Allen Jackson - Generational Choices - Part 2
The assignment biblically is to remove the high places. It’s a much larger topic than we can process in this session. Judges 6 is Gideon, one of the judges, the people have done evil in the sight of the Lord again. You see, God will raise up a godly leader and he will initiate the reform, but the people will not continue to choose God. What’s gonna be said of our generation? We’re the Internet generation, we’re the AI generation, we’re the generation that goes to Mars. I hope that’s not how we’re described. I’m grateful for all of those things. They’ve brought some improvements to our lives, but I want to be known as the generation who chose the Lord with our whole heart, mind, soul, and body.
Now what are we gonna do? Gideon, the Lord tells him to go down and cut down the altars in the community where he lives. «The same night the Lord said to him, 'Take the second bull from your father’s herd, the one seven years old. Tear down your father’s altar to Baal and cut down the Asherah pole beside it.'» People say don’t talk about current events. Which Bible do you read? «'Then build a proper kind of altar to the Lord your God on the top of this height. Using the wood of the Asherah pole that you cut down, offer the second bull as a burnt offering.' So Gideon took ten of his servants and did as the Lord told him. But because he was afraid of his family and the men of the town, he did it at night rather than at daytime».
I don’t think that the author of Judges is tattling on Gideon. I think he’s trying to give us a candid perspective on the kind of pressure he faced. And when they found out what he did, they wanted to kill him. It didn’t make him popular. The people didn’t say, «Oh, thank you for reminding us of our sinful ways». We haven’t had the courage to take our faith and stand up and say, «That’s not good». We would lose business, we would lose friends. We’d lose all sorts of things. But we would gain a reward. Jesus told us that. He said, «Rejoice, because great is your reward in heaven». «Yeah, but I’m saved. I just wanna go to heaven».
That is a messed-up understanding of scripture. It’s a very inaccurate, incomplete understanding of scripture. That God has provided us what we need for the assignment. This is important. It’s not an easy assignment, it’s not always comfortable. Who said following the Lord was comfortable? Do you understand that’s an idol? I serve the Lord when it’s convenient. Folks, the things you do in your life that are you only do when they’re convenient, you don’t do them well. If you only parent when it’s convenient, you’re a miserable parent. If you only pursue your hobby when it’s convenient, you’re miserable at whatever that hobby is. I have some… I didn’t grow up hunting. My dad was a vet.
I grew up putting things back together. So some time along the line, I had friends who hunted and they’d invite me to go and I’d say, «Oh sure, well, you know, what time»? «So you need to be at the barn at 3:30». I’m like, «In the morning»? No, I mean, I like to get up early, but you’re gonna go hunt turkeys. I’m like, «3:30? Can go to Kroger at 10 a.m». You see, if it’s something you enjoy, it doesn’t lead with what’s comfortable. If it’s something that is meaningful to you, it doesn’t begin with what’s comfortable. We’ve got a whole generation now that’s lost the notion that work is honorable because it’s not comfortable. Who said it was… that’s not work. It’s play if it’s comfortable. Yeah, I’m meddling, I know. I apologize. We’ve been given the gifts we need for the assignment.
John 14, Jesus again: «Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I don’t give to you as the world gives. Don’t let your hearts be troubled and don’t be afraid». It’s a gift Jesus gave us. He said, «I give you a gift, my peace,» wow. I’m telling you now, the Lord himself said he gave us a gift. «Peace, my peace, I give to you. Not as the world gives,» he said. Well, that’s really exciting until you think a little bit about Jesus’s life. And before he left here he was arrested, falsely accused, mocked, beaten, tortured to death. «My peace I give to you».
Oh gee, thanks. It’s clearly not the absence of conflict or the absence of opposition or the absence of criticism, that’s not Jesus’s peace. Jesus’s peace is not about those things being banished. It’s important because it’s a gift we’ve been given. Jesus’s peace is this calm assurance that no matter what he faces, God will bring him through. In Gethsemane, knowing what’s coming, he says, «I really don’t want to do this». «Great anguish,» the Bible says. «But I would rather have your will than mine». «My peace I give to you». In his hometown, they tried to kill him, «My peace I give to you». In a fishing boat on Galilee, the devil tried to kill him with a storm, and Jesus stood up and spoke to the wind and the waves. And they grew still. «My peace I give to you».
