[Intro]

(FAS) – So What Do You Do?

Meeting new people is a bit hard, right? At least it is for me. That might sound weird, but I do sometimes find it a bit awkward to be thrown into a new environment full of strangers and expected to make friends. Now some people definitely can’t relate. They’re the sort who could have a full conversation with a tree. They’ve never met a stranger. That’s not necessarily me. I have no problem once the conversation gets going, but starting it up is a bit difficult. I’ve found that having a few ice breakers ready to go seems to help. If you also find it a bit hard to get things in a new conversation, then I’ll give you a few ice breakers to try out and these are completely free! They’re my gift to you.

Ok, so this one is a classic. “How much does a polar bear weight, enough to break the ice. Hi, my name is Robby.” That one is like old faithful. It’s the one I always go to. Another technique I like to use it to ask a question that throws them off. I find that if they’re hit with a strange out of the blue question, it sometimes lowers their defenses and make conversation easier. A few of my favorite questions are, “Is cereal a soup?” “If you had to eat a crayon, what color would you choose?” “Would you rather fight one horse sized duck or ten duck sized horses?” See, these are great at getting people out of their comfort zone. It may also totally weird them out and then they’ll leave you alone, which I sometimes also consider a win. If those don’t really work for you or maybe you’re in a more formal setting, then I have some great questions you could try that won’t get you brought before HR. “What is your cell phone wall paper?” “What’s the best book you’ve read this year?” “Who is the most famous person you’ve ever met?” I find that these questions are much better than some of the boring ice breakers people usually us.

While really asking any questions about a person is usually a great way to ease the tension, I mean everyone’s favorite subject to talk about is themselves, there is one question in particular I absolutely hate answering. It’s also, unfortunately the most common question people ask when you first meet them. “So, what do you do for work?” Uhg, I hate that question. It’s not because I’m ashamed of being a pastor or anything. It’s because usually when I reply, “I’m a pastor,” the other person sometimes makes the conversation really weird. Ironically, it’s the people who aren’t believers who usually just carry on with conversation, but sometimes people begin to just give me their spiritual resume. “Oh, I used to go to church, but I just haven’t found the right one. This is my favorite bible verse, what’s yours. I went to church as a kid. I’m a Christian, I just don’t really do the whole going to church thing. I went on a mission trip before to Mexico.” I’m used to it now, but it does get a bit weird. You know, I’m not really the one you need to convince, right? I’m not going to bump into you in line at the pearly gates and be like, “Peter, my man, this guy here is totally legit. You should let him in, because he told me once when I had to sit next to him on an airplane that he sometimes likes to listen to Phil Wickham in the shower.”

I get it, though. What they’re really trying to do is show me that we’re on the same team. They’re trying to relate to me and go, “see, we’re like totally similar.” They do it because we know in our hearts, who we are is not simply what we say we are but what we do. This is something that Jesus even says when he challenged the pharisee to check is spiritual resume. Often time, Jesus clashed with the spiritual leaders of his time and on this particular occasion, Jesus was getting pretty heated. Check out what he says in John 5:31-40

John 5:31–40 (CSB)

“If I testify about myself, my testimony is not true. There is another who testifies about me, and I know that the testimony he gives about me is true. You sent messengers to John, and he testified to the truth. I don’t receive human testimony, but I say these things so that you may be saved. John was a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light.

“But I have a greater testimony than John’s because of the works that the Father has given me to accomplish. These very works I am doing testify about me that the Father has sent me. The Father who sent me has himself testified about me. You have not heard his voice at any time, and you haven’t seen his form. You don’t have his word residing in you, because you don’t believe the one he sent. You pore over the Scriptures because you think you have eternal life in them, and yet they testify about me. But you are not willing to come to me so that you may have life.

So quickly break down what Jesus is saying here. He says that if I just talked about myself then you wouldn’t believe me, and that’s fair enough. That’s why you sent people to ask John, this is Jesus’ cousin, about who I am. I don’t really care what other people say about me because I have a greater testimony than anyone else can give me, that is my father’s testimony. You can see his testimony to who I am through the things that I have done in His name. You don’t see that though, because God isn’t residing within you. You say that scripture is just so important, and yet it’s all pointing you back to me, but you still reject me.

See, what Jesus is saying is that if you want to know who I am, look at what I’ve done. We’d like to think that the sole reason behind the miracles Jesus did was to simply help people, but that’s not it. Jesus performed the miracles he did to show who he is. I’m the son of God and I have the receipts to prove it.

(Linking Statement)

That’s what we’re going to do today. We’re going to check the receipts to discover who God truly is and how people should respond to that.

[Body]

(Proof 1) – We Are Carried Along (LK 5:17-26)

(Explanation) – Retell the Story

We don’t have a lot of time today and we have a few stories to get through, so let’s jump directly into our first miracle. He’s the set up. Jesus is teaching one day, and by this point he was beginning to draw crowds. There were people from all over the surrounding regions who had come to hear him teach. Among them were the religious teachers at the time, the Pharisees. Now, you have to understand the dynamic here. The pharisees were not there because they wanted to listen and learn from Jesus. Instead, it was like they were there to evaluate him. My teachers in the room know exactly what that feels like, right. Even as a kid, I could tell that my teacher was a bit more stressed out than usual on days when an administrator was sitting in the room evaluating them. Not a good feeling.

