Allen Jackson - Lions and Lambs - Part 2
Leading godly lives is not easy. It includes more than attendance at religious services or participation in a Christian school. We don’t step into our Christian role for appointed times and then out of our Christian persona at others. There’s no such thing. To be a Christ follower is a yielding and an acceptance of an assignment of reconciliation in whatever generation God calls us to. God is moving in the earth. I’ve never seen the hunger for the truth that I witnessed these days and weeks. At the same time, I’ve never seen more widespread deception and manipulation under the umbrellas of faith. One of the presentation that Scripture gives us is «The true and false will flourish together».
Do you remember the parable that Jesus told about the wheat and the tares? A field that was planted intentionally with wheat, and when the crop came up, there was also amongst the wheat something unintentional. And it was weeds, tares, in the field, and the servants came and said, «Shall we pull them up»? And the master said, «No, we’ll do that at the harvest». And Jesus interpreted it for us. He didn’t leave it to our imagination. He said the field is the world, and it’s the end of the age and that the angels will do the harvesting, and they’ll separate the wheat from the tares, that the same climactic conditions that allow the wheat to ripen allow the weeds to ripen so that what we should anticipate is both at the same time.
True and false are going to flourish. The biblical presentation provides some clarity for us. It helps us interpret what we see. I brought you some samples on this topic because we can’t just peel a verse out. We need a bit more of a broader perspective. In 1 Peter 5 and verse 8, Peter writes, «Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy, the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour». One of the images attached to Satan is he’s a roaring lion, or he’s like a roaring lion. And then Peter gives us a battle plan, he says, «Resist him, stand firm in the faith. You know that your brothers throughout the world undergo the same kind of suffering».
You know, the difference in minor surgery and major surgery? If it’s on me, it’s major. If it’s on you, it’s minor. Well, the same is true with suffering of about any description. If it’s my suffering, this is a deal. And if it’s your suffering, why don’t you just suck it up and move along? And Peter’s reminding his audience and us that, throughout the world, there is discomfort and suffering, so that we don’t capitulate to the self-pity, that we don’t sideline ourselves because of the obstacles, that we determined to persevere, to overcome, to be triumphant in the name of our Lord. And then in verse 10, he said, «The God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you’ve suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast».
Now, when you restore something, you typically make it better than the original. I have some friends that restored an old home, historic home. They took Kathy and I for a visit when they purchased it prior to the restoration. It took enormous faith, piles of cash and enormous faith. The flooring was rotten. The plumbing and the electrical that had been a part of the home was no longer adequate. It needed a 21st-century makeover, and it got it, complete with central heat and air, whole new plumbing systems, an updated kitchen. Everything about the home was better than the original version. It wasn’t just the house that was there. It was the house that was there plus all the advantages that technology and modern convenience can bring to our homes.
But when I read that passage in 1 Peter 5, it says that God will make us, he will restore us and make us strong, firm, and steadfast. We’ll be stronger. We’ll be better for the experience. We’ll have more compassion. We’ll have trust in a God in an area where we’ve walked through and we’ve seen his power demonstrated on our behalf. But, you know, if I get to tell you the truth, I’m not looking for like some opportunity. I just would like my way now. But God, in his mercy and his grace, allows us a journey where we walk through places where we have to learn to trust him. But the warning there, if you’ll remember, is you’ve got to be sober and alert. You got to be vigilant because we have an adversary that prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. But that’s not the only lion message you need.
In Revelation chapter 5, John has this majestic vision of heaven in the throne room of God, and he said, «I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll». There’s a scroll that has the story of the end of the age, and John understands he’s been given the opportunity to see this narrative, but now the scroll has been presented, but there’s no one in all of heaven deemed worthy to open it, and John begins to weep, thinking he’s gonna fail on the assignment, he’s not gonna get to hear the narrative.
«Then one of the elders said, 'Don’t weep! See the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. And he is able to open the scroll and it’s seven seals.' Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the center of the throne». Who did he see? Jesus, the Lion of the tribe of Judah. That’s Revelation chapter 5. For those of you who are just casual readers of the Scripture, that’s the last book of the New Testament. And in the last book of the New Testament, our Lord and King, Jesus of Nazareth, is identified as the Lion of the tribe of Judah. He hasn’t been separated from those roots. In fact, when the New Jerusalem is established and we visit that city, which we will, you’ll pass through the gates of that city, will have, inscribed above them, the names of the Hebrew man, and at the center of that city will be a throne, and seated on it is an observant Jewish rabbi, one Jesus of Nazareth.
