Sermons that shape us: The blessing of a godly attitude. (Pt.2)

(Matthew 5:1-12) 

Part 2 

            

“God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted. God blesses those who are humble, for they will inherit the whole earth. God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they will be satisfied. God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy. God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God. God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God. God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. “God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers.” Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way.”-Matthew 5:3-12

 

Most of us are familiar with the blessings listed here in Matthew 5:3-12, but perhaps you've failed to see how these blessings are tied to maintaining godly attitudes. 

 

Proverbs 23:7 (NKJV) tells us that: “For as a man thinks in his heart, so is he.”

 

 These 8 attitudes not only invite blessing into our lives, but they shape godly character in us as well. I found these descriptions helpful from a commentary I was studying: 

 

            1. Matthew 5:3: “God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.” 

 

It all starts here. Blessed are the poor in Spirit that realize their need for God and more specifically their need of a Savior. They come with no spiritual assets. Nothing to offer. Spiritually bankrupt. They cast aside self-dependence to trust fully in the Lord. If we are not careful self-dependency can lead to haughtiness and pride. 

 

            2. Matthew 5:4: “God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” 

 

Those who mourn are those who respond to their own sinful condition with godly sorrow and genuine repentance. 

 

            3. Matthew 5:5: “God blesses those who are humble (meek), for they will inherit the whole earth.” 

 

Meekness is constrained power. Meekness is to show willingness to submit and work under proper authority. It also shows a willingness to disregard one’s own “rights” and privileges. It is a form of self-discipline which is a Fruit of the Spirit.

 

            4. Matthew 5:6: "God blesses those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.”

 

We see Christians hungering for many things: power, authority, success, comfort, happiness – but how many hunger and thirst for righteousness? There is a shift from pursing the things of this world, to pursing the things of God. Finding our satisfaction solely in Him and seeking first His righteousness. 

 

Scott Burr

 

            

Sermons that shape us: The blessing of a godly attitude. (Pt.1)

(Matthew 5:1-12)

Part 1 

 

“One day as he saw the crowds gathering, Jesus went up on the mountainside and sat down. His disciples gathered around him, and he began to teach them.”-Matthew 5:1-2

 

As I read this passage, I was reminded of the message I preached a few weeks ago about leaving the nets. How there were many that crowded around Jesus, but only a few that left their nets to follow Him. Those He called disciples. As I read this I noticed how the crowd gathered around each other, while His disciples gathered around Him. 

 

This section of scripture (Matthew 5-7) may be the most famous of all of Jesus’ sermons. When we talk about things that people have said, we often talk about people’s famous last words.

 

The Book of Matthew 28:18-20 ends with these famous last words of Jesus to His disciples:

 

 “Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. 19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”-Matthew 28:18-20

 

 We all know this as the Great Commission. It is a directive from Jesus about what we are to accomplish as far as His mission to seek and save the lost. 

 

How often, however, are people known for their famous first words? In Luke 4, in his hometown of Nazareth, Jesus stood up in the synagogue and read an excerpt from the book of Isaiah. However, it is here in Matthew that we read Jesus’ first extensive teaching. It was his inaugural address. 

 

What I find interesting is that His teaching in Matthew 28 focuses on our mission, but His inaugural address in Matthew 5-7 focuses on our character. Character always proceeds commissioning. Jesus didn’t start off instructing His disciples in their mission. He began by addressing their character. Because, if your character isn’t sound enough to carry the call of God on your life, then it will collapse. 

 

When Jesus’ sat to teach, he wasn’t just trying to simply sharpen the disciples intellect. He was determined to shape their souls-their character. That is why we are calling this series: Sermons That Shape Us. We want to allow what Jesus taught the early disciples to shape us too. 

