The Church of Eleven22 - Wk 2: Whose Side Are You On?

Episode Date: December 8, 2019

God did not save you to make much of you, but the gospel frees you to make much of Him.

Amen and amen. Well, Merry Christmas Church. Hope you're doing well. If you got your Bibles, and I hope you do, we're going to be in Joshua, chapter 5 in week two of this series called Behold Our King. We are in the Advent season, and if you didn't grow up in church, you don't know what that is. Like, I didn't grow up in church, and I didn't know what it is. But essentially, my job this season, the job of our church, is to help prepare us to be ready for Christmas,

to behold our king. And so that's what this series is. And so we are looking at what's called Christophonies, these. appearances of the pre-incarnate Jesus in the Old Testament, in the Old Covenant. And part of the reason I want to do this, and my hope for us in the next 45 minutes or so, is I want to undo and deconstruct all that this world has tried to teach you every day of your life since you started breathing. Okay, so I got a lot of work to do. But I got God on my side, so hang in here.

And the younger you are, the more offended you will be at the very beginning. But hopefully I will reconstruct it right at the end, and you'll feel better about your. you and your Christmas. So here's what I'm trying to convince you of. It ain't about you. It ain't about you. It ain't about you. And in fact, a lot of churches would even teach, it's all about you. And it ain't. And so that's why we're going to go to Joshua chapter 5. And as I began to prepare for this series and this sermon, man, I'll tell you, Christmas often is all about us. I mean, if you think about all the things that you are doing for Christmas, if you think about the Christmas list that you're making. It's mostly about you. And I know what you're thinking. No, no, no, no, no, no, no,

no, no, no, no, it's not because I got to go to this party and I got to go to that party and I got to get this gift. But all of that is so that other people will think more highly of you. There are two ways to ruin your Christmas and really all of your life. And those two pitfalls are insecurity and ego. And every single one of us are pretty much just a big ball of insecurity and ego. Insecurity tells you that your job is to please people. And ego tells you that everybody else's job is to please you. Nothing highlights this more like the family Christmas card. All right?

Don't show your hands if you send these things out. Because think about the ego involved in this. You know what would bless your Christmas? A picture of me and my family. You're welcome. Yep, there you go. There's us, our perfect family with our khakis and our white shirt on, and just to rub it in the rest of the country,

it doesn't give it to live at the beach, we're going to take it out on the sand dunes, which are actually illegal to stand on, but that doesn't matter because the world revolves around us. Here you go. And who you send that Christmas card to of your perfect and beautiful family is most often rooted in insecurity, is it not? Because you've got a limited amount of cards. Who are going to send this to? Well, we've got to send one to your boss and their boss and these people. Or have you ever been disappointed that somebody else got you a present because your first thought was,

well, crap, now I've got to get them something. That's called insecurity, folks. And welcome to Christmas, because that's the world we live in. So what I hope to do in our time together is to remind us that the word became flesh and dwelt among us was ultimately not about us. It was to remind us that the king stepped off his throne on a rescue mission for a traitor race. So in Joshua, chapter 5, we see this beautiful, mix of Joshua, this new leader of the nation of Israel. And Joshua is just a big ball of insecurity and ego. Now, I taught on the book of Joshua a few years ago. And when you get to Joshua

chapter 5, what you find is I think Joshua, he started out with a whole bunch of insecurity, and I think maybe he swung way over here to ego. And so God is going to show up, meet him face to face, just to give him a little perspective. You see, the reason I think that Joshua was full of insecurity in the beginning is because in Joshua chapter one, the Bible says that the Lord comes to Joshua and he says this, Moses, my servant is dead. Now it's your turn to lead. Now you want to know what a big deal you are in this world? Moses, the leader of the nation of Israel, the one that went to Pharaoh and said, let my people go, that led God's people through dry ground across the Red Sea, the one that walked up onto Mount Sinai and received the law,

the commandments from God, and when he came down, his face was glowing because he had been in God's presence, he gets half a verse in the book of Joshua. Moses dead. Joshua, your turn. And at this point, Joshua is thinking, I have no idea what I'm doing. I'm sure he is full of insecurity. Think about this. At this point, Joshua has led nothing. He was Moses's assistant. Joshua has never fought a battle. Joshua has never given a command. Joshua was an expert. That's all they did for 40 years. They camped. They packed up their stuff.

They went over here. They unpacked their stuff. They hung out. They packed up their stuff. They went over here. They did that for 40 years. And now the Lord is commanding Joshua go into the promised land. Remember Joshua was one of the spies back in the day, and he knew that land was full of giants.

And so maybe he was insecure because of the giants in front of him. Or maybe he was insecure because of that giant behind him, Moses. How would you like to take over and try to fill the shoes of Moses as one of the greatest leaders ever? And so three times in chapter one, God says, be strong and courageous, be strong and courageous, be strong and courageous. Why? Because he was weak and afraid, weak and afraid, weak and afraid.