It’ll be an awkward place if you hate the Jews. The Lion of the tribe of Judah. And when John turns to see the Lion of the tribe of Judah, he sees the Lamb, looking if he’s been slain. It’s the tension, the dynamic tension, the paradox of Jesus, a triumphant Lion, but to achieve that place in the unfolding purposes of God, he had to offer himself as a sacrificial Lamb. I would submit to you there’s a tension that exists in Scripture between the portrayal of these lions. They’re in conflict in the earth. They were in the 1st century. Jesus, the incarnate Son of God born in Bethlehem, and all the male children slaughtered. Jesus of Nazareth, the miracle worker, the healer, the teacher had a three-year public ministry, and in place after place he’s reviled, and rejected.
There are multiple attempts made on his life until, ultimately, he’s condemned to death and tortured to death in public as if he were a common criminal. And God raises him to life again in the temple, the curtain that separated the holy of holies, the holiest place on earth, the curtain was torn apart so that all people had access to the presence of God. There’s a tension between the two lions. I’m not suggesting they’re equal in power or equal in strength or ability. I’m suggesting to you that they’re both present and they have agendas, and you better be aware. I’m constantly a bit, I’m not amused, befuddled at American Christians, particularly the guys.
You know, we have a tendency, and I know it’s a blanket statement, so forgive me, for the inherent weaknesses, but men have approached me on many occasions, «You know, Pastor, I’ve decided to be a Christian. Tell me the book I need to read. I’m gonna get focused on this now. You know, my wife’s gone to church. I never paid much attention, but I’ve decided I probably need to. What do I need to know»? It’s like they picked up a new hobby, like they’re gonna learn to fly fish and they want to know the book on fly, like «Fly Fishing for Dummies». «Have you got one of those 'Christians for Dummies'? 'Cause I wanna read it. 'Cause I wanna get it done, and then I wanna move on. I wanna get back to my stuff».
And out of that attitude comes this, we’re very reluctant to acknowledge the role of evil, that it’s personal, that it crafts plans for our own destruction. It’s not random. It’s not accidental. Satan was an archangel. He fell from his place in the kingdom of God. What he understands about structure and order, he learned by observation in the eternal kingdom of Almighty God. And he’s put together a kingdom to oppose the purposes of God. He forfeited his place, and he will do his best to keep you from your place. And if you’re not living with an awareness of one who prowls the earth like a lion seeking whom he can devour and the necessity you staying close to the lion of the tribe of Judah, you are incredibly vulnerable.
You lack the situational awareness that’s necessary to flourish. And then we say uninformed things like «I just don’t know if I believe that», as if that protected you. Suppose you just said, «I don’t believe my vehicle could run out of energy». Well, I hope you wear walking shoes when you drive. Because whether you plug it in and recharge it or you put fuel in it, it’s very capable of running out of energy. And your belief system doesn’t change the facts, and spiritual reality is a greater fact than any vehicle we ride in.
You know, often, we want an oversimplified message so we’re not so required to think or to trust God. The greatest honor of our lives is learning to trust the Lord, to grow up in him, to learn of his character, to understand his nature, to know what he’s doing in the earth, to offer ourselves as participants. Don’t imagine you’ll volunteer when the opportunity is grandiose or significant or of an appropriate scope for someone of your ability. Start with the simplest possible ways.
Say, «God, could I honor you in the neighborhood where I live? Can I take a walk through my neighborhood and pray for the people? God, what if I just started praying for my neighbors until I got an opportunity to be certain that they were prepared to step into eternity? God, I pray for the people that I work with, God, those difficult people. That place this awful. I’m praying you’ll deliver me from. I’m gonna start to pray for them in that place until the name of Jesus is honored there». What else are we doing? Trying to get a third home? I’m not opposed to that. It’s just not a worthy ambition for your life. It’s, like, thrown in as a bonus element. You want to put up with the hassles. Let’s decide to honor the Lord.