So as Jesus continues to teach we sort of shift focus from him to this small group of friends. They’ve just showed up and between them they’re carrying their friend on a stretcher who was paralyzed. Not only had Jesus’ renown as a teacher spread, but apparently people were beginning to hear that he was a healer as well. They begin trying to push their way through the crowd. If only they could get their friend before Jesus, he could be healed and walk again. They try pushing through, but this crowd was shoulder to shoulder. “Please, please, let us through. We have to see him!” but it was no use. The people were so packed together, that there was no way through the crowd. The friends may have hit some resistance, but so great was their love for their friend that they didn’t give up. Suddenly, one of them has a plan. He noticed that there was a clear path up to the roof of the building Jesus was in. The quickly carry their friend over and carefully lift him up to the roof of this building.

So, picture this, Jesus is here in the middle of this large group, standing in this house. He’s teaching and everyone is just so captured by him that they were shocked when they suddenly hear… Everyone looks up to try and figure out what’s happening, when suddenly the ceiling opens up. Jesus stares up and everyone watches on in confusion as a man is lowered through the ceiling on a cot. I mean, this is crazy. Imagine this happening here today. Just in the middle of this sermon, suddenly someone busts through the ceiling here. The security team would have a fit and poor David would pass out just thinking about the cost to fix this giant hole in the roof.

Jesus sees the man and the friends and puts two and two together and says, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.” What in the world! Even more outrageous than the man being lowered through the ceiling is the fact that Jesus is now forgiving sins! The pharisees standing nearby suddenly turn a deep shade of red over the outrage, but, and this is the most alpha move ever, Jesus basically reads their minds before they can even say a word. “What’s easier to say to this man, your sins are forgiven or get up and walk. So you know who I am, that I can forgive sins,” Jesus turns now to the man, “Stand up, pick up your stretcher, and walk home.” The man does just that. The hair on the back of everyone’s necks stands up as they watch in awe as this man gets to his feet and begins to praise God as he left. Suddenly the room is filled with shouts as dozens of voices cry out at once praising God drowning out anything the pharisee may have said in response.

(Application)

This story clearly shows who Jesus is. He is God with skin on, the Lord in the flesh. He is God among us. In fact, all of these stories today are going to show the same thing. Jesus is God. The part of the story we need to look at is how those around Jesus respond when he reveals this to them. I think you’ll find that you’ll relate to one of the characters in these three miracle stories today. Scripture really comes alive when we find ourselves in the story. So maybe, you’re like the paralyzed person in this story. You’re being carried along to Jesus. Maybe it started when you were young. You were carried to church by your parents. Maybe today you were carried here by your significant other or spouse. Maybe it’s something else that’s carrying you here. It’s the fact that your friends are here or that you like the community. You like the people in your connect group, so you’re carried along by them. Just like the man in this story, you have people in your life who continue to carry you to Jesus, they’re praying for you and talking to you and trying to help you grow in Jesus. Maybe like the man in this story, you don’t even put up a fight. You enjoy it. You want them to carry you to Jesus. Unlike the man in the story, though, you’ve never really recognized Jesus as your Lord. Imagine if the guy in the story, after Jesus tells him to get up and walk, just said, “Yeah, that’s cool, but I can’t walk, bro.” That’s not what happened, though. Jesus revealed who he was by forgiving his sins and he responded in faith by walking when Jesus told him to. You, on the other hand, you have yet to really walk. Jesus has called you to walk, to take this thing seriously, but you’ve continued to lay on your mat, sit on the sidelines, stay on the bench, and get carried along. You haven’t really recognized Jesus as your Lord.

(Proof 2) – He’s a Means to an End (Luke 17:11-19)

(Explanation) – Retell the Story

That takes us to our next miracle. Jesus is traveling along the road when this group of ten men notice him. Now these men had leprosy. Today leprosy is easily curable, but back then it was much more permanent. Not only did you have to live with this horrible bacterial infection, but you were also casted out from society. If you were diagnosed with leprosy, you’d have to say goodbye to everyone you ever knew, your parents, siblings, even your spouse and children, and you were forced to live in a colony with other lepers never to see them again. It was a horrible experience. So these men see Jesus and cry out, “Jesus, master, have mercy on us!” Jesus, feeling deep compassion for them, replies, “Go and show yourselves to the priest.” See, when a leper was healed, they would have to be examined by a priest to be declared healed and allowed back into society. So these ten men leave to see the priest. As they’re going, suddenly they notice the flakey white spots on their bodies begins to vanish. They begin to look at each other in excitement and they start cheering and laughing, knowing that they’ve been healed. They pick up the pace, and excited to finally rejoin the world, see their loved ones again. Then as they’re running, one of them stops and begins to really consider what just happened. Why should he run to the high priest and to the temple? Why would he do that when he knows that God isn’t there, it’s with Jesus, the one who just cleansed him? Why would he go to anyone else. So he turns back around and runs back, hoping that he isn’t too late to catch back up with Jesus. After running a little ways he finally reaches Jesus and falls down at his feet and breathlessly begins to thank Jesus and praise him. “Wait a minute,” Jesus responds, “Weren’t there ten of you? Why have only one of you returned to glorify God? Get up, your faith has saved you.”