And the remedy for his fear was not his own strength. The remedy for his fear was this. Joshua, be strong and courageous. Do not tremble or be afraid for I am with you. And then, by the first. the time you get to the end of chapter one and chapter two and three and four and five, by the time you get to chapter five verse 13, Joshua is starting to stack up some wins.

Things are going Joshua's way. In fact, the whole nation of Israel comes to Joshua and says, Joshua, we believe that you are our leader and we are going to follow you just like we followed Moses, which was a real backhanded compliment, because they didn't follow Moses very well because they grumbled and they complained and they worshipped idols because church people were different back then, okay?

And so they say we're going to be just as disobedient to you as we were to Moses, but they claim him as leader. And you want to know what kind of leader he is? This thing is incredible. That Joshua then leads the people to cross over the Jordan.

That he says, we're going to put God before all things. He's going to be the one thing that drives everything. He puts the Ark of the Covenant in front of everybody and the priests and the Levites. When they get to the River Jordan, the Jordan parts and they walk over dry ground.

And he's thinking, see, I got this. And then, and then he commanded such leadership to his people that he convinced all of the men of fighting age to be circumcised as grown men. Now, it wasn't just random elective surgery, okay? What he was doing was reinstituting the covenant of God with his people. Now, listen, I can't even lead us to get to church on time and we call the church the time that you're supposed to show up, all right? I can't lead most of you to do a baptism video when God saves you,

and yet my brother is convincing them to have elective surgery. The Bible says with a flint knife, all right? So this brother is leading like a boss, and then after they all heal up from this little sleepover, they celebrate the Passover together. The first time they ever celebrate the Passover in the promised life, land and the Passover was to remind them of God's redemption out of the slave nation of Israel. And then for the very first time, for the very first time, under Joshua's leadership, Israel is not

dependent on the manna from heaven anymore. They begin to eat their own food. And if you will remember when Moses gives the shima, here, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one, and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart's own mind and strength. And he says, but let me warn you, let me warn you, lest you forget. When you get over into the promised land and you're living in homes that you didn't build and you're eating out of refrigerators that you didn't stock and you're swimming in pools that you didn't dig, don't forget the Lord.

And right on the heels of all of these winds, I think Joshua is feeling pretty good about himself. Again, because every single one of us is just a big ball of insecurity and ego. And that's where we get Joshua chapter 5. I'm only going to preach on three verses today. It should take like 10 or 15 minutes you would think. No, no, okay. So here's what happens. Joshua 5, 13, and when Joshua was by Jericho, he lifted up his eyes, and he looked, and behold, a man was standing before him. Now let me pause real quick.

Okay, so we were talking about these Christophonies. Christophanes are pre-incarnate appearances of Jesus in the Old Testament. Most theologians believe they're at least 12. But what you will find is that the writers of the scripture kind of struggle with the exact language to describe what they are experiencing because they don't, fully understand what they are experiencing. So like last week when Jacob wrestled, he called it one time an angel, one time a man, and one time God, all right? And so a part of the reason here is when these, in the old covenant, when they encounter the second person of the Trinity, they don't know exactly what language to use. And so Joshua, he lifts up his eyes and he looked and behold a man was standing before him with his drawn sword in his hand and look at Joshua. And Joshua went to him

and said to him, are you for us or for our adversaries? This is why I think Joshua has moved from the insecurity to the ego side of the equation. Because Joshua's feeling good. Joshua's feeling like a boss. Joshua's feeling like a leader. They have crossed over the Jordan that he's got everybody, everybody's re-covenanted with God, they've celebrated Passover, they are ready to go. He's staring down Jericho and he's thinking, we got this. And then, and then somebody should be, shows up a man with a sword drawn. That's kind of an aggressive move. And Joshua sees this man.

He looks at his boys. He's like, I got this. Here, hold that. I'll be right back. Some of the famous last words of most of the rednecks I know. Hold this. I'll be right back. And what Joshua does, man, he's calling this man out.

He's drawing a line into sand. He's like, who do you think you are? Huh? Look at me. Say it with your chest. Are you for us or are you against us? are you for us or are you against us? He doesn't know who he's talking to

because look at the response. He says, are you for us or for our adversaries? And he said, no. To which I think Joshua is like, no, hold on, hold on, see, I gave you multiple choice. You kind of answered true faults. I don't understand. You're not, hold up.

See the sand, the chair, come on, you. Uh-uh. He says, no. No, but I am the commander of the army of the Lord. Now I have come. And Joshua thinks, oh, scubilon, we're going to find out in a second. He just falls on his face. You see, basically what God is saying here is,

I did not come to be a part of your little story, Josh. But by my grace, I am going to allow you to be a part of my story for my glory. You see, make no bones about it. God is for you. Anybody that dies for you is for you. It's just not all about you. And that God is all about God's glory. That God is jealous for God's glory.