Look at John 1:29: «The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and he said, 'Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! '» A very familiar image to a 1st-century Jewish audience. They have an annual holiday where the whole nation stops, a day of fasting, no food available. Until today it’s a part of the practice amongst the Jewish people: to remember the atoning sacrifice of that Lamb, the Passover Lamb in Egypt. But it’s an annual reminder instructed by God to never forget, and John sees Jesus and he said, «The Lamb of God, who will take away the sin of the world,» not on an annual basis, as a covering for sin, but he will remove the sin of the world. That’s that Lamb that John saw in Revelation 5, when they said it’s the Lion of the tribe of Judah. And he looked to see a Lamb that looked as if he’d been slain.
See, the way up in the kingdom of God, the pathway to promotion, is by surrendering your rights. It’s not saying you’re not valuable. It’s not saying your will doesn’t matter. It’s a willing yielding of your will, not easily done. Then the Bible tells us that we’re the sheep of God’s pasture. Look at Psalm 100, familiar verse: «Know that the Lord is God. It’s he who made us, and we’re are his; we’re his people and the sheep of his pasture». I don’t know if you’ve spent much time around animals. I spent a lot of time with sheep, but I spent enough time with them to know they’re not the brightest animals in the barnyard. So when God called us sheep, he was not exactly endorsing our ability to self-sustain. In order for sheep to flourish, they have to have a shepherd.
They got zero shot without oversight, for real. I mean, you can turn horses loose and cattle loose and dogs loose and cats loose, but you better not turn the sheep loose. They need a shepherd. I’ll spare you the details. Just suffice it to say, it’s not exactly complimentary. Psalm 23 reminds us, you know this passage. May be the most familiar of all the Psalms. The Lord is my… You need one. I mean, me too. «I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures,» 'cause if he didn’t, we’d lie down someplace dangerous. «He leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake». 'Cause we probably wouldn’t choose paths of righteousness. We’d choose paths of unrighteousness. Can I get an amen?
Aren’t you glad we don’t have open-mike nights so we could all come confess? He leads me in paths of righteousness 'cause we would miss him if he weren’t leading us. «And even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you’re with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me». Your strength brings comfort to me, not my strength. I don’t wanna walk through shadowed valleys, but he leads us through some valleys that are shadowed. «You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies». No thank you. I’d rather eat with my friends. But God needs even the enemies of his purposes to hear the truth. «You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever».
The Lord is my shepherd. The Lord is my shepherd. «What are you doing here»? «Well, the Lord’s my shepherd. I’m not sure yet, but he’s probably gonna help me understand. In the meantime, do you know Jesus? In the meantime, while I’m listening to you, I heard you say the kids were sick. Let’s pray. In the meantime, I heard that you’re frustrated with what’s happening in the world. Let’s pray». Folks, we know a lot of things we can do. We can be difference makers. We can be a light in the darkness. How many conversations do we have to have about spiritual conflict before we engage? «Well, I don’t know all the answers». No kidding! You ever go watch kids play sports?
You ever seen a little fella go, «I don’t believe I will participate until I fully understand the nature of the activity»? Never. It’s like, «Put me in, Coach»! Right, if you start with the really little ones, you have to point which base to run to, right? And now we’re high tech. I mean, we’re videotaping their games. We make the kids watch tape. They’re seven years old. «We’re gonna watch the tape». I’m like, «Wow, go for it, okay». They don’t have any reluctance, any reticence. You see, it isn’t that we’re so much, we’re not interested. They wanna be participants, they want in. «Me do it». When it comes to the things of God, we go, «Couldn’t somebody else do it? Do I have to do it? How often do… when, how long is it gonna last? Can’t I just live stream? Isn’t there a YouTube video»?
Luke 12, it’s one of my favorite Jesus’s passages. He’s talking to his friends. He said, «Don’t set your heart on what you’ll eat or drink; don’t worry about it. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well. Do not be afraid, little flock». I don’t know why the imagery that has always resonated so powerfully with me, but Jesus looking at this group of people and he said, «You don’t have to be afraid, little flock». Said, «I got this. You don’t have to be afraid. You don’t have to be afraid of what the ungodly people are afraid of. I got this. I’m your shepherd… Yeah, there’s wolves out there, but we can do this. You don’t have to be afraid».