Standing in front of Pilate, and he says, «Will you not answer me? Do you not understand I have the power to crucify you or to set you free»? I don’t know how Jesus did it. In my mind’s eye, he’s kind of going, «Well, actually, my pop gave you your job. And he can pull your credentials,» Living Bible. What’s missing is panic. There’s no urgency in Jesus other than to be obedient. «My peace I give to you». See, I think we would know the peace of God so much better if we had the courage to truly be salt and light. We’ve been hiding the candle. Our salt has been low salt. Salt light, salt substitute. Jesus said with his peace, there were two things we would need to know: not to let our hearts be troubled, and that we don’t have to be afraid.
That means we will face fearful things. And we will face troubling things. But we don’t have to give them the preeminent place because we’ve been given a gift: peace. I don’t know what’s coming. But I know the Lord will take us through, if we will choose him. And I’m not talking about being saved, folks. I’m an advocate for that. I believe in that. It’s essential, but we better choose to live like we belong to the kingdom. The second gift Jesus provided us is in Acts. Says: «On one occasion, while he was eating with the disciples, he gave them this command: 'Don’t leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised. You’ve heard me speak about it. John baptized with water, in a few days you’ll be baptized with the Holy Spirit.'»
Instead of taking Jesus seriously, we’ve formed all sorts of theological discussions on how we can ignore that, we got everything at one time. We had a one-stop shop, there’s nothing more we need. That’s like Moses saying he got everything he needed at the burning bush. Well, that’s kind of true. He got the commission, he got the original bag of tricks. But if you follow Moses for the next 40 years or so, he’s learning every day. He doesn’t know what to do when the water is not potable at Mara. He doesn’t know what to do when there’s no water; all there is is a rock. He doesn’t know what to do when the people grumble and say we don’t like the menu.
We haven’t had that hunger. We really haven’t had that interest. We’ve pointed at our resume and said, «We got everything». Jesus said in that same chapter, he gave us the explanation of why Spirit baptism is so important. It’s in verse 8, he said, «You’ll receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, to be my witnesses in Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria, to the uttermost parts of the earth». You’ll be empowered to be witnesses for me. Without the power, you won’t sustain the journey. Without the power of God shepherding Moses through that, without the power of God, the Bible says of Samson that the Spirit of the Lord would come on him and he would have supernatural strength.
The church will not accomplish our assignment in our generation without the power of the Spirit of God. We will not. And we had better repent of telling the Holy Spirit where he was welcome and what we would allow him to do. We’ve divided ourselves far too long around those principles. We have an assignment, we’re gonna have to do the work to see the high places taken down. It’s not enough to have leaders that will tell us right and wrong.
That’s a gift. It’s a blessing. It’s an honor. For all that they’re not, they’re holding up the truth. It’s uncomfortable, it’s awkward, because we chose not to. It was the church’s assignment. But now we’ve got to choose to repent and choose the Lord and humble ourselves and use our voices, teach our children, stop winking at ungodliness and immorality and encouraging it. If we will do that, I believe we’ll see the blessings of God come upon a generation. It’s the greatest legacy we can give them. It’s far more valuable than resources. Resources won’t be worth anything if we don’t change our direction.
The biblical prescription for doing all of this we looked at in an earlier session. We’ve played with it a little bit. We’re told to put on the armor of God. And I’ve given you my representation of the 21st century armor of God. I just like sitting in an overstuffed chair. But our armor is more comfortable than it is uncomfortable. Because we’re far more committed to the comfort and convenience of our faith. We want to go to church at the time we want. We want to sit in the seat we want. We want to park in the space we want. We want to sing the songs we want, in the style we prefer. Or we’re very dissatisfied. And we choose our seats, and our helmets, based on what’s comfortable and convenient.
And we get our Cheez Doodles. I haven’t eaten any of these. Which is really unfortunate. Y’all just talk amongst yourselves for a minute. I have Cheez Doodles and Dr. George. Somebody told me they didn’t know who Dr. George was. That would be my father. And that’s because the Dr. Pepper would not be good for the people who watch us on a screen, apparently. But the contemporary church has known far more about comfort and convenience and ease, and we’ve got all sorts of reasons. We elected politicians to go fix our problems. Let them take the criticism. Let them disrupt their lives. Let them put their businesses aside and go serve. I mean, Israel’s in a mess. The Middle East is upside down.
