Now What
Trey Little | 1-Aug-10
"Now What?"
For our final message in this "Traveling Mercies" series I invite you to turn with me to Paul's final benediction to the Corinthians as found in 2 Corinthians 13: 11-14 (pg. 1150). Warning: this may sound familiar to you!
When was the last time you updated your status?
If you are like me, you may not completely understand the point of that question. "Updating your status" is what people on FACEBOOK do when they want to tell their friends where they are, or what they or doing, or how they are doing.
If you are one of the 500 million members of the online community called FACEBOOK--my wife and daughter are among them, then you understand. FACEBOOK has developed a life of its own--according to a USA TODAY article: FACEBOOK users have uploaded 50 billion photos. Einstein, Twain, Wilde, Gandhi and Shakespeare are among the most quoted people on profiles. The most popular books among FACEBOOK users are Harry Potter and the Bible. But here is the point: according to the marketing director of FACEBOOK, "whether we're 500 million or a billion or more, it's still all about the site being personal and relevant for every individual. Can you imagine 1 BILLION members on FACEBOOK? Can you imagine what an impact something like FACEBOOK could have for the advancement of the Kingdom of God?
Which brings me back to my opening question--when was the last time you updated your status?
One of the things I love about this final section of Paul's second letter to the people of Corinth is that his final words are words of hope. He desperately hopes the church will continue to "aim for perfection." In other words, he hoped the church would not get sloppy or lazy in their faith journey--but instead would remain committed to be faithful to the ways of the Lord. But also, he hoped they would listen to what he was saying. He knew what he had been feeding them wasn't going to go down easy--but he also knew it was a faithful teaching and that sometimes it was difficult to hear strong advice. Paul also knew that if the church would strive to live in peace with one another that their worship of and relationship with the Lord would lead them to places they had yet been.
And so, it is with that background that Paul delivers his final blessing to the church in Corinth--a message he really hoped they would remember. And within that blessing we find three things that I believe will update your STATUS. However, the STATUS I am referring too has nothing to do with FACEBOOK--but instead with "Traveling Mercies."
First: Wherever you are--the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ is available.
I read some interesting statistics the other day--in relation to fatalities and where they occur. Did you know that automobiles account for 20% of all fatal accidents? 17% of all accidents occur in the home. 14% of all fatal accidents occur to pedestrians. 16% of fatal accidents involve air, rail, or water forms of travel. Of the remaining 33%--32% of all deaths occur in hospitals. However, you will be pleased to learn that only .001% of all deaths occur in worship services in a church.
Friends, wherever you are--the possibility for an accident exists. You may accidentally cross the temptation line. You may accidentally cross the anger line; the pride line; the greed line; the staying home line--but there is never a line you cross where the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ is not on the other side. Because you see--there was nothing accidental about God's grace in Jesus Christ. It was God's will and purpose to make a way for people like you and me to have our status UPDATED. And so, always remember--when we receive the gift of God's grace by surrendering our "accidents" to Jesus Christ--our status of sin is updated to a status of forgiveness. Our status of hopelessness is updated to a status of hope. Our status of discouragement is updated to a status of encouragement. Our status of lostness is updated to a status of being found.
So--where are you today? Oh, that's where you are--then may the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you!!
Second: Whatever you are doing--may the love of God lead you.
Believe it or not, football season is just a few short weeks away. And as I think about the approaching season I can practically hear coach Faith saying to Leif Johnston--"Just aim at the numbers; hit George Kelly in the numbers." Of course, the point of such coaching is to remind the quarterback to throw the football at the center of the torso of the receiver--at the big numbers on the front of his jersey.
You know, that is good advice for us as well. Whatever we are doing--whether football or Sunday morning worship or school or parenting or traveling--we should always aim for the center. And at the very center of who we are as believers in Jesus Christ--is the unending love of God.
Colossians 3: 17 says: And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."
Romans 8: 28 says: "nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Friends, the bottom line is this--when we remember the love of God--it updates the way we do everything.
So, what are you doing? Oh, your doing that--may the love of God be with you.
Finally: How ever you are feeling--may you always feel the presence of the Holy Spirit.
In John 16:7 we hear the words of Jesus when He said: "But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor (parakletos) will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you."
Jesus sent "the Counselor" for a purpose--so that we may feel His presence and have fellowship with Him. But also, in order that He may be our Helper. It is interesting--I looked at five different translations of John 16: 7 and there were five different translations for the Greek word parakletos. But all of them paint for us the encouraging purpose of the Holy Spirit. Listen to these: The NIV translation uses "Counselor." The NRSV translation uses "Comforter." The King James translation uses "Advocate." The Message translation uses "Friend." And the Today's English Version uses "Helper."
Parakletos--para ("alongside") and kaleo ("to call")--to call alongside. This word was often used to refer to a person who helped someone in trouble.
Does your status ever include a feeling of trouble? Does your status ever include a feeling of needing direction and instruction? Does your status ever include the need for help? Does your status ever include a desire for a friend? Oh, it does--may the fellowship and communion of the Holy Spirit be with you.
Let me close with this, it is a story that I read in one of my morning devotionals this week. It is of Dr. James Hall. He was flying with a sick friend to the Mayo Clinic last Friday when their plane went down over Lake Michigan. The pilot was rescued; Dr. Hall apparently died, along with the co-pilot, the patient and his wife. The reports said that the plane experienced "mechanical problems" over Lake Michigan.