I get afraid sometimes. I get anxious. I get tired or I get emotionally frazzled or, you know, you just get tired of it sometimes, and I think, «Oh, what am I thinking»? And I go back, I hear Jesus saying, «Oh, you don’t have to be afraid. I got this». There’s a few places in my life where I’m around people and they’ll look at me. If I’m in Israel and I’ve got one of my Israeli friends and we’re going, he said, «You don’t have to be afraid, Allen. I got this». I’m like, «Well, good, where can I get an aroma»?
Well, if you’re with somebody who’s got an expertise or experience or confidence in an area where you don’t, there’s a freedom. I got invited, I went this last week. Kathy and I went to Dallas to tape some program, but it wasn’t my program. I wasn’t responsible. I didn’t care if the camera worked, I didn’t care if they prepared, it didn’t matter to me. «Show me where to stand. What do you want me to say? Just point. I’m here». It’s like rent a hillbilly. «I’m available». Except I just volunteered. But I’m telling you: It was stressless. When the guy said, «What are we gonna talk about»? I said, «We don’t know». I said, «What’s the objective»? «We don’t know». I thought, «Glad it’s not my problem, because that’s messed up».
But I hear Jesus saying that «you don’t have to be afraid, little flock». What are you afraid of? What are you carrying? What are you holding back from the Lord? Lions and lambs. Which lion you standing closest to? See, if we get really honest about it, we’ve really wanted to play in the devil’s den. We’ll ask questions like «Well, how far is too far? How much is too much»? Wrong question. I want to stay as close to the Lion of the tribe of Judah as I’m physically capable of. I’m willing to accept the fact that I’m a lamb, and without the help of the shepherd, I am lunch meat and that there’s an enormous amount of deception and manipulation in the world, and I don’t wanna get caught in it.
See, I don’t believe you can ever rest in the mercy and kindness of God until you know his great strength and justice. So I’m gonna invite you. We’re gonna make a little journey together. We’re gonna talk about the strength of God and what it means to step close to him. Let’s not exchange the power of God for a program or a formula or a process. They’re not the same. I’m tired of formulas. I don’t want just another published manual on how to be a… stop. I wanna see the fruit. Disciples are transformed people, and they’re transformed by the power of God. We’re changing our campus right now. The whole topography of our campus is in motion.
If you’re around here during the week, you hear the horn blast and the ground shakes and rocks fly in the air. But I’m telling you: What God does in our lives is more dramatic than blasting rock and changing topography. God’s power is available to transform your life if you will choose to participate. And I’m grateful that you have transformation stories from your past. Do you think there’s none left? I’ve been through multiple projects here where we’ve blasted rock and changed the topography of the campus. I didn’t know I’d have the privilege of getting to be a part of it again, but I want that same thing happening within me. I would invite you to that.
Take off the mantle of «I know it all» or «All the important stuff is different,» really. We have domesticated our faith. We’ve exchanged the power of God for polite little Bible studies and discipleship formulas and lesson plans for righteousness. And I’m not opposed to those things. I speak into them sometimes, but I’m far more interested in the transforming power of God. I would submit it’s time to unleash the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives, to walk in new ways. And if I had to give you a simple doorway to that, humble yourself and serve the King.
Begin to say, «Lord, forgive me. I’ve cared more about mine than yours. I’ve wanted you to do my bidding more than I’ve had any interest in doing yours. I’ve pointed to my resume, and I’m showing you all the things I’ve done, and I’ve just thought you’d be so impressed with me that now I can do my own thing». Let’s decide to serve the Lord. We’re gonna keep working on this. I brought you a prayer. Why don’t you stand with me? We’re not done. We’ve just opened the door: lions and lambs. The one you stay close to makes a difference. In fact, it makes all the difference. Can we read this together?
Almighty God, forgive us for our unbelief and indifference. We humble ourselves and acknowledge you as the creator and sustainer of all things. Now, open our hearts and our eyes that we may have understanding and insight from you. Deliver us from deception. Holy Spirit teach us, we are listening and we will follow. Give us now a boldness to believe, to serve and to respond as never before. May the name of Jesus be lifted high and may His people be strengthened, in Jesus' name, amen.