"Nick at Night"~by Pastor Frank
Sometimes, the pastors show a video clip of a movie, to give us a visual aid to help us get the point of the sermon. This Sunday, Pastor Lou came out dressed like Nicodemus and Pastor Rob came out looking like Jesus, except that his hair was straight, and it is my personal opinion that Jesus had dark wavy hair. They did a great job illustrating the exchange between Jesus and Nicodemus in John 3. I forgot for a moment, that it was an act, and I could easily envision Nick's confusion over Jesus' exhortation that he must be born again.
PF used this skit to emphasize the fact that Jesus related to people on a personal level. Not only was He relational, but the words He spoke to them were relevant for their lives. And not only were they relevant, they had the power to revolutionize their lives if they allowed them to.
"You cannot encounter Jesus and not have a response."
It is good and right that in the church as a whole, there is a new emphasis on developing good relationships with those in the body and with those who come through our doors, searching for the truth. People need to feel like they are accepted and that they belong.
It is also good and right that we are learning to relate to people in a relevant way. We are learning to enter their world, like Jesus, who entered the world of the adulteress woman, by getting down in the dirt with her. "No man condemns you?"
But it can't just end there. "Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more."
Words of acceptance and relevance, and then words of change; words that contain a future and a hope.
"Relationships are the springboard but not the catch-all."
Our relationships with others and our ability to be relevant to them, must result in their lives and ours being transformed and revolutionized as we fellowship together with the living Christ.
The Prodigal Son 'came to himself' and said, "It would be better for me to go back home and be a servant in my father's house."
"Would to God every one in this room would come to yourself and realize it is not about you....God wants to use you to do things no one has ever done before."
We need to really believe in Jesus and believe He is who He says He is. If we really believe then our actions are going to show our belief. People are going to say, "You're one of them and whatever you have, I want."
Who do you say Jesus is?
Do you really believe it?
If so, it will revolutionize your life.
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When I was nine years old, I stood up in a revival meeting to show that I wanted to accept Jesus as my Savior. I remember having the strong conviction that I needed a Savior and I have never lost that conviction. When I came home that night, my mother came upstairs to my room, and counseled me to read John 10. I loved the story of the Good Shepherd who laid His life down for His sheep. Then, I came to John 10:10. " I have come that you might have life, and that you might have it more abundantly." It's been one of my favorite verses ever since I read it that evening.
I think the abundant life in Christ is revolutionary.
It is life-changing.
Not only will you be saved and go to heaven,
but Life will be better than life even while you live on earth.
It will be full of meaning and purpose and destiny.
Pastor Frank talked about the Woman at the Well. Jesus related to her. The words He spoke to her were relevant to her situation. She believed in Him because of this relevant relating. Her life was revolutionized by believing in the truth. And because of her belief, a whole town was revolutionized.
It can happen here.
It can happen at home.
Transformation...Change...Revolution
Abundant life has no apathy.
Abundant life has no mediocrity.
Abundant life is not "Just as I am without one plea..."
Abundant life is what happens to us after we come without one plea...
He loves us too much to leave us 'just as we are...'
He will make us into His likeness.
He will give us His heart and His spirit and His eyes and His mind.
Jesus lived life abundantly.
Our life is hidden with His inside God.
Abundant life is forgetting about ourselves and living our lives knowing that Christ is within us through His Holy Spirit, and we are inside God through Christ Jesus.
As Anna, in the book 'Mr. God, This Is Anna' would say, " God is in my middle...and I am inside His."
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