Largely the world has the wrong idea about church because Christians have the wrong idea about themselves.
1 Pet 2:9-10 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. NIV
Chosen people. He’s the King of kings and the Lord of lords. What does that make us? We are his kings and lords in the earth.
You are not merely a carrier of the message – your mess is part of the message – IF GOD CAN USE YOU THEN MAYBE THERE’S HOPE FOR ME.
God doesn’t love us because we’re valuable. We’re valuable because God loves us.
HE TURNS MY MESS INTO A MESSAGE – MESSiah
Heb 9:1-5 The 1st covenant had regulations for worship and also an earthly sanctuary. 2 A tabernacle was set up ….gold-covered ark of the covenant. This ark contained the gold jar of manna, Aaron’s staff that had budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant. 5 Above the ark were the cherubim of the Glory, overshadowing the atonement cover.
The atonement cover sat on Ark covering these 3 items representing the most embarrassing disgraceful events in histry Israel:
- A pot of manna: Ex 16:32
- Uncomfortable reminder rejected God’s provision.
- Aaron’s staff that budded: Num 17:10
- Rejected God’s authority.
- 10 Commandments: Ex 19:5-6
- Failed to obey Commandments
Continual reminder man is a helpless sinner. HOWEVER: When God looked down from above, He did not see the reminders of sin. They were covered by the atonement cover.
To atone literally means to cover mistakes. Through Christ our shame is covered, or atoned for so we are “at+one” w God. Heard one pastor shout at his congregation
2 Cor 5:21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. NIV
Jesus didn’t just die for our sins. He actually became our sin so we could identify with righteousness
Events of your life may explain you but don’t have to define you.
Don’t let your issues become your excuses.
The Good news for all of us today is that God uses dysfunctional people.
Tribes: arguably the most dysfunctional family in the history of the world!
- Reuben / Leah – seen misery
- Simeon / Leah – heard cry
- Levi / Leah – at last my husband will be attached
- Judah / Leah – Now I’ll praise the Lord
- Dan / Bilhah of Rachl –vindctd
- Nphtli / Bilhah of Rch –strggld
- Gad / Zilpah of Leah – What good fortune!
- Asher / Zilpah of Leah –Happy
- Issachar / Leah – God reward
- Zebulun / Leah – Now honord
- Joseph / Rachel – May he add to my life.
- Benjamin / Rachel – Ben Oni – son of trouble but father says no = son of my right hand.
God’s love in our messed up lives is the message of Gospel
Andrew Carnegie, “Finding greatness in an individual is a lot like mining for gold. When you go into the mine you realize that you will have to move a ton of dirt to find an ounce of gold. However, you never go to the mine looking for the dirt. You always go to the mine looking for the gold!”
Nothing can help us if our thinking is wrong. Nothing can stop us if our thinking is right.
2 Sam 11 = David sinned with Bathsheba and then murdered her husband who was his own faithful servant. (GUILTY!!!)
2 Sam 22:21-25 The LORD rewarded me for doing right; he compensated me because of my innocence. For I have kept the ways of the LORD; I have not turned from my God to follow evil. For all his laws are constantly before me; I have never abandoned his principles. I am blameless before God; I have kept myself from sin. The LORD rewarded me for doing right, because of my innocence in his sight.