And again, now, again, the younger you are, the more offended you are by that, okay? Because you had a kindergarten teacher that told you that you were a snowflake and you're a rainbow and you're a skittal. All right, Skittal. You're really not that big a deal, okay? And that God is for his own glory. And in fact, if we can get our minds around that, it'll be the most freeing thing you'll ever experience in your life. You see, when you hear that God is a jealous God,

it doesn't mean that he's jealous of you. God didn't watch you get dressed this morning. They'd be like, look at those pants. Gosh, I don't even have legs. No. That God is jealous for his own glory. glory, which means that is the best news for you and me on the planet, that he is obsessed with himself. Now, again, some people will be like, what do you mean? You mean like God is full of himself?

Uh-huh. The reason it's not okay for you to be full of yourself is because you're full of scubilon. By the way, if you're new to church, scubilon is the Greek word for slang for animal dung. You use whatever English word you would like there, okay? I'm going with the Bible. See, when we're full of ourselves, it's because we're full of all kind of stuff. of. But when God is full of himself, he is only full of justice and holiness and perfection and beauty and love. And for God to worship anything other than himself, it would be idolatry. In fact, Jesus said that the greatest commandment is that we should love God with all. Don't you think God obeys his very own commandments? And so God shows up in the face of Joshua,

and Joshua draws a line in a sand and says, are you for us or are you against us? And he says, no. I don't think you realize who you're talking to, Josh, but I am the commander of the army of the Lord. Now I have come. And look at what Joshua does. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshipped. You know why people show up at church week after week after weekend? They don't worship? Because you've never seen God for who he really is. You may know a lot about him, but there is no way that you could experience the grace train of God running over to you and you not throw your hands in the air and say, who am I, that you would take my place. Now, I'm not saying you got to do it the way I do it, but you ought to try it because I got it from the book. Like, lift your hands and sing and make much of him because he is worth it. That's what worship is.

And I know some of you grew up in church, looked like you were weaned on a pickle, just get over yourself. I mean, like, well, I don't like that song. Well, we ain't singing to you, baby. We sing to God, and he's into it. It's just true. And when we worship, it's not like the worship. warm up for the talking. That is not what it is, man. I hope you would pay attention to the words that we sing, that my life is defined by this, that I am crucified with Christ. That's Galatians 2 20.

That we would make much of him. That's what he does. He falls on his face and he worships, and then look what he does next. He surrenders. And he said to him, what does my Lord say to his servant? And the commander of the Lord's army said to Joshua, take off your sandals from your feet for the place where you are standing is holy, and Joshua did so. So here's some reasons why we believe this is a Christophany, a pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus, the second person of the Trinity. First and foremost, you've heard this a million times. Jesus was not like invented at Christmas, okay?

Now, the way I thought it was when I grew up, I didn't grow up in church, so I misunderstood a whole bunch. I thought, like, you know, God was angry in the Old Testament, and then Santa Claus came and chilled him out, and then Jesus came, and now we've got the New Testament. Okay, that's not how it works. there's one God and three persons from eternity past to eternity future. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit,

in a perfect and complete love relationship with himself. And from before there was time, God the Father's plan is that he would redeem his rebellious children by the blood of his son, Jesus Christ. And a few times in the old covenant that the second person of the Trinity would show up so that we would all know God's plan from the beginning has been the first. redemption of his rebellious people through the blood of Jesus. And then at Christmas, what we celebrate is that the word, the ever-present, everlasting word that created all things for him, by him, through him, and to him, put on flesh,

and moved into the neighborhood. But there is a day when he is coming back, and he's not coming back as a little baby in a manger, and he's not coming back as a rabbi to tell stories about birds and corn. he is coming back as a just judge. And in this moment when Joshua sees him, the commander of the Lord's army for who he is, notice what he does, he falls on his face and he worships him.

Now the way we know this is not just like a regular angel is because in Revelation chapter 22 verse 9, John, the Revelator, when he sees an angel in all of its majesty, in all of its glory, and all of its beauty, Revelation 229, the Bible says that John falls. on his face and begins to worship the angel. And the angel is like, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, get up. You'll get me in trouble. I am a servant just like you, not worthy to be worship. Only the

king is worthy to be worship. But when Joshua bows down and worships the commander of the Lord's army, the commander of the Lord's army doesn't tell him to stop worshiping. He gives him instructions on how to do it rightly. He says, take off your shoes, because this is holy ground. It wasn't the ground that was holy. It was the presence of God at the ground that made it holy. Just like Exodus chapter three when Moses bumps into God at the burning bush and the burning bush says take off your shoes for you are on holy ground and at the burning bush God gives Moses his covenant name this is what he does here now when you realize who Jesus is when you see him for who he really is my prayer for you not just for this Christmas, but for all of your life,

is that you would have like this Copernicus moment. He was an astronomer in the 1500s, who was the first person to ever say out loud, hey, I don't think we've had this right. You see, all of human history, we thought that all of the cosmos revolved around us, and he says, I don't think that's right. I actually think we revolve around the sun.