But here is what struck me about this tragic story--just seven minutes before their plane plummeted into Lake Michigan, Dr. Hall wrote his farewell message. His medical bag was recovered from the water with this note enclosed: "Dear All
For our final message in this "Traveling Mercies" series I invite you to turn with me to Paul's final benediction to the Corinthians as found in 2 Corinthians 13: 11-14 (pg. 1150). Warning: this may sound familiar to you!
When was the last time you updated your status?
If you are like me, you may not completely understand the point of that question. "Updating your status" is what people on FACEBOOK do when they want to tell their friends where they are, or what they or doing, or how they are doing.
If you are one of the 500 million members of the online community called FACEBOOK--my wife and daughter are among them, then you understand. FACEBOOK has developed a life of its own--according to a USA TODAY article: FACEBOOK users have uploaded 50 billion photos. Einstein, Twain, Wilde, Gandhi and Shakespeare are among the most quoted people on profiles. The most popular books among FACEBOOK users are Harry Potter and the Bible. But here is the point: according to the marketing director of FACEBOOK, "whether we're 500 million or a billion or more, it's still all about the site being personal and relevant for every individual. Can you imagine 1 BILLION members on FACEBOOK? Can you imagine what an impact something like FACEBOOK could have for the advancement of the Kingdom of God?
Which brings me back to my opening question--when was the last time you updated your status?
One of the things I love about this final section of Paul's second letter to the people of Corinth is that his final words are words of hope. He desperately hopes the church will continue to "aim for perfection." In other words, he hoped the church would not get sloppy or lazy in their faith journey--but instead would remain committed to be faithful to the ways of the Lord. But also, he hoped they would listen to what he was saying. He knew what he had been feeding them wasn't going to go down easy--but he also knew it was a faithful teaching and that sometimes it was difficult to hear strong advice. Paul also knew that if the church would strive to live in peace with one another that their worship of and relationship with the Lord would lead them to places they had yet been.
And so, it is with that background that Paul delivers his final blessing to the church in Corinth--a message he really hoped they would remember. And within that blessing we find three things that I believe will update your STATUS. However, the STATUS I am referring too has nothing to do with FACEBOOK--but instead with "Traveling Mercies."
First: Wherever you are--the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ is available.
I read some interesting statistics the other day--in relation to fatalities and where they occur. Did you know that automobiles account for 20% of all fatal accidents? 17% of all accidents occur in the home. 14% of all fatal accidents occur to pedestrians. 16% of fatal accidents involve air, rail, or water forms of travel. Of the remaining 33%--32% of all deaths occur in hospitals. However, you will be pleased to learn that only .001% of all deaths occur in worship services in a church.
Friends, wherever you are--the possibility for an accident exists. You may accidentally cross the temptation line. You may accidentally cross the anger line; the pride line; the greed line; the staying home line--but there is never a line you cross where the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ is not on the other side. Because you see--there was nothing accidental about God's grace in Jesus Christ. It was God's will and purpose to make a way for people like you and me to have our status UPDATED. And so, always remember--when we receive the gift of God's grace by surrendering our "accidents" to Jesus Christ--our status of sin is updated to a status of forgiveness. Our status of hopelessness is updated to a status of hope. Our status of discouragement is updated to a status of encouragement. Our status of lostness is updated to a status of being found.
So--where are you today? Oh, that's where you are--then may the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you!!
Second: Whatever you are doing--may the love of God lead you.
Believe it or not, football season is just a few short weeks away. And as I think about the approaching season I can practically hear coach Faith saying to Leif Johnston--"Just aim at the numbers; hit George Kelly in the numbers." Of course, the point of such coaching is to remind the quarterback to throw the football at the center of the torso of the receiver--at the big numbers on the front of his jersey.
You know, that is good advice for us as well. Whatever we are doing--whether football or Sunday morning worship or school or parenting or traveling--we should always aim for the center. And at the very center of who we are as believers in Jesus Christ--is the unending love of God.
Colossians 3: 17 says: And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."
Romans 8: 28 says: "nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Friends, the bottom line is this--when we remember the love of God--it updates the way we do everything.
So, what are you doing? Oh, your doing that--may the love of God be with you.
Finally: How ever you are feeling--may you always feel the presence of the Holy Spirit.
In John 16:7 we hear the words of Jesus when He said: "But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor (parakletos) will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you."
Jesus sent "the Counselor" for a purpose--so that we may feel His presence and have fellowship with Him. But also, in order that He may be our Helper. It is interesting--I looked at five different translations of John 16: 7 and there were five different translations for the Greek word parakletos. But all of them paint for us the encouraging purpose of the Holy Spirit. Listen to these: The NIV translation uses "Counselor." The NRSV translation uses "Comforter." The King James translation uses "Advocate." The Message translation uses "Friend." And the Today's English Version uses "Helper."
Parakletos--para ("alongside") and kaleo ("to call")--to call alongside. This word was often used to refer to a person who helped someone in trouble.
Does your status ever include a feeling of trouble? Does your status ever include a feeling of needing direction and instruction? Does your status ever include the need for help? Does your status ever include a desire for a friend? Oh, it does--may the fellowship and communion of the Holy Spirit be with you.
Let me close with this, it is a story that I read in one of my morning devotionals this week. It is of Dr. James Hall. He was flying with a sick friend to the Mayo Clinic last Friday when their plane went down over Lake Michigan. The pilot was rescued; Dr. Hall apparently died, along with the co-pilot, the patient and his wife. The reports said that the plane experienced "mechanical problems" over Lake Michigan.
But here is what struck me about this tragic story--just seven minutes before their plane plummeted into Lake Michigan, Dr. Hall wrote his farewell message. His medical bag was recovered from the water with this note enclosed: "Dear All
