It Takes More Than a Good Idea
There are many who have great ideas but who never are willing to make the hard commitments to cause them to come to pass. That’s the difference between a good idea and a great idea.
Many folks are in love with the IDEA of marriage without the dedication and patience that it takes to achieve the substance of a great marriage.
Folks will say they believe in the idea of Peace, but never are willing to make the tough investments which will bring it into reality so that the idea of peace becomes possible. Peace becomes a great idea, when we go home, love our wife and family and those in our circle of relationships. Then reach out in love beyond our circle even to our enemies.
If you ask children what they want to be when they grow up, they might say “President, a doctor, a teacher, or a missionary who saves Africa, or an evangelist who travels the world. But as they grow up, the long term commitments which are necessary, cause them to settle for lesser things. They liked an idea but lacked the long term discipline and conviction to give it substance.There are things which will never materialize until we get beyond the wishing or just the idea stage….
If wishes were horses, then beggars would ride….
The graveyard of wishes is probably the largest cemetery of all…..
A young lady wrote a letter to her former fiancé …. My Dearest Jimmy, No words could ever express the great unhappiness I've felt since breaking our engagement. Please say you'll take me back. No one could ever take your place in my heart, please forgive me. I love you, I love you, I love you! Yours forever, Marie. P.S., And congratulations on winning the state lottery. (she suddenly found a reason to love this guy)
Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen.2 For by it the elders obtained a good report”. The word faith here, means that you are so convinced, that you align your actions with your belief system, so that it becomes possible, therefore providing the fertile soil for the idea which you are convinced of, to have the substance needed to become a reality.
During World War II, Hitler commanded all religious groups to unite so that he could control them. Among the Brethren churches, half complied and half refused. Those who went along with the order had a much easier time. Those who did not, faced harsh persecution. In almost every family of those who resisted, someone died in a concentration camp. When the war was over, feelings of bitterness ran deep between the groups and there was much tension. Finally they decided that the situation had to be healed. Leaders from each group met at a quiet retreat. For several days, each person spent time in prayer, examining his own heart in the light of Christ's commands. Then they came together.
Francis Schaeffer, who told of the incident, asked a friend who was there, "What did you do then?" "We were like one," he replied. As they confessed their hostility and bitterness to God and yielded to His control, the Holy Spirit created a spirit of unity among them. And Love filled their hearts and dissolved their hatred and brought them together again.
Show me a church where there is love as the foundation for everything they do, and I will show you a church that is a powerful force in their community and has the attention of their City.
In Chicago there was a little boy who attended a local children’s church. When his parents moved to another part of the city the little fellow still attended the same children’s church, although it meant a long, tiresome walk each way. A friend asked him why he went so far, and told him that there were plenty of others just as good nearer his home. "They may be as good for others, but not for me,". "Why not?" she asked. " They really love a fellow over there," he replied.
If only the world believed that we loved them, and that every person was special before God, there would be fewer empty churches, and a smaller part of our population who never darken a church door. Let love replace duty and obligation in all the areas of our church relations, and the world will soon be evangelized.
Professor, Jim Pluddeman, shares the concept of the BIG IDEA. "The effective Christian is like a person who takes a strong rope, ties one end around the Big Ideas of Scripture, ties the other end around the major themes of life, and then through the power of the Spirit, commits themselves to bringing the two things together as one."
Accomplishing the mission of Jesus would mean focusing on the Big Ideas, of scripture not trying to juggle many little ideas that would distract and pull us away from our greater, God centered mission.
Jesus did not confuse people with a lot of little ideas. Instead, he presented one Big Idea with a clear call to action:
Matthew 4:18-20 "As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. `Come, follow me,' Jesus said, `and I will make you fishers of men.' At once they left their nets and followed him".
Jesus didn't say to Peter and Andrew, "Come, be Christians." When Jesus met someone for the first time, he challenged them with one Big Idea: "Follow me." The Big Idea was simple but it wasn’t easy.
If Peter and Andrew were asked, "What did Jesus teach you today?" there is no way they would respond that they couldn’t remember….. This Big Idea was very clear, and the call to action could not be easily misunderstood. The simplicity and clarity of that Big Idea, "Follow me," was what converted a movement of Christ followers into action. And these Christ followers knew what was expected of them and they would do anything and everything, including trading their very lives, to accomplish the commission and call of Jesus…… FOLLOW ME!
A businessman needed a million dollars to close an important business transaction. He went to church and the message was “give and it shall be given unto you”…. At the end of the service when the speaker called for those who wished to make a commitment, He knelt and started praying next to a man who was praying for a hundred dollars that he needed to pay an urgent debt. The businessman took out his wallet and pressed the hundred dollars into the other man's hand. The man was overjoyed and asked what had prompted the generous donor to bless him like this. The donor, said that God had spoken to him through the pastor’s message. When the recipient of the hundred dollars had left, the businessman then closed his eyes and prayed, "And now, Lord, that we have gotten rid of that distraction, I trust that I now have your undivided attention...."