And he knew it was such a dangerous message that he didn't even publish that message until like right before he died, and then nobody picked it up for over 150 years until Galileo grabbed onto it, and he published it, and when he did, the church and the culture crucified him for saying we were not the center of the universe. You see, you talk this kind of stuff, where you say that God is for God's glory, and that it's not all about me and my story, but my story is only a part of the glory of God. The culture that we live in will crucify you. It will. But I'm just trying to let you know is that when you see him for who he really is,

it will free you to be who he created you to be. You see, God, through his general revelation sometimes, he gives us this picture of just how big he is and how tiny you are. Have you ever been to the Grand Canyon? You ever been to like Kilimanjara, standing at the foot of that in Tanzania? and you look at that mountain that seems to go up to the heavens. Nobody stands there and goes,

I made a $1,400 on the SAT. No. Or when a hurricane comes ripping through Jacksonville, you don't stand out on the, you don't stand in that wind thinking, I can run a 25-minute 5K. No. Some of you surfers, you ever dropped in on a big wave?

I mean a big, big, big, like a Costa Rica wave, that kind of thing. You don't drop in on that thing thinking, I am the man. You're going, please don't die. Please don't die, please don't die, please don't die. You feel tiny. One time a hurricane was coming to us, and Ben Williams said, I got a good idea. We should go surfing, and I went with him. It's the last time I'd do anything he says is a good idea. And I thought, I'm going to die. How embarrassing is this?

I'm going to die at the Jacks Beach Pier. That's embarrassing. And I went over on a wave, and I counted in my mind. I held my breath from four to five minutes. Ben said it was four to five seconds, but whatever, man, it's my story. That thing pressing you down and shaking you out, and then, all right? You don't feel like I can bitch press 225. No. You feel about this big. You know why? Because you are. You ever get out of the city, go out in the woods, look up at the expanse of the stars, and then begin to realize that there are a hundred billion galaxies that we know of, and you and I are just floating around on one little blue ball in one seemingly random galaxy on the edge of nothing.

And in fact, there's 8 billion of us doing that together. So if you fall off the ball, it's going to keep spinning, bro. Coach Bowles used to say it this way to me, you want to know what a big deal you are in this world, stick your finger in a cup of water, pull it out, and look for the dent. That's a fact. Now, I know what you're saying. Some of you're like, well, pastor, that makes me feel small. I'm not trying to make you feel small.

You are small. It's just true. And so, when we can get to that place where we realize that we are not the center of the universe, you know what you find there? You actually find freedom. Because if you think you're the center of the universe, do you know what has to happen in your life for you to have a good day? That every molecule in all of the cosmos,

have to align the way you would have them align for you to feel good about your day. Like your spouse has to act the way you always have been training them to try to act. All of the traffic patterns in Jacksonville, including the lights, everybody's Wi-Fi at every coffee shop you attend, everything. Your team, those 20-year-old people that you put your faith in on Saturdays who let you down over and over, every ref has to catch every holding call against the other team, do you understand how impossible it is for you to be the center of the universe? It'll crush you because you can't handle that weight. But when we get to that place

in our life, where we bow down and we worship and we understand that he is the center of the universe, then we are actually free to be who God created us to be. Like any newly married people here, if you've been married like two years or less, raise your hand, okay? All right here, good. Okay, cool. So, I'll give you some of marriage advice, okay? Y'all ready? Do you want me here?

Great. Praise God, see? Singles? Good luck. Okay. You see, ego and insecurity in your marriage will drive you crazy because if you think, bro, if you're insecure as the husband and you think that your job is to make her happy, husbands. Can I get a witness? See, they're going to say nothing. They're all afraid. They're all afraid. Day's still going pretty good. You never know how afternoon might go. So they're like,

not you, babe. I love you. Complete me. But if you wake up every day thinking that her happiness is dependent on you, you, because here's what we do. Every single day, you're going to spin that wheel, and you're going, come on, happy, baby. Come on. No, okay, I'll go to work. All right. So, that's it. man, some days you'll get it. Drive you crazy, because here's the thing, man, her joy can only be found in Christ Jesus and not you. And if she idolizes you, when you let her down, she'll demonize you and it won't go good.

And the other thing is true for you, darling. If you think that the reason that he exists is for your fulfillment, I don't know you look at him. You will be so let down because it ain't getting better. That's it. It's a fact. It's a fact. However, if you understand that the reason that Jesus brought you two together was not about you too, but about his glory,

that's when you can submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Bro, that's when you can love her like Christ love the church, and that's when you can submit to him as unto the Lord. Not because he's submittable to, but it's not him that you're submitted to. Ultimately, it's Jesus Christ and it's for his glory. And then you don't fight over stupid stuff like countertops and what time people. That's dumb. you get yourself together and get focused on the glory of God and you worship him in the way that you love one another

and serve this world. See how it frees you? That's what happens here to Joshua. Same thing's true at work. Same thing's true in your family. Same thing's true in your neighborhood. You see, a new Star Wars movie is coming out. I can do this every year because there's a new Star Wars movie every year.

