Allen Jackson - The Tipping Point - Part 1
We began this in the previous session, and we’ll continue for at least one more. So don’t get too stressed about the outline. What I don’t do, we will get to. That’s probably a pretty good survival tip around here on most weekends, so. But we are watching a conflict, a spiritual conflict. I don’t believe it’s primarily political or ideological or about nation states. I believe there are two worldviews, two spiritual kingdoms that we see colliding in the earth. I’m not suggesting that they have equal power, but I’m suggesting that there is enough. That there is a conflict that’s visible, and you don’t need a great deal of discernment to know that.
I’m of the opinion we’ve approached a tipping point. I do not believe the status quo is sustainable. I don’t believe the things that have shaped our lives in previous years are going to extend into the future in the same way. I believe there is tremendous change afoot, and I don’t mean from the previous, this most recent election cycle. This has been taking place for a while, so I’ll bring you back to the little paradigm that we’ve been talking about here for a season now to watch and to listen, to think and to act. You have to pay attention. I don’t think it’s wise or prudent or helpful to spend hours a day consuming the news. Typically it’s about a ten minute information cycle that’s repeated ad nauseam, so take ten or 15 minutes a day from whichever source you prefer and kind of take a look at what’s happening in the world. Listen to what’s being said.
See if it makes sense, if the logic of it holds together. Try to understand the perspectives that are being presented. Think about it. You know, there’s a great temptation. I meet people all the time, so I just don’t watch the news anymore. Well, tell me how it feels to have your head buried in the sand. I don’t always enjoy the news. I don’t always enjoy the information. I don’t always agree with the presentations, but it helps us to be aware of what’s happening. Think about it, and then be prepared to do something with it. Not out of anger or belligerence. I’m not talking about that, but it needs to inform your response to our world, not just what you wish the world would be or how you wish the world would be.
The Church of Jesus Christ, as I understand it, is the most powerful force for change of the human being that’s ever been released in the history of humanity. And it’s not because of us, it’s because of the redemptive work of our Lord and Savior. Jesus orchestrated something on that Roman cross outside the city of Jerusalem two millennia ago that changed the destiny of every human being, and that’s the message we have for our generation. Every generation has to make a choice. So when kingdoms collide and the tipping point, see, I think we are very much in the midst of a great upheaval and a realignment. I don’t imagine that I understand the outcome yet. I don’t think it’s clear. I think the determining factor will be the people of God and the choices we make.
There’s a great deal of biblical precedent for that. I’m not avoiding declarations. I have preferences. I know what I would like to happen, but I, I don’t yet know what we will do as a people. And I don’t simply mean our congregation by any means. I believe the greatest changes are still before us. I think what we’ve seen to this point is just a small, small sample of what we will see in the years ahead of us. Again, it didn’t begin with this election cycle. It’s been percolating for quite a while. What I can tell you is the principles which have brought us security and security to our lives and our routines and our habits, they have succumbed to decay. It’s been caused by our neglect. No need in pointing fingers at previous generations.
There’s too much of that. We want to be angry at people who lived 150 years ago. We better deal with the reality of our world. Institutions that we’ve relied upon for foundational security have faltered. If you’re willing to look, it’s abundantly clear that they have not been upholding the truth. They have been formulating lies to manipulate and control and we see the outcomes on a daily basis. And those few who stepped forward into the public square to challenge the status quo and suggest that the emperor truly has no clothes, we’ve all witnessed them to be subjected to withering assaults. To those who are watching from the shadows or the sidelines are just a bit disoriented, the message becomes pretty clear, don’t challenge the narrative or you may forfeit your place at the trough of ill-gotten opportunity.
I believe the church has an assignment, and I don’t really believe it’s all that confusing. I think our ignorance is either willful or feigned. I think we have to recognize the conflict, return to the values of our Bibles, have the courage to choose the truth, to be advocates for Jesus of Nazareth, reject the invitations to accommodate evil. They are many. And to give yourself to serving the Lord. If we will do that, I believe our children may know freedom. I’m encouraged, greatly encouraged. It’s a more hopeful season that I have seen in a long time. There’s an emerging church. Slightly different forms, the voices are coming from unexpected places, but they’re filled with the power of God, standing on the truth of God’s Word, empowered by his Spirit with a boldness that is birthed from gratitude in what God has done for us.