 

 

Scott Burr

Leaving the nets (Pt.2)

Part 2

“So when the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went across to Capernaum to look for him. They found him on the other side of the lake and asked, “Rabbi, when did you get here?” Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, you want to be with me because I fed you, not because you understood the miraculous signs. But don’t be so concerned about perishable things like food. Spend your energy seeking the eternal life that the Son of Man can give you.”-John 6:24-27

When it came to following Jesus, some wanted be near Him while others wanted to be with Him. The crowds wanted to be near Him when it benefited them. They would hover around waiting for the next miracle, while the disciples simply wanted to be with Him. Crowds followed Jesus as long as they were getting from Him what they felt they need, but when the teaching got hard, the crowds departed:

 “Anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. I live because of the living Father who sent me; in the same way, anyone who feeds on me will live because of me. I am the true bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will not die as your ancestors did (even though they ate the manna) but will live forever.” He said these things while he was teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum. Many of his disciples said, “This is very hard to understand. How can anyone accept it?”-John 6:56-60

“At this point many of his disciples turned away and deserted him. Then Jesus turned to the Twelve and asked, “Are you also going to leave?” Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life. We believe, and we know you are the Holy One of God.”-John 6:66-69

Jesus’ question was concise: Are you going to leave when it gets hard? When persecution comes the crowds go home, while disciples go to the cross! His disciples would go on to be crucified, boiled in oil, beheaded, speared, stabbed, clubbed and burned to death. You don’t develop that level of devotion from a casual commitment to being near Jesus. That comes from being with Him. 

Even the religious leaders of that day could tell the difference:

“The members of the council were amazed when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, for they could see that they were ordinary men with no special training in the Scriptures. They also recognized them as men who had been with Jesus.”-Acts 4:13

Discipleship begins with leaving our nets. Jesus commanded us in Matthew 28:18-19: 

“Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations.” 

Jesus told us to go out and make disciples, not try and figure out how to draw bigger crowds. Jesus wasn’t looking to become popular, He was looking for people willing to leave their nets and follow Him. You want to draw big crowds? Heal the sick, raise the dead, and work miracles. The crowds will chase that. You want to make disciples, you start by teaching them how to leave their nets. As the church, we’ve focused more on drawing bigger crowds than we have teaching people how to pursue Jesus. 

Why do we tell people that they don’t have to give up anything to follow Jesus, when the men Jesus invited to be with Him gave up everything. It wasn’t the crowds that turned the world upside down, it was the 12 men that left everything to follow Him. (Acts 17:6)

If the only thing different about your life, since coming to Jesus, is where you spend an hour of your day on Sunday mornings, you are solidly in the crowd camp. But if your life is being radically changed, the Bible will be water to your soul, prayer a priority, worship your warfare, sharing your faith a necessity, and church will no longer be optional 

Do you have to sell everything you own and go to the mission field to be His disciple? No. But if your life isn’t radically different in priorities, purpose and passion, perhaps you need to ask yourself today, which camp you are really in. If you still live like you lived before you met Jesus, you may ask yourself, which camp am I really in. Some of you need to leave the nets! 

Scott Burr

Dayspring Community Church 

Leaving the nets (Pt.1)

Part 1 

“One day as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers—Simon, also called Peter, and Andrew—throwing a net into the water, for they fished for a living. Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” And they left their nets at once and followed him. A little farther up the shore he saw two other brothers, James and John, sitting in a boat with their father, Zebedee, repairing their nets. And he called them to come, too. They immediately followed him, leaving the boat and their father behind.”-Matthew 4:18-22

“Come, follow me.” are three of the most powerful words a person can hear from the lips of Jesus. However, what does it mean to follow someone? In the age of social media, following refers to the selection of people, businesses, or organizations whose content you wish to appear on your feed. You can keep up to date on any recent developments or activities they are involved in, but you can do so at your convenience. Plus, if at anytime you are no longer interested in following them, you can simply click a button, unsubscribe,  and no longer see their content, commitments or activities. 

I am pretty certain that is not what Jesus meant when He said “Come, follow me.” His invitation had an expectation of commitment rooted into it. A commitment that was lost on many in Jesus’ day and is lost on many today. Matthew chapter 4 is a powerful look at two different camps of people who chose to follow Jesus: the disciples and the crowds. The question each of us must answer is which camp are you going to run in? 