How many of you know who Biggs Darklighter is? Anybody know who that is? Lord, I hope not, because that level of nerddom is not. accepted here at 1122. We had two guys at 722 came up to me. He's like, we know, both single. All right, so. Get out the movies a little bit there, Scooter. So anyway, here's a picture of Biggs Darklighter. Maybe you remember him. All right? He was on the movie, which was the first one for me, but the fourth one in the series, but always the best one. He was in there for 34 seconds. All he did is let Darth Vader blow him up so that Luke could go be the hero.

Church, you're Biggs Darklighter. That's it. And if you try to be Luke, the force is not with you, it is always fighting against you. Because when we make too much of ourselves, we take our eyes off of the glory of God and we miss the point of our very own existence. Don't believe me. I printed eight pages of verses where the Bible talks about God being for God's glory. Psalm 29. Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly being.

ascribe to the Lord, glory and strength. Ascribe to the Lord, the glory do his name. Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness. Do you know why you get mad? Sorry, you're a Christian. You don't get mad. Christians get frustrated. You know why you're frustrated?

Because we want to ascribe glory to us all the time. We want to ascribe glory. We walk into the restaurant and you sit down and nobody takes your order and you're like, what is happening? Did they not, it has been a minute and six seconds, and no one has come over here to wait on me. Get your stings. We're out of here.

Why? Because you want to describe glory to yourself. Or when you're driving, look, all I'm doing is reading my mail. This is a confession for me, okay? You're driving down the highway and you get in the left lane, you're like, oh, yeah, I forgot. In Jacksonville, people don't know what the left lane is for. They're like, oh, let me move over here.

Is this where you check your phone? I think this is it. And I'll pull up all, my truck's big too, and I get up on them little Priuses, and I flash the lights. Gretchen says she's afraid. She read on some, like, weird website that gang members, if you flash the lights at them, they'll kill you. I think it's worth the risk, okay? I'm like, get out in my way. Then they pull over and I'm passing me like, hey, pastor, I'm like, you need to be in a disciple group.

Or you're going to hurry at the grocery store and you get the 10 items or less aisle. And what do you do? 11. She's got 11. She's got 11. And I want to be like, can you not read or count? Which one? Because I know it's one of those two. You know what we're doing? Describing to myself glory. Who do you think you are to get into, have you not received the memo that the whole world is about me?

You see, have you not received that memo? But when? But when you realize, but when you realize that our story, by his grace, we've been invited into the story of his redemptive glory forever and ever and ever, it changed. just everything, that you can be free to ascribe to Him glory in everything you do. Isaiah 48, verse 9 in following, say, for my name's sake, I defer my anger. For the sake of my praise, I restrain it for you, that I may not cut you off. Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver. I have tried you in the furnace of affliction for my own sake. For my own sake, I do it. For how should my name be profaned?

My glory I will not give to another. that even when we go through trials, it is for the glory of God. That God created us for His glory, Isaiah 436. Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth, everyone who is called by my name whom I created for my glory. That you and I are a means to God's end, which is his own glory. That God rescued Israel from Egypt for His glory, Psalm 106, 7 and 8. That God raised up Pharaoh to show his power and God.

glorify God's name. Romans 917, for the scripture says to Pharaoh, for this very purpose, I have raised you up that I might show my power in you that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth. Pharaoh thought he was the most powerful person in the whole world. He's like four foot eight. Have you ever seen the little mummy tour that goes all over the world? This little guy made people worship him and God Almighty says, all right, most powerful guy in the world, that's cute. I'm going to make you a footnote in my story for the rest of history. Take that shorty. And he uses him for the glory of his name. That God spared Israel in the wilderness for the glory of his name, Ezekiel 2014. That God did not cast away his people for the glory of his name, 1 Samuel 1220. That God saved Jerusalem

from attack for the glory of his name, Second King's 1934, that Jesus sought the glory of his father in everything that he did. John 718 says, the one who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory, but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and in him there is no falsehood. Jesus tells us to do good works so that God gets the glory. Matthew 516. In the same way, let your light shine before others that they may see your good works and give glory to your father who is in heaven.

That Jesus warned us that not seeking God's glory makes faith impossible, John 544. That Jesus answers prayers so that God would be God. glorified, John 14, 13, that Jesus endured the cross for the glory of God. John 1227, this is Jesus. He says, now is my soul troubled and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour, but for this purpose, I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name. And then a voice came from heaven. I have glorified it and I will glorify it again. In other words, when Jesus went to the cross, it wasn't even about you. It was about the glory of God.

That our very own salvation is a means to an end by which God gets all the glory. Now listen, man, that might rattle you a little bit because the way it was taught to me, I don't think anybody meant this explicitly, but the way I heard it is this. Hey, listen, you were such a big deal. You were the apple of God's eye.