I wanna be a part of that. If God is moving in the earth, I wanna move with him. I don’t wanna stand on the sidelines. I wanna start in Matthew 13 with the verse of scripture. Jesus is speaking, and he’s talking about the value we attach to the things in our lives. It’s the evaluation of assets. We’ve just had a pretty high profile court trial about valuation of assets. Jesus said, «The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. And when he found one of great value, he went away, sold everything he had and he bought it».
It’s a very direct message, it isn’t complicated. Jesus is simply saying there’s an unparalleled value in the kingdom of heaven and the truth that extends from that. There’s nothing that can be compared to the value of that. And no matter what you have or achieved, what talent you possess, what awards or accolades you may have received, they should all be secondary. They should all be yielded to the opportunity to secure your position, place, and opportunity in the kingdom of heaven. Nothing is more significant than your standing in the kingdom of heaven. I wanna say it again. I don’t want you to miss it. It’s not just rhetoric for… I know we’re in church, and it’s a weekend and you’re supposed to go to church on the weekend, so.
Jesus, that’s the answer for everything, right? And sometimes we get kind of locked into those, those narrow lanes, but I’m talking about in where you really live the rest of the time when you’re not in a worship service or watching one. And you think about how you value yourself and your circumstance, there is nothing, there is nothing in our lives more significant than our standing in the kingdom of God. There’s no opportunity, there’s no resource, there’s no reward. There is nothing that you would want to trade for your status in the kingdom of God. Not the approval of anyone. In fact, I would risk the disapproval of anyone in order to have the honor of being identified with Jesus of Nazareth. And I think in the church we put so many things in front of that.
The congregation we prefer, the denomination we prefer, the translation we prefer, the way we look, the accent with which we speak, the nation from which we come, all sorts of stuff. Who cares, folks? None of those things will stand the test of time. They will slip into the past and be forgotten. Your status in the kingdom is what matters.
Now, I wanna take a minute because of the turmoil and the confusion and the conflicting messaging and the polarization and all the stuff. And if you’re not aware it’s happening, set the alarm 'cause I promise you it’s happening. And then the shadows have gotten filled. They’re crowded now. People standing in the shadows 'cause they’re afraid of the light and they don’t wanna stand out there in the arena floor. And there’s all sorts of competences almost like, you know, it’s prophetic, it’s the end of the age and the world is coming to an end and Jesus is coming back.
So, go hide under a rock and when you hear the trumpet, you’ll be golden. On the way I read the story is when the Lord comes back, he wants to find you busy about his business. I’m not against preparation, but I don’t think the prophetic approach to this, as far as how you invest energy and time is the best idea. I think we want to engage. I think we need to understand that there have been, there has been pressure upon the kingdom message from the time it began. And we just happen to be the 21st century edition. And I don’t know that we can match the courage and the faithfulness and the boldness of those who have preceded us, but I know we can get caught trying.
And so I wanna invite you to imagining this differently. Your faith should not be defined by the frequency with which you attend the church or having checked the boxes on a prayer of salvation and a baptism experience and six times volunteering. Now, I believe all of those things have merit and value. I’ve helped lots of people check boxes. But the purpose is to serve the Lord. And that has not very often been a popular position. Some of us have lived lives where there was some celebration of that.
So I wanna go back to the book of Acts. Acts is the story of Jesus' best friends after he went back to heaven. Some will remember in Acts chapter 1, Jesus ascended. He went back to heaven. Acts chapter 2 was the promise fulfilled the day of Pentecost. The Holy Spirit poured out. Acts chapter 3, there’s a miracle in Jerusalem. A man is healed and the whole city is stirred. And the disciples now are pushed back into the arena. By Acts chapter 4, the pressure is building and we’re gonna start with Acts chapter 5, it says, «The apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders among the people».