The rich young ruler wanted more…. that was just too simple. He wanted something deep…. Just being like Jesus, wasn’t what he expected. With clarity and simplicity, Jesus challenged him with one BIG IDEA when he said, Mark 10:21 "One thing you lack.... Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, FOLLOW ME". The rich young ruler had many ideas about what being a Christian should be like….. but they were all keeping him from fulfilling the BIG IDEA…. FOLLOW JESUS!
The Big Idea teaching, touches on all the many basic truths of life that will guarantee a life that is lived well for God’s Kingdom. It brings us back to the clear values and principles that flow from the heart of God into the hearts of His people. God’s big idea and the main message of the Bible, and of our preaching is Jesus Christ Himself.
John 12:32 “And if I be lifted up, I will draw all men unto me.”
Could it be that we have forgotten the Big Idea and gotten lost in too many little ideas?
The Bible’s main message is about Christ Who would come in the prophetic books, Christ who has come, in the gospels, and Christ who will come again, in the epistles and Revelation. Beware of studying or sharing the Bible, while missing the central message which is Jesus Christ Himself.
John 5:39 “You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; for these are they which testify of Me.”
He said in John 6:35 “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, & he who believes in Me shall never thirst.”
He said in John 8:12 “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”
He said in John 10:8 “I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved…”
In John 11:25 “I am the resurrection & the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, yet shall he live.”
And in John 15:5 “I am the vine, you are the branches for without Me you can do nothing.”
The Holy Spirit’s Main Message Is Jesus Christ Himself, so if that is His main message, it is our mandate to be sure it is ours!
John 15:26 “But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.”
The Main Message of the 12 disciples was Jesus Christ Himself…
Acts 5:42 says “And daily in the temple, & in every house, they did not cease teaching & preaching Jesus as the Christ.” God’s Big Idea is that we Know Him. Trust Him. Worship Him. Love Him. Obey Him. Follow Him, and, proclaim Him. So often it is what Jesus can do for us, that we get focused on, instead of Jesus Himself. We don’t realize that we are seeking the creation instead of the Creator.
An elderly woman passed away, who had never married, she requested that no male pallbearers be allowed to carry her casket. She had made it clear In her handwritten instructions for her memorial service. She wrote, "They wouldn't take me out while I was alive so I don't want them to take me out when I'm dead."
We believe that "These things are going to satisfy us. This thing Or that thing is going to do it. I need to find this person, get this job, get this house, find this car, get that money, or position. And as soon as I get that, I'll be happy." But It just keeps betraying us. We get there, and it doesn't satisfy us. It wasn't meant to satisfy you, it was meant to meet a need. Only Jesus will ever satisfy us!
If we don’t put Christ first in our lives, then we have believe the lie over God’s truth, and no one would come right out and say…”I’m smarter than God”, but we say it with our lives. If God has told us that by seeking first the kingdom, all these things we seek after would be provided….and we seek the things, instead of the king himself, then we have believed a lie! Jesus told us that when He came the kingdom came in power.
If we want to see God move like he did in the early church, we have to be willing to do what the early church did. They didn’t chase after the miracles, and what Jesus could do, they chased after the Lordship of Jesus in their lives. (Not I but Christ in me, the hope of glory)
Their greatest desire was to get closer to him, to recognize his infinite power in their lives and see him miraculously help them with their problems. Seeing Him will change the way we see everything and everyone else. The Lord is the rewarder of all who diligently seek after HIM! We must come to the place that we sing, worship, praise and live for an audience of one!
In Matthew 16:5 Jesus asked His disciples and all of us today, “Who do you say I am?” This is the “rock” or the “cornerstone” that our faith is built upon. Not every “Jesus” presented in our world today is the “real Jesus”. To paraphrase the Motown classic of Marvin Gaye and Tammie Terrell “Ain’t nothing like the real thing, baby!”
A little boy was saying his prayers and he prayed…."Dear God, please take care of my daddy and my mommy and my sister and my brother and my doggy and my cat and me. And, please take care of yourself, God. If anything happens to you, we're gonna be in a big mess."
Perhaps the reason on facebook and other places, that folks “like” Jesus so much is because they have created a “Jesus” of their own liking, a “Jesus” of their own pleasure, a “Jesus” of their own design and their own image? But is this “Jesus”, that the world seems to be affirming, “the real Jesus”?
There’s the Patriotic Jesus who is wrapped in our flag thereby the assumption is that all we do in America must be blessed by God.
•There’s the political conservative Jesus who is against budget increases and stands for “family values” and owning firearms.
•There’s Starbucks Jesus who drinks name brand coffee, loves spiritual conversations, drives a hybrid and wears only name brand clothing.
•There’s Open-minded Jesus who loves everyone all the time no matter what, except for people who are not as open-minded as they are.
•There’s Super bowl Jesus who helps athletes run faster than non-Christians and seemingly determines the outcomes of Super Bowls.
•There’s Hollywood Jesus who is meek and mild, with high cheekbones, flowing salon hair, and walks around barefoot, wearing a sash and looks like the guy from the 70’s musical “Jesus Christ Superstar”.
•There’s the Beatles Jesus who teaches everyone to give peace a chance, imagines a world without religion, and helps us remember all you need is love.