God is so into you that he looked around heaven and said, I got to have him. Jesus, go get him. And this cosmic scavenger hunt happened and Jesus came and he died for us and he saved us so that one day from now until then he's been building us a house and building us a mansion and one day when we get there he's going to say move that bus and out the bus is going to move and there's your mansion streets of gold and plenty of food if you think heaven is for people that think gold is

concrete and to live in a nice house and have plenty of food then you miss the whole point of heaven the entire point of heaven is the glory of god and jesus came for his glory that god forgives our sin for his own sake. Isaiah 43. 25, I am he who blots out your transgression for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins. That God instructs us to do everything for his glory. So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God, 1 Corinthians 1031, that Jesus' is that we would see and enjoy his glory. John 17, the high priestly prayer, verse 24, Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am to see my glory, and that you have given me because you love me before the foundation of the world.

That God's plan is to fill the earth with the knowledge of its glory. Habakkuk 214, for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. You ever been deep sea fishing? You know what's all over the sea? Water. It's everywhere you look. and the purpose and the plan of our lives is that the knowledge of the glory of Lord would cover this world like waters cover the sea. In fact, in the New Jerusalem, the glory of God will replace the sun.

Revelation 21, 23, and the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it for the glory of God gives its light and its lamp is the land. That when we get to heaven, the thing that will warm us, the thing that will grow us, the thing by which we will see everything will be. be the glory of God. Still not convinced. One guy is. Appreciate you. 23rd Psalm. The 23rd Psalm. Very famous Psalm. It's a gift from God to comfort a whole bunch of people in pain. But the comfort of the 23rd Psalm is not that God comforts you because you're awesome. Our comfort in him is found because he is awesome. The 23rd Psalm. Man, even if you're new to church, you kind of know this one, right? He says,

the Lord is my shepherd I shall not want now I know some of you're like see pastor kind of a big deal to God like he's my shepherd and I don't have any wants outside of what he want me the Lord is my shepherd look how into me

he is the Lord is my shepherd I shall not want he makes me lie down in green pastures he leads me besides still waters he restores my soul he leads me in paths of righteousness pastor there's a lot of me in there Okay. I hope you realize that when the Bible calls us sheep, it is not a compliment. Now, I know when you hear shepherd and sheep, your mind goes to like Bible bookstore,

Lifeway kind of thing. Have you ever walked in and you see, you know, these like, Jesus is the shepherd posters? Jesus is standing there, very slender, looking great. Doesn't look Jewish a lot. It's kind of Swedish. Kind of got Rick Flair hair, Bathrow, Miss America's ass, doing the peace sign, holding a fluffy white lamb, right? And he's just petting him. And you're like, that's me. Sitting in the lap of peaceful Rick Flair Jesus. And he loves me.

Well, he does love you. But not because he... Have you ever been to, have you ever been to like a Middle Eastern country and seen a sheep? They ain't fluffy white. All right? They're kind of brownish,

full of mud and scubulon. That's what it is. where I grew up, we call them shnasty. Man, that's nasty, all right? It's like beyond nasty. They smell atrocious, and did you know that sheep are one of the dumbest animals on the planet? Not only are they dumb, they're essentially defenseless. Almost every other animal on the planet has either been given like a camo pattern or some way to fight back, like with teeth or claws, or they could outrun their adversary.

not the sheep, not the sheep. The sheep is, first of all, it's like a cotton ball running around in the woods. And from head to toe, God made it with Velcro so the predators could hold on tight while they eat the face off. You understand? And they're dumb. You know why they need a shepherd? They don't know where they're going, and they don't know how to get there from here. They don't even know where here is.

Not only that, they're dumb when it says he leads me in green pastures. The sheep are one of the very few wild animals that cannot distinguish edible berries from poisonous berries. that they are so dumb that they would partake in a thing that would be sure to kill them. Not only that, they're so dumb and they're enamored by the white water of a stream that they'll stick their head down in the rapids of the water, and their wool will saturate with water, and they can't get their head out of the water, and they will drown. These things are so dumb, they'll drink something so much that it kills them.

Can you believe that? They're dumb animals. And did you know that one of the most dangerous thing to the life of a sheep is a nap. If sheep lay down and they roll over too far, they get what's called cast. Their legs go up in the air and they can't get themselves back over to their feet and they will die from a nap. So the shepherd has to use his crook to pry them back up on their feet so they can make it

another day. And God Almighty looks at this group of animals. Huh? Dumb and slow and drink stuff that'll kill you. That reminds me of a people. people? That's us. And yet, and yet, even when you look at all of that stuff that he does, he does not do it because we're so lovable. But he gives us what we need. He makes us a lot down and grue pasture. He leads us besides still waters. He restores our soul. He leads us

