Jesus is the G.O.A.T. (Greatest of all time) – Part 5
December 6, 2020Give Online: Tithes & Offerings
THE G.O.A.T. – Part 5
(Jesus is a better Promise)
Welcome To Jesus Church… Here and Online
Good morning… Great to see everyone this morning
- So excited to jump back into God’s Word with all of you
- Middle of a series showing how God is greatest of all time
- It is so easy to convince ourselves that our fear is greater
- But we need to keep everything in perspective… Jesus is greater
Heb. 8:1-13 (NKJV)
Heb. 9:11-15 (NKJV)
Heb. 9:24-28 (NKJV)
- Speak again on Jesus being the Greatest of all time
- He is the greatest priest
- He establishes a greater covenant
- On greater promises
- Whatever way you are going about life
- Jesus is greater
[PRAY]
Story – How many here are in to being organized
From all us who are less organized: Thank You
- Without you who knows where this world would be
- Michelle raised her hand (Right)
- Without Michelle my house would be: Chaos
- My wife loves order: Everything has its place
- Michelle raised her hand (Right)
- There are some people who find joy in organizing
- Truth is we all like things being organized
- I know I like things to be organized
- I just don’t like organizing them
As humans we are all given to systems and order
- For instance: The American garage is an interesting study
- And husbands faces across room just dropped
- Not followed thru w/ requests (demands) of wife
- To finally organize and clean the garage
- Wife & I had this conversation (multiple times)
- She won – Obviously
- So now I have what I call: Organized piles
We all like systems – For things to be in their place
- If you look for a second at the structure of society
- Quickly apparent: We are systematic beings
- We like systems
- We like procedures
- Quickly apparent: We are systematic beings
- Just look at the freeways and highways
- And lines at the supermarket
- The way we set our calendars
- We need Systems and Order
And the truth is that systems aren’t really wrong
But when it comes to our relationship with God
- Systems/Procedures can distract us from person
- Simply b/c we are drawn to a system… we like cause & effect
- We can understand that
- We can test it
- We can control it
- Simply b/c we are drawn to a system… we like cause & effect
- Nothing new: Procedures can take place of God
- This is the essence of religion
- We miss God in all of our systems
- We miss God in all of our check lists
- This is the essence of religion
Easy to make these systems which aren’t bad
- They become so smooth and like clockwork
- Example: We base a “Good” church service on
- If they played the songs we like
- If the prayer time was passionate enough
- If I made you laugh at least 3 times
- Example: We base a “Good” church service on
- I wonder if sometimes we base experience on
- The function of the system
- Instead of the function of the savior
- Where it should be did I hear/connnect with God today
- It is replaced by did we sing my favorite song
- Was so and so nice to me
- Was the sermon too long
- Where it should be did I hear/connnect with God today
And yes… singing/prayer/service should make you feel good
- Okay that you like songs
- It’s okay to like a feeling or emotion
- God made emotion
- But we must understand and be cognoscente of the fact
- As Humans tend to fall in love w/ procedure (instituted by God)
- But we miss the one who instituted them
- The point isn’t good feelings
- The point is God
- But we miss the one who instituted them
- As Humans tend to fall in love w/ procedure (instituted by God)
These Jews probably feel like we do when…
Someone cancels our prayer meeting
- Because they are missing the system (We think ancient Jews crazy)
- We don’t understand why they’re having problems
- I think Jews just missing their prayer meetings (missing old system)
- They grew up going w/ mom and dad to the temple to sacrifice
- They probably miss the incense… crowd… rituals
- The confession and rules/regulations
- That all probably is not only familiar… but comfortable
- All because in Jesus they have rejected…
- Everything they grew up doing and needing
Heb. 8:1 – Here’s main point (Keep ur eye on the ball)
Now how relevant is this today…
- And you might not think its relevant at all
- And it’s true that we aren’t killing baby goats and sheep
- And we don’t long to confess again to a priest
- But the same human condition exists today
- Reason we like Systems
- Reason we like Proceedure
- Gives grand illusion: Control
It gives us the greatest illusion in human history… CONTROL
- And that holds up until disaster strikes… and then falls apart
- When your stuck in a hospital bed
- When your stranded on the side of the road
- When your Fired from that job
- In those moments its one of two things
- It’s angry at God b/c of all my rituals didn’t prevent this (or)
- It’s fulling relying on God b/c I know they can’t fix this
- But then its right back to illusion…
- It’s Jesus took the wheel – And now I’ll take it back
- Because Jesus is my co-pilot
- Which is a pretty messed up bumper sticker if u think about it
- Just sit there Jesus
- I’ll bring you to where you need to be
TAG: See how much we want control? That’s religion
Heb. 8:6 (Rebuttal)
Old covenant/promises with God – You had to bat .1000
- If you got all 10 commandments right everyday
- You could received the blessing
- If you missed just one of the 10 – batting .900
- Not only out… not only sent to the minor league
- You are literally now under a curse
- Not only out… not only sent to the minor league
- These are promises of Old Covenant
Why would you want to work under those terms???