The first camp we read about centers on four men that Jesus invited to follow Him: Peter, Andrew, James, and John. These were the first of the disciples He called. Jesus invited them to come and follow Him and immediately they left their nets at once and joined Him. 

Jesus told them, that He was going to make them fishers of men. These men left their nets to pursue a purpose. They were leaving more than just an occupation, but choosing to leave lifestyles, attitudes, activities, extended family and priorities to be with Jesus. 

Each of them made a commitment that radically changed how they lived. They left their nets! They chose to walk with Jesus everyday. They gave themselves to His teaching and instruction and followed His leading and direction daily. They saw Jesus’ invitation to follow in a totally different perspective than the second camp of people. 

The second camp we read about in Matthew 4:23-25 is the crowd:

“Jesus traveled throughout the region of Galilee, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness. News about him spread as far as Syria, and people soon began bringing to him all who were sick. And whatever their sickness or disease, or if they were demon possessed or epileptic or paralyzed—he healed them all. Large crowds followed him wherever he went—people from Galilee, the Ten Towns, Jerusalem, from all over Judea, and from east of the Jordan River.”-Matthew 4:23-25

The crowd, unlike the disciples, followed Jesus when it was convenient for them. They didn’t really leave anything to follow Jesus, nor did their lives didn’t look radically different. Their occupation, lifestyles, attitudes, activities, extended family and priorities remained in tact. However, occasionally, they would rearrange their schedules to come and see Jesus, based on their availability and desire. 

Some were pursuing a performance. Others pursued out of curiosity. Others were hoping to have a need met. They were seeking a better life, but Jesus was offering them a new life; a life radically different from what they had been living, and perhaps that is why they chose to stay in the crowd rather than to leave their nets to follow Him. 

Scott Burr

Dayspring Community Church 

No one is beyond recovery! (Pt.2)

(Part 2)

 

“When Jesus arrived at Bethany, he was told that Lazarus had already been in his grave for four days. “-John 11:17

 

Jesus arrived to find Lazarus in the worst possible condition. Not only had he died, but he laid buried in a tomb decaying for four days. When Jesus asked for the stone to be rolled away Martha protested and said:

 

“Lord, he has been dead for four days. The smell will be terrible.” 40 Jesus responded, “Didn’t I tell you that you would see God’s glory if you believe?”-John 11:39-40

 

What was Martha declaring? She was in essence saying: “Lazarus is beyond recovery. There is no hope for him. Death has had the final word.”  However, Jesus responded, “Didn’t I tell you that you would see God’s glory if you believe?” Even when we feel as though we are beyond recovery, like there is no coming back from the depths we have reached, Jesus has the final word. With just one word, God can call us out of the grave:

 

“Then Jesus shouted, “Lazarus, come out!” And the dead man came out, his hands and feet bound in grave clothes, his face wrapped in a head cloth. Jesus told them, “Unwrap him and let him go!””-John 11:43-44 

 

Jesus found Lazarus in the worst possible condition. Why does that bear repeating? Some of you have been telling yourself, that Jesus would never want me. I’m too far gone, too messed up, too unlovable, too strung out, too jaded, too angry, and too unforgiving. I’m a mess and there is no way He wants me. Can I remind you that Jesus came to Lazarus when everyone else had given up hope believing he was beyond recovery. That’s because they never stopped to think that it was his time in the tomb that set up his resurrection story? Interestingly, tombs aren’t just for the physically dead:

 

"So they arrived at the other side of the lake, in the region of the Gerasenes. When Jesus climbed out of the boat, a man possessed by an evil spirit came out from the tombs to meet him. This man lived in the burial caves and could no longer be restrained, even with a chain. Whenever he was put into chains and shackles—as he often was—he snapped the chains from his wrists and smashed the shackles. No one was strong enough to subdue him. Day and night he wandered among the burial caves and in the hills, howling and cutting himself with sharp stones.”-Mark 5:1-5

