FULL TRANSCRIPT
Title: 3 Conviction For 2021
Text: John 15:3-5
This is incredible. Our very first in-person volunteer serve team rally! By rally we simply mean a time to celebrate what God is doing and clarify where we are going.
But take a look, let your body settle into the present moment. To have 40-50 people in a room:
· looking to serve, not to be served
· to serve our surrounding community
· equip one another for ministry
· and create safe spaces for honest dialogue
This is a testament to God’s movement. God is doing something in our midst. That is undeniable. And I am so glad that you are a part of the journey. We value you, and want to help you pursue, participate in the flourishing of our communities, and proclaim Jesus
And as we continue to celebrate, and look forward to our February 28 preview and March 14 launch Sunday…we just want to focus our hearts on Jesus, see one another, and share what God has laid on my heart for each of you.
John 15:3-5.
Here are the 3 convictions to hold on to for 2021. Place them in your notebook. Your phone. Somewhere you will see them.
Main points
1) I am a loved before I serve. V3
“already” means it is already finished.
“clean” meaning already pure.
Now, receiving a finished result before you put in the work was a scandalous statement for a people who has 613 laws to observe, but even for us in 2021.
What do I mean?
This past weekend was a dud of a Superbowl. Too soon?
Imagine if I had the authority, and I crowned Tom Brady and the Buccaneers the title of World Champions before they even drove to the stadium. You already won, Tom. You are already a champion, not because you worked hard at it but because I have the authority to give you the win.
Scandalous. Unfair? Odd distribution of power?
Or if your parents tell you that they will give you 10 dollars to mow the lawn. But instead, they just give you the $10 because they love you. Your like… I like this sermon.
Scandalous? Unfair? Odd?
Or if your paycheck is in your bank before you start day 1 because I care about you.
Scandalous, unfair, odd?
In John 15:3 Jesus is saying, “Look, you are already clean, not because you did anything, or you served, obeyed, or love me, but because I have spoken!”
Just like brady got the win not because he played, and you got $10 not because you mowed the lawn, or you got your paycheck because you actually did an ounce of work,
· but because of the authority of the one giving it,
· because of the love of the one giving it,
· and because of the compassion of the one named Jesus,
you receive a scandalous, unfair, and even odd salvation, that we cannot earn, we cannot coerce, and we cannot produce.
You are loved before you serve.
You have position before production.
You are known and loved before you live to make him known and help others love him.
Our culture says, you are what you produce. The more you are able to do, the more valuable you are. The more gifts you have, the more likes you will receive. The more you can contribute, the more you will be celebrated.
And the gospel says, you are already clean, if you are in Jesus.
So, lets check out hearts. What motivates you towards service? Don’t let guilt, shame, approval, or even merely obedience drive you to serve… the gospel says, you are already clean, if you are in Jesus.
May Christ compels us. Drives us. Motivates us.
1) I am a loved before I serve. V3
2) I choose nurture over neglect. V4
Now, we just talked about how you are loved before you serve. So, this “remaining in” is not a salvation verse, but a nurture, cultivation of your heart, to remain soft and tender towards Jesus verse.
Any plant lovers here?
Confession, we own one plant in our house and it’s plastic. If my parents heard about this… oh. They would be terribly disappointed. I know, I am sorry. But as I prepared this message for you, can I say, I am now a succulenteer. An expert in succulenting. As I was checking out of the store, the guy said, “Oh, you’re the succulent guy. That’s what we call you around here.” I KID YOU NOT.
Could I get that succulent please? Each family unit will receive one of these succulents.
But I want you to wonder with me about why Jesus chose a plant as a metaphor for helping us identify what it looks like to remain in him and nurture your heart’s tenderness towards Jesus.
1. What you surround this succulent with, matters: 6 hours of indirect sunlight a day. You also need to keep it between 65 and 85 degrees. Which means, in Chicago, you can take them outside from September 1 to the 5th.
But, in the same way, just as what you surround this succulent with gives life or death, what you surround yourself with either pulls you towards Jesus, or nurtures you away from Jesus.
Are you choosing to surround yourself with community over autonomy? People who love Jesus and are empowering you to go make a difference in your community? Are you nurturing your heart towards Jesus with where you spend your time?
2. What you feed it matters: You have to fertilize at least once a year with water soluable fertilizer. 8-8-8 or 10-10-10. If you don’t know what that means, ask Carl. Because I have no idea.
In the same way, what you are feeding your heart, either nurtures your heart towards Jesus or away from Jesus. Beyond Sunday morning, what are you reading, watching, listening to, speaking with? What do you hear Jesus saying to you in your prayers? What you feed your heart matters. How are you fertilizing your heart to nurture it towards Jesus?
Finally—how often you feed it matters: Succulents have a specific water ratio before it becomes imbalanced. Too little, it will shrivel up and die. In the same way, how often will you feed yourself with scripture and Jesus? How will you choose to remain and nurture your heart in Jesus?
If I pulled this succulent out, left it in a shady corner, without water, without nutritious fertilizer, without care.. it will live for a few weeks, shrivel up, loose its leaves and die. Lets not be dead, neglectful Christians. Lets be proactive, nurturing our hearts, choose to nurture our hearts, Christians. Cut out things that distract you from Jesus. Engage with people and things that stir up your affections for Jesus.
The word “in” appears over 200 times in the book of John, and over 100 times it refers to trusting in, believing in, putting your life in Jesus.
In John 15:4 it reads, “remain in me… remain in me… remain in me…”
2) I choose nurture over neglect. V4
Finally…
3) I choose nurture to serve others v5
In1989 NASA did a study entitled, “Interior landscape plants for indoor air pollution abatement.” In other words, “how to get clean air in a spaceship.”
Scientists collected plants and put them in chambers and pumped in harmful chemicals like ammonia, formaldehyde, xylene, benzene…
after 24 hours they retested the air quality in that chamber. And some plants were able to remove up to 90% of the harmful chemicals through something calling photosynthesis.
Again, think about the metaphor of a plant. Not only do you need to nurture it, but the plant, naturally, through the process of being nurtured, turns harmful chemicals, carbon dioxide, benzine, ammonia… into clean, breathable, lifegiving Oxygen. Without us even thinking, the plants brings about new fruit- fresh oxygen, as a way to bring about healthy living.
What about us? Will we commit to choose nurture, not only for my own sanity, health, and wellbeing, but for the service of others? Your literal neighbor. The community God has you in. This community.
Will you, by the power of Jesus, who lives in you, loves you, be an extension of his love, grace, forgiveness and hope to a hurting world?
Conclusion
My friends, take that succulent home, write out those 3 convictions somewhere you can see them:
1. I am loved before I serve
2. I choose nurture over neglect.
3. I choose nurture to serve others .
I am going to invite the band to come up. And the chorus reads: “And show me who you are and fill me with your heart and lead me in your love to those around me…”
May you make that prayer before Jesus, as a church, as we launch. Don’t worry about the person next to you, come before the Lord, sing it out, pray it out, pray it over our church through your song.