- Is it that worth it to feel condemned constantly
- Just so you have something to do w/ your hands
- NO: JESUS IS MEDIATOR OF
- Better Terms
- Of a Better way of relating to God
- And with Better promises
- Writer… don’t take it from me – What did ur prophet Jerimiah say
Heb. 8:8-10
- Because the Terms of Old Covenant were always external
- Which is not what God wanted
- God always wanted to lead us by our hearts
- He only led by hand b/c stubbornness of their hearts
- Which is not what God wanted
Notice God’s promise starts with an “I WILL”
- Remember Old Covenant – YOU SHALL
- Nature of New Covenant – I WILL
- God is saying: Obviously you can’t do this
- You can’t keep up with these terms
- You never have… you never will
- So I will set the terms… I’ll uphold the terms
- You just need to accept them
- You can’t keep up with these terms
Heb 8:11
3 better promises Jesus give us here
First Promise: I will write my law in their minds/on their heart
- To us that seems like a cool concept
- To Jews – this is a crazy suggestion
- You’re familiar with Ex. 24: Moses reads law
Ex. 24:7
Old way didn’t fail b/c the people didn’t wanna do it
- People are incapable of doing what they wanted to do
- Because thats the human condition
- What we wanna do – We don’t do
- What we don’t wanna do – We end up doing
- Problem is with nature of humanity
- We need a new way to be human… we need a new nature
- Not more education/information/dedication
- It’s not a matter of ur perspective/thinking
- It’s a matter of our messed up nature
- Not more education/information/dedication
- We need a new way to be human… we need a new nature
- We think we can be a positive people… just suppress anger & rage
- But eventually it’s going to come out
- And it might be when you are in a traffic jam
What we need is a change of heart – Not a change of hands
- This is EXACTLY what Jeremiah talking about
- God wants to give us new nature
- He wants to change the way we think
- And He wants to change core of who you are
- Def of Heart – Center of your being
- God literally wants to do heart surgery on you…
- But Jesus is the insurance policy covering it
- And it won’t even add to national debt
- Jews are like… ok – that’s cool and all but…
- I’d rather have a rock – with words on it
- I want to frame it and put it on the wall
- So I can see what I continually fail to do
- That sounds like a better plan to me
Rom. 8:3
Promise 1 – God knows you can’t do it – But He’ll do it for you
Second Promise: They will all know me
- Again this seems great & normal to us
- Jews understand historically relationship w/ God
- The people who KNEW God were rare
- Most didn’t have access to God like we do today
- They were people like: Moses… Abraham… Isaiah… David
- Most didn’t have access to God like we do today
- Everyone else knew of God
- Knew those who knew Him
- But they didn’t know Him
God says you are all gonna know me
- U know all the stories about Moses… those are gonna be ur stories
- Jews would think “there’s no way”
- Like Kyler Murry talking to all in Phoenix
- Saying – You’re gonna play like I play
- No one would believe that
- Jews couldn’t believe they could be like Moses
- And in some ways… relationship even better than Moses
- B/C You don’t get His back – You get His face
Promise 2: God wants us to all know Him
Third Promise: I will remember lawless deeds/sins no more
Heb. 8:12
- Hebrew language so emphatic here
- I will never, never, ever,ever remember your sins again
- Now if the first 2 were hard – This would seem impossible
- Hebrew thought associated with Remembrance
- When you remembered someone… association was either
- Remember them by a GOOD DEED – GOOD BACK
- Remember them by a BAD DEED – RETRUBUTION