and paths of righteousness. Why? For his namesake. For his namesake. You see, the moment you can realize that you're not the center of the universe, then you could actually be freed up to be who God has created you to be. So in your marriage, you can be free to love your wife, like Christ loved the church. Now, I know what happens. The moment I get to the application portion of this, especially with the amount of people that we have at our church, you in the back of your mind would be like, yeah, but pastor, you don't know my story. Yeah, I know this cute couple on the second road. They've been married a minute. They're going to be fine, but you don't know my story. I'm Mary crazy. Okay? And I try to love her, but one day she woke up from a deep sleep, and I saw

her shoot fireball out of her eyes and catch a kitten on fire. Okay, that's what I got. And I would say, bro, that may be true. I'm not arguing. Maybe you're, you know, poor decisions, whatever, but it's a covenant. And how about in the Bible, Jesus has a bride called the church. And who's the crazy one in that scenario? And yet, you know what he does day after day after day? He laid down his own life for us. Or at work when everything's not going your way and your boss passes over you or you show up to the board meeting and you know the project was your idea but Susie's getting credit for it and you want to stand on the table and be like, wait a minute, she didn't do anything,

this is all my idea. Do you know what we're doing in that moment? We're like, did y'all not get the memo that I deserve some glory here? And there is, it's prison there. Or some of you single and you, now, First Corinthians says that it could be a gift from God. And I know what you're thinking, you're like, well, I would like to return this gift because I don't really want it, all right? But really, what you're saying to God is, God, are you for me or are you against me? I mean, I've done everything you've asked me to do.

I'm in a disciple group. I'm in women, just girls, I'm in a mixed group just in case. I serve at a bunch of different canvases. I go to every service. I sponsored a bunch of kids. I didn't go see 50 shades of gray. but my roommate did and now she's about to get married and here I am and you're saying are you for me or are you against me I'm telling you every single time we ask that question ultimately what we believe

is that we are the center of the universe it's crazy man me too but when we get frustrated because things are not going the way we would hope they would go it's crazy because we say that we your followers of Jesus, we're just surprised when the path we're on leads us to where Jesus went. To suffer for the glory of God. You see, John Piper in his book, Don't Waste Your Life, says this. It's all about the greatness of God, not the significance of man. God made man small and the universe big to say something about himself. Pastor Adam last week said something like,

when you live for yourself, one day all you'll have is yourself. that is a miserable existence. Now back to Joshua. Joshua is standing before the commander of the Lord's army, and he asked the question, are you for us, are you against us? And he says, no, those are not the categories. I have come.

I am the commander of the Lord's army, and Joshua, in this moment, surrenders it all. He worships him, and he says, I'll go where you say go. I'll do what you say, do. You see, Joshua understands that God takes full responsibility of a life fully devoted to him.

Here's the whole point. Here's the whole point of this, here's the point of Christmas every year, but here's the point of us getting us ready to behold our king, that God did not save you to make much of you, but the gospel frees you to make much of him. And here's what's crazy, man.

Here's what's crazy. So while it is true that God is all about God's glory, God is only and all about himself, and that you and I, again, we're one of eight billion souls floating around on a little blue speck of dust in some obscure part of an obscure galaxy. And yet, just as true, the creator of all those galaxies, he has placed his love on you. He has sent the commander of the Lord's army on a rescue mission for you.

You see, we have a tendency to look at our circumstances and ask this question, God, are you for us or are you against us? And the way the apostle Paul would address that in Romans chapter 8, verse 28, he says this. And we know that for those who love God, all things work together. What things? Like your job and your marriage and traffic and your family and this Christmas season, all these things. God is working together for good. And the good is not just a good outcome for you, but the good is that we would be shaped into the form of Jesus. For those who are called according to his purpose.

For those whom he foreknew, that means he placed it. love on you. For those whom he foreknew, he also predestined. Don't let the word scare you. It just means to predestine. That's just what it means. For those whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed into the image of his son in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined, he also called. And those whom he called, he also justified. And those whom he justified, he also glorified. In other words, God, through his son, Jesus Christ, when you realize that he's the point and you're not the point, The performance is over.

Like you don't have to perform your way into the good graces of God because Christ did it for you at the cross. And the pretending is over. You don't have to pretend that everything's okay because the cross has already told us it ain't okay that Jesus had to die for us, for us to be redeemed. What essentially he means here is this, Jobbys speak, is that God picks winners. And God didn't pick you because you were a winner, but because God picks you, that makes you a winner. And the moment he foreknew you, he predestined you, he called you, you. you, he saved you, and then one day he's going to take you all the way to glory, and he's going to glorify you.

And then he asks them questions, what then shall we say to these things? What things? These circumstances to cause us to ask God, are you for us, or you against us? And he answers the question, if God is for us, then who shall be against us? And we know that in Christ Jesus, God proved once and for all that God is for us. Romans 5.8 says, but God demonstrated his love for us in this. While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Verse 32, he who did not spare his own son, but gave him up for us all.