Now you need to know before we read any further at this point the apostles are already suspects. Their leader has been crucified, tortured to death in public as a criminal of Rome and hated by the religious aristocracy in Jerusalem, and the mob from the city of Jerusalem shouted at the top of their lungs, «Crucify him». It is not a cool time to be a Jesus kind of person. So the apostles when we step into this narrative, they’re already fugitives. They’re already suspect. People step away from them. They’re no longer invited to the cool parties. It’s not chic to hang with them. They perform many miraculous signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers used to meet together in Solomon’s colonnade. It’s dangerous stuff to go into a public place. Solomon’s colonnade is a part of the public temple.
«No one else dared join them, even though they were highly regarded by the people. Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number». You know, the church should grow under the stress of resistance. I think there’s a direct correlation to the enthusiasm the believers have to the expansion of the message. We’re gonna have to get over protecting our notion of personal salvation and become advocates for Jesus again. Verse 15, «As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by».
Wow! Too much change was happening. Can’t get an appointment with Peter anymore. Told them I wanted prayer and they said well just stand in the street, maybe he’ll walk past. Think anybody got offended? I promise. «Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by evil spirits, and all of them were healed». Something’s happening. «Then the high priest and all his associates,» and this is the group that orchestrated Jesus' arrest. They delivered him over to the Roman governor asking for an execution. «Who were members of the party of the Sadducees, they were filled with jealousy».
Now remember what’s happening. People are being healed, people who are tormented by unclean spirits are being set free. And the people in charge of the religious convocations are offended by this. It doesn’t seem right. We wouldn’t have anybody in a national cathedral be offended. I’m sorry, that’s. They’re filled with jealousy, «So they arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail. But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out. 'Go stand in the temple courts, ' he said, 'And tell the people the full message of this new life.'»
Now just so you get that, I mean, it’s easy to read, but they’re arrested because of their message and put in jail. And when their boss was arrested not too long ago, he ended up on a cross, and now they’ve been arrested and put in a jail. Same people orchestrating all of this. They were there when they came to get Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. It’s a trigger point. And an angel comes and opens the cell doors and says, «Go finish your sermon». Now, in case you missed the application, the angels want me to finish my sermons. That’s the lesson of the day if you don’t hear anything else. I’m kidding, no messages, please. Go for it, you know, you could be a little intimidated and think, «Well, you know, maybe we were just a little too strong. Maybe we should talk more about the history of our story».
So they go back to the temple, back to a public place to pick up the message. «At daybreak, they entered the temple courts, and as they had been told, and began to teach the people. When the high priest and associates arrived, they called together the Sanhedrin, the full assembly of the elders, and sent to the jail for the apostles». And there’s gonna be quite the confusion 'cause there’s nobody in the jail. But I wanna pause here just a moment. Because I read that it seems very different from the experience I have had. I spent my adult life in and around the church. I’m grateful for that. I’m thankful for the church. I was given an invitation from the Lord, and it’s been the greatest delight of my life. But the church that I have been a part of and I don’t mean this congregation, I mean the the season of the church in which I have lived is very different than that.
The expressions of church that most of us have known has become so timid, so withdrawn that there is very little present that would cause the unbelievers to be jealous of us. I mean, it says that what caused them to be arrested was the jealousy of their peers. So I would submit to you that our faith is intended to be so living, so vital, so robust, that it causes people to be jealous. That our goal is not to be so bland, so innocuous, so passive that we stir no emotion. That seems to be have been the objective. Don’t live too large, don’t be too bold. Somebody might say something. There’s been no real demonstrations of power or authority, little courageous leadership. In fact, if you just ask for an analysis, my most honest answer was I think we’ve been afraid of any kind of success. What would others say?
So we’ve remained firmly entrenched in mediocrity, pleased with it. We don’t wanna build soaring cathedrals any longer. Those remind us of another time. It’s not a good use of resources. We have all sorts of language and excuses. Bland and colorless, inert, ineffective, careful, because Jesus said when the salt loses its saltiness, there’s only one legitimate destination, and that’s the trash heap. I would submit to you that we should reflect the authority of God.
So I wanna take a moment and I’m gonna try not to get stuck here, but I may, and if I do, we’ll do the rest of this, I promise. I believe we have to have a heart to take to be a Christ follower means that you have decided, I suppose initially that Jesus is the Son of God. Which means you have to accept the biblical narrative that he was born of a virgin. That he grew to adulthood. That he died on a Roman cross. That he was raised to life again bodily, and that you believe that he took the punishment that was due, all of my ungodliness and rebellion and yours too so that we might have all of the blessings that were due his perfect obedience. That’s the essence of the transaction that makes it possible for you and I to enter the kingdom of God.
