servant looked seven times.
4. I see a cloud the size of man's hand.
5. Go tell Ahab rain is coming!
6. Doubt the cloud?
7. It may be a little cloud, but rain is coming!
8. Proactive! Pre-emptive praise.
-Acts 2... Pentecost
1. "The Sound of a mighty rushing wind."
2. See: "Tongues of fire above their heads."
3. Equipped with power!
-Elisha
1. 2 Kings 6
2. Assyrians surround the city.
3. Servant panics to Elisha.
4. Elisha's prayer: "Open his eyes Lord!"
5. "Those that are for us are greater than those against us!"
6. Sometimes we only see the Devil's work... open our eyes to see God's.
-Jacob "lost" his son Joseph
1. Years later his sons go to Egypt for food and find him.
2. Joseph sends a caravan full of food & many blessings.
3. Jacob's sons try to explain that Joseph is still alive.
4. He doesn't want to have a false hope.
5. But... Genesis 45:27 "But when they told him all the words of Joseph, which he had said to them, and when he saw the wagons that Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of their father Jacob revived."
6. Don't focus on God's blessings and miss Him!
7. Jacob was more interested in Joseph than the caravan!
8. I'm not nearly as concerned w/ the earthly blessings as being in His presence one day!
a. Missionary spent over 50 years in mission field on a boat back to the states.
b. On the same boat was a movie star.
c. As the pulled into port a great crowd of ppl cheered the movie star.
d. No one there for the missionary.
e. He said: "I've been saving souls, what has the movie star ever done. Why don't I get a big reception when I get home."
f. God tapped him on the shoulder and said: "You aren't home yet."
g. I'm not looking for human acclamation, just God's Words: "Well done thy good and faithful servant."
-Ill. Rolls Royce
1. Owner wrote company.
2. Good car, smooth car, comfortable car.
3. But how much horse power does it have?
4. Enough.
-Ill. God owns the cattle on a thousand hills.
1. Uncle Bud Robinson: "He owns the taters too!"
2. Nothing is impossible with God!
3. Do we believe that yet?
-Saul/Paul saw Jesus on the road to Damascus
1. It changed his life.
2. You'll never be the same.
-Elijah & Elisha
1. Elisha, I want a double portion of your Spirit.
2. If you see me when I am taken away, you will have what you ask.
3. The fiery chariot separated them and then a whirlwind took Elijah into heaven.
4. Elisha picked up the mantle of Elijah.
5. "Let they mantle fall on me."
-Isaiah
1. Isaiah 6:1 "In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple."
2. Needing another touch.
-John the Baptist sees Jesus.
1. Look the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the World!
2. He saw his salvation!

VI. What About Me?
-Now, I want you to look not at others, but at yourself.
1. Introspection.
2. Am I growing?
3. Can I see God working in my life?
-Can you see what God has done?
1. Is it the same old thing?
2. Do you even desire it?
-Let God work.

VII. Conclusion
-Jesus healing a blind man.
1. Mark 8:22-25 "And they came to Bethsaida. And some people brought to him a blind man and begged him to touch him. [23] And he took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village, and when he had spit on his eyes and laid his hands on him, he asked him, "Do you see anything?" [24] And he looked up and said, "I see men, but they look like trees, walking." [25] Then Jesus laid his hands on his eyes again; and he opened his eyes, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly."
2. Do you need a second touch from Him?
-In a little town called Greensburg.
1. Some are skeptical. Tolerating the ravings of a young preacher.
2. I've never seen anything like it in my life!
-I'm waiting... with expectancy.

Response

The Unpardonable Sin

Matthew 12:22-32

The Unpardonable Sin: Blaspheming the Holy Spirit

I. Introduction
-Is there a sin that is unpardonable.?
-Scary two words: unpardonable sin.

II. Scripture

III. Background
-Jesus heals a demon possessed man who was blind & mute.
1. It is a triple miracle of restoring sanity, sight, and speech
2. The man is made whole.
-But the Pharisees begin their accusations.
-They said it was only by Satan he was able to do it.
-Jesus response to the accusations of the Pharisees:
1. v. 25-26 Are demons fighting demons? (Can you see humor in this.)
2. v. 27 Who do your people cast out demons by then?
3. v. 29 Jesus work is liberating those in bondage (what does bondage mean?)
4. v. 31-32 caution not to do the unpardonable.