 

I am certain that this man’s family and the people within that community felt as though this man was beyond recovery. He was harassed by a legion of demons and every man-made effort to detain and restrain him had failed. It got so bad that he could no longer function among the living so he made his home among the dead. This man logged some serious tomb-time, but little did he know that the time he spent in the tomb was about to set up his resurrection story: 

 

“When Jesus was still some distance away, the man saw him, ran to meet him, and bowed low before him. With a shriek, he screamed, “Why are you interfering with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In the name of God, I beg you, don’t torture me!” For Jesus had already said to the spirit, “Come out of the man, you evil spirit.”-Mark 5:6-8

 

In what seemed like just a moment, Jesus set this man free from years of bondage.

 

“The herdsmen fled to the nearby town and the surrounding countryside, spreading the news as they ran. People rushed out to see what had happened. A crowd soon gathered around Jesus, and they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons. He was sitting there fully clothed and perfectly sane, and they were all afraid.”-Mark 5:6-15 

 

You don’t have to be possessed by a legion of demons for Jesus to show up in your life, but this man’s encounter with Jesus demonstrates that if Jesus can deliver him, He can surely deliver you. These stories don’t demonstrate how bad things must get before Jesus will show up, they show how bad things can get and Jesus still show up. 

 

When Jesus came out of that grave He made it possible for each of us to have our own resurrection story. Your resurrection story begins today. This is your last day in the tomb. He calling you out today. You can choose to keep living in the tomb, but if you are ready to find freedom, it’s time to run to Jesus. 

 

Scott Burr

Dayspring Community Church 

 

 

No one is beyond recovery!

(Part 1)

“Now on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they, ]and certain other women with them, came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared. But they found the stone rolled away from the tomb. Then they went in and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. And it happened, as they were [b]greatly perplexed about this, that behold, two men stood by them in shining garments. Then, as they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth, they said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, saying, ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.”-Luke 24:1-7

That morning, on the first day of the week, when Jesus stepped out of the grave, is unequivocally the greatest resurrection story of all time. On Friday, all of hell rejoiced, as Jesus breathed His last, but it trembled on Sunday when God rolled away the stone and Jesus came out of the tomb with the keys to death, hell and the grave. Jesus had triumphed over the grave, yet some of those who loved Jesus most showed up at the tomb, not to welcome a resurrected Savior, but to give Him a proper burial. 

Why do you seek the living among the dead? The angel of the Lord asked this question as he rehearsed with them Jesus’ own words: “The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.”

Yet, the women who arrived did not come expecting a risen Savior. Instead, they came carrying burial spices. Jesus had been buried in haste just three days earlier as the Feast of Unleavened Bread was about to begin. He was wrapped in linen and placed in a borrowed tomb. After the feast and Sabbath day, the ladies returned with spices to complete Jesus’ burial. But why? Had they not heard Jesus’ words? Did they not believe Him? The problem that these ladies faced is not uncommon. In fact, most of us are conditioned to see death as being “beyond recovery”. 

Several times during Jesus’ ministry he endured the scoffs and laughs of those around Him, when He would dismiss the idea that a person who had died was beyond recovery: 

“While he was still speaking to her, messengers arrived from the home of Jairus, the leader of the synagogue. They told him, “Your daughter is dead. There’s no use troubling the Teacher now.” But Jesus overheard them and said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid. Just have faith.” Then Jesus stopped the crowd and wouldn’t let anyone go with him except Peter, James, and John (the brother of James). When they came to the home of the synagogue leader, Jesus saw much commotion and weeping and wailing. He went inside and asked, “Why all this commotion and weeping? The child isn’t dead; she’s only asleep.” The crowd laughed at him. But he made them all leave, and he took the girl’s father and mother and his three disciples into the room where the girl was lying. Holding her hand, he said to her, “Talitha koum,” which means “Little girl, get up!” And the girl, who was twelve years old, immediately stood up and walked around! They were overwhelmed and totally amazed.”-Mark 5:35-42