- When you remembered someone… association was either
- Hebrew thought associated with Remembrance
- Example: When God would say in the OT “I have remembered”
- All Israel would trembled in fear
- Oh know what did He remembered
- We’re all gonna die
- All Israel would trembled in fear
And hearing that… it’s easy to think God must be mean/cruel/vengeful
- But he had to remember their sin – I mean… He is God
- And His Judgment came based off contrast between
- God’s Holiness… and our sinfulness
- And His Judgment came based off contrast between
- Why – Because sin was there to remember… SO he had to act
- Or God would be unholy
- This happens any time God remembers sin
- Reason for Judgment at end of the age
- B/C there are those who haven’t given their sin to Jesus
- Jesus who can remove their sin
- Making it so God can’t remember sin b/c its been removed
- At end of time – Those who haven’t accepted Jesus
- God can still remember their sin
- And b/c He remembers their Sin… he has to judge it
- B/C there are those who haven’t given their sin to Jesus
God says: I will Remember your sins no more
- If God can’t remember your sins… Why would be condemn you
- B/C in the same way God’s Holiness brings condemnation
- If he condemned you w/o remembrance
- It would cause Him to be unholy
- B/C in the same way God’s Holiness brings condemnation
- This is a new BETTER promise from God
NOW LISTEN – If God can’t remember your sins…
That means that God won’t find you guilty… “He who the Son sets free”
- Look how free u are when you accept BETTER terms
- You trust in His son… who removes your sins
- They are no longer there… so nothing to remember
- Which means that You are righteous/forgiven
- And I believe the greatest challenge to the Church today
- Is living in the reality of this freedom
- And the reason is b/c of our conscious
- Hard part is God remembers no more… but you do
- And the enemy knows that – Will absolutely us it against you
Here’s the good news: Who is the greater – You or God
- If you couldn’t remember sins but God could
- Wouldn’t really matter… in fact it’d probably be worse
- Because you wouldn’t ever feel the need to change
- But for us – If God remembers your sins no longer… but you can
- This is where condemnation takes hold of our conscious
- B/C your conscious is paralyzed and condemned
- Not by God… but by yourself
- And its the way the enemy works to not convict u… condemn you
- And Hebrews says: It’s all smoke and mirrors
- It’s all a lie
Heb. 9:9
Please understand: You can never set your conscience free on your own
- You can find momentary relief
- Working with your hands / Relying on yourself
- When you’re at church / With your priest
- When you’re doing everything right
- In these moments… your conscience can feel some relief
- But it’s never truly free
Hebrews is saying there is no power in your hands for lasting freedom
- Because you good deeds can’t set you free
- Only Jesus can set you free
Rom. 8:1
- That’s the end of the thought in original text
- Period – End of discussion
- Why do we need that verse
- It’s because we can remember sins… God can’t
- And condemnation comes in to lie to us
- Def of Condemnation: An adverse verdict or sentence
- Your sins will tell you… they are greater than your savior
- They will hold authority over ur freedom as long as u let them
Heb. 9:28
(Might as well start living here like we’ll live there)
Heb. 9:14
U can always tell someone w/ an oppressed conscience
- They are busy doing work… like a hamster on a wheel
- And they get nowhere fast
- And they obsess over things that have no power
- No way of getting them where they want to go
- When you realize what Jesus has done
- Conscience is free
- Now we just worship God
[PRAY]