IV. What is the Unpardonable Sin?
-Blaspheming against the Holy Spirit.
-Blaspheme = to speak of or address with irreverence
1. Blasphemy = the act of insulting or showing contempt or lack of reverence for God
2. in the Greek blaspheme literally means to be against... so while it usually means in speech, it can also include your actions and thoughts.
-Apostle Paul was a blasphemer:
1. 1 Timothy 1:13 "Even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor. Yet I was shown mercy because I acted ignorantly in unbelief; [14] and the grace of our Lord was more than abundant, with the faith and love which are found in Christ Jesus."
-The REAL problem we have:
-We want to minimize our relationship to God to one act/point in time.
1. I got saved then.
2. I repented then.
3. I was forgiven then.
-Being a Christian is being.
-We view salvation as complete already.
1. Salvation is not complete until you are standing in heaven one day having been glorified.
2. Salvation is not complete or you wouldn't need to grow.

V. Blaspheming the Holy Spirit
-So what does it mean to blaspheme the Holy Spirit?
-We try to minimize it to one act.
1. But the unpardonable sin is not one act....(though it could be):
2. Just like salvation is not one act.
-Blaspheming the Holy Spirit is a continual move against the Holy Spirit.
-Hard heartedness, resistance are too tame/too neutral of words to describe it.
1. It is an open obvious, rejection of God's Spirit.
2. It is the continual, deliberate, refusal to acknowledge God's truth from the Holy Spirit.
3. It is more than an instance of "quenching the Spirit."
-It is not...
1. Honest questioning.
2. It is not weak faith.
3. It is not having doubts.
-Point: Ppl are not forgiven because their sins are less (or more) than others – but because they ask for forgiveness.
-Contrary to what some believe, the Pharisees did not ‘commit' an unforgivable sin.
1. Jesus didn't describe what they had done, but what they were doing.
2. Just as salvation cannot be minimized to the act of confession.
-The only sin that is unforgivable is the sin that is unrepented.

VI. You Must Take Sides
-Make no doubt about it, you are in a battle.
-v. 30
-There is no gray area, there is no de-militarized zone, no neutral area, no in-between, etc. in the spiritual realm.
-You are either moving with the Spirit or against the Spirit.
-If you think you are neutral, then you are probably going against the Holy Spirit... blaspheming.
-List of sins God can forgive...
1. Woman caught in adultery.
2. Crucifixion
3. Murderers, thieves, etc.
4. Gossips, drug addicts, liars,
5. Hate mongers, back biters,
-Point: He has never forgiven those who have rejected/ acted against the conviction of the Holy Spirit, and He never will.

VII. Who Commits This Sin?
-Religious people.
-Do you know the hardest ppl to reach with the Gospel are those who have grown up in church.
1. They know the terminology.
2. They know how to behave at church.
-Do you know who the hardest ppl are to catch on fire for God?
1. Regular church attenders.
2. They get heat resistant.
-These two categories of people can most easily go against the Holy Spirit.
-Lost folks may have doubts and fears and questions when the Spirit speaks to them, but...
-"Churched" folks know what they need to do, but they go against the Holy Spirit when He speaks to them about it.

VIII. Pastoral Pause
-Look where we are right now.
-A church in transition toward a deeper intimacy with Christ.
-There are some who are still fighting against the Holy Spirit (blaspheming).
1. They have not progressed deeper with Christ.
2. They may think they're all right to go against the Spirit.
3. But that cannot be forgiven.
-We need everybody on board.
1. We need everybody going with the Spirit; everybody gathering.
2. Because those stuck in Neutral are just slowing the speed of the church as we move toward the cross.
-Some feel, out of frustration, that the best way for this to happen is just let ppl go.
1. That might happen.
2. But we shouldn't hope for that; we should hope for them to go w/ the Spirit.

IX. Conclusion
-If you're honestly worried that you've committed the unpardonable sin, you haven't.
-To Do (for myself):
1. Nurture a sensitivity to the Spirit.
2. Desire for God to speak to you.
3. Learn to do w/out some worldly distractions.
4. Establish a precedence of obedience.
-To Do (for the church):
1. Start praying for those who are blaspheming/going against the Spirit.
2. Be pro-active rather than re-active about the Spirit's movement in our services.
3. Be aware of God's presence in our services... so you can better pray.
-God is still working here.
-That means we still have work to do.