So we acknowledge that we’re a sinner. That we can’t work our way into the kingdom, we can’t earn it, we can’t be good enough. None of us are good enough folks. We clean up for church for a few minutes, but it takes such effort. There are very few weekends we can all get out of the parking lot without some real leaking. And if you do, your kids are over there in the preschool area telling on you right now. But we receive, Jesus is Lord of our lives and the forgiveness that is attached to that and we’re given this entree into the kingdom of God. There’s no way to describe, that’s the greatest miracle that will ever touch a human being. You change kingdoms, your eternal destiny changes. You’re an eternal being. Your body wears out, I promise, but your spirit is eternal.
And because of that redemptive work of Jesus, you become a part of his eternal kingdom and when he comes back to the earth, you get a new body, 2.0 and it’s a significant upgrade. It’s already been beta tested. And the church has given this assignment throughout Scripture. We’re gonna do a session on the disruption of obedience, but we’ve been given this assignment to take that message into the world because there are desperate people with no awareness, no inkling of what I just described to you, trying to figure out how to make this work and how to survive and overcome the expressions of evil. They don’t understand there’s kingdoms in conflict. It’s maddening, frustrating, crushing. And we can’t afford to be quiet.
So we’ve talked a long time around here around this little notion about let’s pray. How many of you had a let’s pray moment? With somebody else, I mean… Now I wanna take that just a little bit further. I’ve invited you to a very simple one sentence prayer that you can and make a part of almost any daily activity or conversation. You can take it to work or to the ball fields, but I wanna suggest we have to begin to invite God’s power into the midst of the arenas where we live. Then let’s decide we will not yield to the excuses. I don’t know enough, I don’t feel confident, I don’t feel particularly powerful. What if they ask me a question I can’t answer? What if I pray and nothing happens?
I’ll tell you something that’s scarier. What if you pray and something does happen? That’ll really make you anxious. You see, if you’ll wonder, if you’ll think of prayer as an invitation to the Lord. God, we need your help. You can help however. If you wanna help by an adjustment of my diet, if you wanna help by a doctor with compassion, if you wanna help supernaturally, God, we need your help. It’s not a repudiation of science. Look, science is not God. Science is a method. It’s a way to learn, to observe our world, to catalog what we learn, and then to build upon it. If the Lord tarry’s 100 years from now, the 3rd graders will laugh at our most brilliant scientist. I promise. Science is a lousy god.
I brought you some passages. Matthew 8:16. Matthew is describing an event in Jesus' life and ministry, but he’s gonna quote Isaiah 53, which is the great Messianic chapter in the prophet Isaiah. Hundreds of years before Jesus was born, Isaiah wrote about the Messiah and what he would do. Jesus didn’t fit the expectations of that first century audience. It’s why they killed him. But Matthew had understood by this point. He said, «When evening came, many who were demon possessed were brought to Jesus and he drove out the spirits with a word and he healed all the sick. This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah; 'He took up our infirmities and he carried our diseases.'» Why do we pray for the sick? Is it just because God does miracles? Well, he does, but that’s not really the permission, the invitation we’ve been given.
You see, the redemptive work of Jesus, what he accomplished on the cross, included more than just the forgiveness of our sins and salvation so that we could go to heaven. It’s a far more multifaceted provision than that describes. He’s provided. He said he gave us peace, he gave us strength. Matthew is quoting when he says, Jesus healed all the sick, he said he’s fulfilling what the prophet Isaiah said, that he carried our sicknesses and our diseases that on the cross God placed on Jesus our sickness and disease. So when we ask God for him to bring health and healing to our bodies, we’re asking in the same way we ask for forgiveness of our sins. It was the same price paid for both.
Father, I thank you that we have Bibles and churches and fellowship and community, but we need your help to be men and women of strength and courage. Holy Spirit, we ask you let a boldness for God grow in us in Jesus' name, amen.