It is inconceivable that the author of creation could look at something and declare it was beyond recovery? So, instead Jesus would refer to them as sleeping. Consider the story of His good friend Lazarus:

“Then he said, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but now I will go and wake him up.”The disciples said, “Lord, if he is sleeping, he will soon get better!” They thought Jesus meant Lazarus was simply sleeping, but Jesus meant Lazarus had died.” So he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead.  And for your sakes, I’m glad I wasn’t there, for now you will really believe. Come, let’s go see him.”-John 11:11-15

The disciples believed that if Lazarus was only sleeping he would recover. Death, however, carried a stigma of defeat. When Jesus finally arrived in Bethany, Even Mary and Martha both declared, “Jesus if you had been here, Lazarus would not have died.” In their minds sickness was recoverable, but death was final. 

Jesus, however, was about to prove that no situation and no individual is beyond recovery. 

Scott Burr

Dayspring Community Church 

Worthy is the Lamb

 “11 Then I looked again, and I heard the voices of thousands and millions of angels around the throne and of the living beings and the elders. 12 And they sang in a mighty chorus: “Worthy is the Lamb who was slaughtered—to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing.”

-Revelation 5:11-13

Worthy is the Lamb is a unique reference used here in Revelation 5 to describe Jesus Christ. Jesus is, often, referred to in song, sermon and scripture as the Lamb of God. This stems back to the when Israel was in bondage and the last plague that God released on Egypt to free them was the death of all the first born. However, God told Moses to instruct the children of Israel to take a lamb and slaughter it. They were to apply the blood of that lamb to the doorposts of their home and this would cause the death angel to pass-over them. This was the genesis of the Passover celebration. In the New Testament, John the Baptist made an interesting declaration:

“The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!-John 1:29

John didn’t declare Jesus to be a conquering king or a great prophet. He declared Jesus to be the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. The Passover lamb was a foreshadow of Jesus and His sacrificial death on the cross to save us from the penalty of our sins. Just as the Passover lamb’s blood applied to the doorposts of their homes caused the death angel to pass over each household, Christ’s applied blood causes God’s judgment to pass over sinners and gives life to believers:

“He entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify[a] for the purification of the flesh, 14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.”-Hebrews 9:12-14 

God was very specific with Israel about the lamb that they were to choose for the Passover. “Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats.”-Exodus 12:5

The apostle Peter links the lamb without defect from Exodus 12:5 with Christ, whom he calls a “lamb without blemish or defect”:

“But with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.”-1 Peter 1:19. 

Jesus qualified to be called one without blemish because He had no sin, nor did He ever sin:

“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.”-Hebrews 4:15

Jesus was chosen by God to be our substitutionary sacrifice and was slain for our salvation and was even crucified during the time that the Passover was observed:

“And on the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrificed the Passover lamb, his disciples said to him, “Where will you have us go and prepare for you to eat the Passover?””-Mark 14:12

The Passover was a foreshadow of a greater reality that is found in Christ. His sacrifice negated the necessity of any further sacrifices as it was sufficient. He was the perfect Lamb. This makes Him worthy, but what did such a sacrifice make Him worthy of or worthy for?

If I were to ask you what is Jesus worthy of? I am sure we would all begin with many of the same answers. He is worthy of praise, honor, glory and power (Psalm 145:3, Revelation 4:11) However, Jesus’ death on the cross made Him uniquely qualified and worthy of something else.

As we approach Easter and consider everything Jesus' death accomplished: healing, deliverance, and salvation; one thing we rarely think about is how His sacrificial death qualified Him to be the only one worthy to open the seals of judgment:

“And they sang a new song with these words: “You are worthy to take the scroll and break its seals and open it. For you were slaughtered, and your blood has ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.”- Revelation 5:9 

It was His sacrificial death that qualified Him for this task. Until the moment He breathed His last breath on the cross there was no one found worthy to execute God's divine plan for justice. Because of His willingness to die for the sins of the world, He was found worthy to judge it. 

Scott Burr