How will he not also with him graciously give us all things? And who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died. More than that, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sore?

or your financial situation or your marital status or your past or your ego or your insecurity. As it is written for your sake, we are being killed all the day long. We are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered. In other words, Paul says, when you look at your circumstances and you, like Joshua, have this tendency to ask this question, God, are you for us or are you against us? God's answer is the same. No, those are not the categories. But in all these things, in other words, all of the circumstances that we see, we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else, in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Amen. Let me tell you why this matters. on the one hand it is true you were a little nobody nothing nobody's even going to remember your name three thanksgivings after you're dead and yet god knows your name and he sent his only begotten son jesus christ to die in your place that's how much he loves you let me tell you the reality back to joshua one day every single one of us will stand before the commander of the lord's army And the Bible says at that point he won't have a sword in his hand, he will have a sword coming out of his mouth.

And the Bible says that God the Father has put under the authority of Jesus, the judgment of us all. But when we stand before him, we won't be asking the questions. We won't be the one speaking up saying, are you for us, or against us, that Jesus, the judge, he'll be asking, are you for me, or are you against me? you see as we get ready this Christmas to behold our king it doesn't mean to behold him as a baby in a manger he ain't coming back as a baby in a manger and he ain't coming back as a rabbi that taught stories about farming and fishing that when he comes back behold our king will be the righteous judge and he will have a sword to judge every single person before him

and he will ask this question are you for me or are you against me which by the way which by the way, can I just tell you, this is why Christmas in a box is such a big deal. This is not some little kitsy church trick so that you can have a little festive time with your buddies at your house. It's not what this thing is about. This is about God using you to reach the people that he's put in your life that he cares for and that you are going to be like the many pastor of your own little campus of 1122 on Christmas Eve or any time you want to do it. and that God might use you because you can't get them to come here

because they ain't going to church, but they'll go to your house. We'll sing some songs, watch a little movie that we made. It's pretty awesome. And hear a message of the gospel. And those folks will get to hear the reality that one day every single one of us will stand before the commander of the Lord's army. But we have a significant advantage over Joshua.

You see, for any of us who are in cursory, Christ, God made Him who was without sin to be sin for us that we would be made the righteousness of God. That Jesus, our judge, stands before us, but because of the gospel, please don't miss this. He bears the scars of our judgment. So the words every believer hears from Jesus the judge is this. Well done. Good and faithful servant.

enter into the joy of the master. Not because of our goodness, but because of what Christ did for us on the cross. So maybe your whole life you've been living for you. And honestly, honestly, it's not your fault. It's your responsibility, but it's not really your fault. It's just the air that you breathe. It's the world that we grew up in.

And honestly, you just never even thought about it that way. And today, for the very first time, maybe you realize it ain't all about me. and maybe today you realize that you were created for the glory of God. Maybe you realize that God sent Jesus to die on the cross for you for his glory. And maybe today for the very first time, you realize that it's not by your good works that you're saved, but it's by Christ's finished work on the cross. And even if you don't have all the words to describe it,

maybe today for the very first time, somehow down here at the heart level, at the surrender level, you believe that when Jesus died on the cross, Somehow, that counted for you. And you say, well, all right, well, how do I get in on that? You do what Joshua did. You just admit it, hey, man, I'm not a mistakeer in need of a life coach. I'm not like a kind of good person that needs to try harder, but I'm a sinner that needs a savior and that you believe.

You just trust. And when Christ died on the cross, somehow, that counted for me. And you confess him as Lord. You confess him as Lord. you just say, I'm not the boss of me anymore. You are. And the Bible says that you will be saved. If you would, please bow your head and close your eyes.

And if you would say, Pastor, that's me. For the very first time in my life, I am ready to admit it. I'm a sinner in need of a Savior. And I believe that when Jesus died on the cross, somehow that counted for me. And in this moment right now, I am ready to confess him as Lord. that I want to live for him instead of having this whole world revolve around me. And if that's you, in this very moment,

if you believe in your heart and confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and Christ was risen from the grave, would you raise your hand? Would you say, Father, here I am, I surrender my life to the Lordship of Jesus Christ? Our good and gracious, Heavenly Father, God, we thank you for your love towards us. God, we thank you that you're not just waiting on us

to get our act together, but while we were yet still sinners, you demonstrated your love for us, regardless of our circumstances, actually in spite of our circumstances. Christ came and did for us what we could never do on our own. Jesus, may we, this Christmas, not get so caught up in ourselves, but may we behold our king, a different kind of king,

the only king I've ever heard of that would step off of his throne to come on a rescue mission for traitors and adopt us as sons and daughters. And God, because of that, you deserve all, all, all of our praise. We prayed in Jesus' name. Amen. Church, as we please stand as we close, we believe that the gospel demands a response. So you pray because through the blood of Jesus, the king of the universe just happens to be your dad. It's just like a child brings a request of their dad. You cast all your cares upon him because he cares for you. And we bring our first and our best, our ties and our offerings.

That's just another way to worship him. And we sing. We worship. We join our voices together and we declare our God is one. So let us sing and let us bring and let us pray. Let us respond.