•There’s New Age Jesus who hates religion, churches, pastors, priests, and doctrine; and would rather have people finding the god that is within us all.
•There’s Revolutionary Jesus who teaches us to rebel against the status quo, stick it to the “man” or “stick it to “system” as long as it doesn’t inconvenience or impact our own way of life or a promised privileged inheritance.
•There’s self-improvement Jesus who shows you how to get to the top of the heap, be positive, and become a better you. •(Lastly) There’s Lone Ranger Jesus who Tom T Hall sings about in the song “Me and Jesus got our own thing goin, Me and Jesus, got it all worked out. Me and Jesus, got our own thing goin. We don't need anybody to tell us what it's all about….
Would the “real Jesus” please stand up…And Yes, He has… Peter answered the Lord’s question with a resounding, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
I used to be under the assumption that this particular question of Jesus identity was a one time thing….declared and done– “Who do you say that I am?”. And that upon confessing that Jesus is Lord and answering this question correctly I would be free from having to wrestle with the answer of “Who do you say that I am?”. Well I want you to know that isn’t true. It doesn’t matter if it’s the first time you have heard this question or the hundredth time – you and I will continually have to answer in this life – which Jesus am I following? And declare afresh, who He is!
Philippians 2:10 responds…“At the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, v11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
So if it’s the first time, or the one thousandth time Jesus is asking each of us again “Who do you say that I am? The situation, the circumstance, the experience, the condition, and the trial or test, demand that we answer it!
After a very long sermon the people filed out of the church and rushed right by the preacher trying to get to Sunday dinner. Towards the end of the line was a thoughtful person who always complimented the pastor on his sermons. "Pastor, today your sermon reminded me of the peace and love of God!" The pastor was thrilled. "No-one has ever said anything like that about my preaching before. Tell me why." "Well she said- it reminded me of the Peace of God because it passed all understanding and the Love of God because it endured forever!"
Our answer to the BIG QUESTION, will expose what it is that is motivating, inspiring and moving us forward in our lives…. Is it God’s BIG IDEA, or other trivial things?
I Corinthians 3:11 “For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” And what a foundation it is!!!!
In Genesis, He’s the Creator & promised Redeemer… In Exodus, He’s the Passover Lamb….In Leviticus, the great High Priest…Numbers, He’s water in the desert…Deuteronomy, He becomes the curse for us… In Joshua, He’s Commander of the armies of the Lord… Judges, He delivers us from injustice… Ruth, He’s our Kinsman-Redeemer…1 Samuel, He’s the all in one, Prophet/Priest/King… 2 Samuel, He’s the King of grace & love…In 1 Kings, He’s a greater than Solomon…2 Kings, the powerful prophet…
1st and 2nd Chronicles, He’s our reigning King… Ezra, He’s the Priest proclaiming freedom… Nehemiah, the One who restores what is broken down….Esther, the Protector of his people…Job, the Mediator between God and man….Psalms – our song in the morning and in the night… Proverbs – He’s our wisdom…Ecclesiastes – our meaning for life…Song of Solomon – Author of faithful lover…Isaiah – Suffering Servant….Jeremiah – the righteous branch….Lamentations – He takes our place….Ezekiel – Son of Man…Daniel – the fourth man in the fire with us…. Hosea – faithful even when we are not….Joel –baptizer with His Spirit and fire…. Amos, He’s our burden bearer…Obadiah – He is mighty to save….Jonah – the greatest missionary….Micah – He casts our sin into the sea of forgetfulness…
Nahum – He is the avenger of God’s elect….Habakkuk – He brings revival..
Zephaniah – the Warrior who saves…Haggai – restores our worship…Zechariah – He is our savior…Malachi, sun of righteousness who brings healing… Matthew – the Messiah King…Mark – the servant… Luke,
He is the Son of Man, who feels what you feel…. John –God in the flesh…
Acts –the baptizer with power….Romans – the righteousness of God…
1 Corinthians – the attributes and character of God…2 Corinthians – He is the down payment of what’s to come…Galatians – He is our very life…
Ephesians – the unity of the church….Philippians – the joy of our life…
Colossians – He is our completeness…1st & 2nd Thessalonians – our hope
1 Timothy – the author of faith….2 Timothy – He is our stability…Titus – foundation of truth…Philemon, our Mediator…Hebrews, our High Priest…
James – He matures our faith…1 Peter, our hope in times of suffering…
2 Peter, He is our purity….1 John, He is our life…2 John, God in the flesh 3 John, source of all truth… Jude, He is our foundation….Revelation, King of Kings and Lord of Lords, The Alpha and the Omega, The Beginning and the End, and He is coming again to make all things new.
As Jesus is magnified and exalted in our lives, we will find ourselves amazed and astonished with His majesty and authority. Our praise and worship will be brought to new heights and new levels. He is the only righteous judge, He is the only sovereign Lord, He is the perfect reflection and revelation of God… With all the glory and splendor of Heaven and the age to come, nothing compares to Him.
As we walk with Him in the here and now, He gives us a foretaste of the day when we will see Him and be with Him forever! He’s the reason we rise in the morning, and lie down at night. In Him we live and move and have our being!!!