Let’s send Governor Huckabee. He doesn’t want to live in Arkansas next to his daughter and his grandchildren and enjoy her time as governor of the state of Arkansas. He’d rather go 8000 miles away and live in a war zone, I’m sure. Now we don’t wanna go to church in an odd time, that’s uncomfortable for us. I mean, we don’t want to speak up and say those books shouldn’t be in the library. We don’t want to get involved. It’s not my job. I’m not on the school board. Why should I go? It’s contentious. I’m tired of all the contentiousness. I’m tired of the bickering. I just wanna be quiet. I wanna do what I wanna do when I wanna do it, the way I wanna do it. Can’t we all just get along? You mean, abandon the generations who are coming along to ungodliness and immorality? Yes, we can choose to do that.
I don’t know, I’m not the arbiter of the outcome on your spiritual journey, but I can tell you without any question you will forfeit completely your reward. We even form theological systems that keep me in my easy chair. I’m born again. It’s an unassailable position. So there’s no reason for me to get out of my easy chair. I rest on the grace of God. I rest on the mercy of God. And no matter what missteps I make, I’ll just tell the Lord I’m sorry. Do you understand that’s a perversion of the gospel? It’s a false gospel. And so we sit in our easy chairs, and do seminars on the armor of God. I spent my life in the church. I’m not throwing stones at anybody else. I’m describing the journey that I have been a part of for far too long. I believe we’ll have to have a change of heart. I believe we’ll have to take off our slippers and put on footwear that is suitable for the conflict. I believe we’ll have to take off our comfortable robes, and get out of our easy chairs.
In fact, the instruction we’re given is having done everything we know to do. The implication is we’ve done everything we know to do and the enemy is still present. The enemy is still presenting, the enemy is still bellowing their challenge, and our assignment is to stand. «Having done everything,» it says, «stand therefore». Folks, we haven’t been great at this. I’m preaching to the choir, I understand that. It’s a bitterly cold night and you came to church. But the message is important. And it’s not enough just to stand. We have to stand in the power of God. We have to stand with the peace of Jesus. You’re gonna need your gloves. They won’t prevent blisters. They won’t eliminate discomfort. But they’ll enable you to continue.
It’s so easy to sit back and criticize and complain, and give me your version of your excuses for staying in your chair. I’m tired of it. I don’t mean you, I mean from the broader, the silence has been deafening. We gotta be salt and light. But we’re gonna have to do it in the power of God. My time’s done. Hey Aaron, come help me a second, please. You know what this is? It’s a biblical tool. Some of our friends could make an ax head float. He’s younger and stronger than I am. So if the assignment was to cut up a chunk of wood… He’s younger and stronger than I am. But I have more power. Come on, in public.
Now, I’m taking bets. Younger and stronger or more power? Jesus said, he gave us the gift of the power we will need. And the peace that’s necessary to stand when we’re hated, when they falsely say all kinds of evil against us because of him. And that there’s a great reward and we should rejoice. You may not be the one in the crossfire, but if you know someone who is because they’ve been standing for what’s right, go stand next to them and encourage them. Don’t tell them they didn’t do it right. We have to change. Because a leader who tells the truth will not be sufficient to sustain what our children and grandchildren need. We have been given an opportunity, I believe. And if we will choose the truth, those who follow us will inherit more than our homes. If we don’t, they’ll inherit the whirlwind. And it’ll be on us.
Now, we’re gonna need some courage. I don’t know what’s coming, but I assure you it’s disruptive. Evil will not relent. It never has. And we’re gonna have to decide to be salt and light. And that begins by telling the Lord quietly we’re sorry for our passive silence. What if we said that tonight? Jesus started with 12 and one of them didn’t work so well. We got way more than 12. They turned their world upside… imagine what we could do. Why don’t you stand with me? Thank you, sir.
Father, thank you. Thank you that you heard our prayers. And then where the truth had stumbled, but now it’s being spoken. I thank you that we see light driving out darkness. But it’s happened in the most improbable way through the most improbable persons. But Lord, I see your principles. And I pray for your people, that we wouldn’t be distracted by personality, our culture, we wouldn’t desire the approval of people more than we desire your approval. Lord, forgive us when we have chosen to be silent. Or when we’ve simply chosen what was more comfortable. We offer ourselves today as living sacrifices, Lord, that your will might be expressed in our generation. We choose you. Forgive us of our indifference. Forgive us of our apathy. Holy Spirit, give us a new boldness. We welcome you into our lives without limit. We want to cooperate with you. We want to receive fully all that Jesus has made available to us, every gift, every provision. Give us receptive hearts that we have the humility to continue to say yes to you, the perseverance to not be turned back when there’s opposition. Father, may we live in such a way that we lay up great treasure in heaven. And so that the generations who follow us might know the liberty and freedom to serve you and worship you. We praise you for it in Jesus’s name, amen.