(Application)

It’s easy to look at this story and say, “Ah, that’s me, I’m like the other man who returned,” and if that’s true, then great. Often times, though, I find it takes much more honesty to say that maybe I’m like the other nine. I mean, maybe you are like the one who returned, but you better be real sure that’s who you are in this story. Sometimes we’re like the other nine who didn’t return. For us, Jesus is just a means to an end. He’s the way we get what we want. We don’t really see Jesus as the Lord of our lives, the creator of the universe. Instead, he’s a giant celestial vending machine. If we say the right things, do the right things, and think the right things then Jesus will give me what I want. Jesus will make me wealthy, successful, powerful. Maybe it’s something more tangible. If I follow Jesus then I’ll become a better spouse, I can be a better person. I want my kids to follow Jesus not because I care about them having a relationship with him, but I just want them to behave better. You don’t really have a relationship with Jesus where you love him and follow him. Instead, you have an agreement where he does the things you want and gives you the results you like, and you continue to follow him. The Bible has a word for that sort of relationship, idolatry.

(Proof 3) – We realize who Jesus really is (Mt 8:5-13)

(Explanation) – Retell the Story

I know, I’m being a bit harsh today. I get it. I’m really putting the pressure on, but I’m not meaning to condemn you. I’m trying to wake you up and get you to realize who Jesus really is. It’s what I wanted someone to do for me when I was each of those people at one point or another in my life. That takes us to our last story, the story of what Jesus did for me.

Our story starts what feels like much longer ago that it should be, if I’m honest. When a child is born, usually they go home from the hospital in the arms of the woman who gave birth to them. That’s not what happened with me. Apparently, my mother didn’t want me. Instead, I went home with two of the most wonderful and loving people I’ve ever met. I called them mom and dad. I told myself that being adopted didn’t really matter to me. These people changed by diapers, fed me, bathed me, and loved me. They were my parents. If I was honest, though, in some way it did affect me and I did define myself as unwanted and abandoned. When I was in the second grade, I became close friends with the son of a pastor. I was over at his house most weekends, which also meant I was going to church most Sunday mornings. That’s where I learned about this guy named Jesus, and how he wanted to be my friend. Well, 2nd grade Robby could always use more friends, so I signed up for some of that. I prayed a prayer and decided I wanted to be baptized. My parents decided that they should probably check this church out if their son was going to be baptized. That’s where they learned about Jesus too and I got to watch them be baptized as well.

Everything was going great and we were so excited, that was until one day a little over a year after that day, my parents sat me down and explained to me that my mom had cancer. I wasn’t too worried though, because I was told that my new friend Jesus would take care of it. So I prayed and prayed for my mom to get well. I watched her go through treatment, struggle some days, and fight for her life. She went into remission and we celebrated, and then the cancer came back, stronger than ever. So I prayed more and I threw myself into the church. If only I showed Jesus just how much I love him, then maybe he’ll give me what I want and heal my mom. I shook that celestial vending machine so hard and begged and begged, but in the end I didn’t get what I wanted. My mother passed away anyways. For the second time in my life I was abandoned by my mother, and for the first time I was abandoned by Jesus. When I didn’t get what I wanted from God, it destroyed my faith.

I continued to go to church and do all the churchy things, but something wasn’t quite right. My faith looked great, people praised me and told me how much of a promising young man I was, but it was all just some game to me. I would have put the works that I did for the kingdom when I was a teen up against any adult then or now. In reality, I was just being carried along to Jesus. My dad carried me to church, my friend did, too. I like the praise everyone gave me and I was carried along by them. I didn’t want to give any of it up, but I also didn’t really take any of it seriously. I was carried to Jesus over and over, and I saw Him, and he called to me to come back to him, but I never got up and walked.

That was until one day when I was around 16 or so, I was sitting in my room when my dad walked in. He handed me an envelope and mentioned that he recently came across this again, and thought I was ready to read it. I opened the letter and realized that it was from my birth mother. She had wrote it while pregnant with me. In it she explained that she was just 16 as well and a cashier at a grocery store. My dad had apparently wanted nothing to do with her or me for that matter. She said that she really wanted to try and make it work, but realized that she couldn’t. As a child herself, and off the salary of a part time cashier, she couldn’t give me the sort of life that she wanted for her unborn child. She decided to give me over to a wonderful couple she had met who desperately wanted children of their own, but couldn’t. The decision tore her apart because she really loved me, but it was that love that moved her to give me a life she never could provide.

It was in that moment the gospel snapped into sharp focus for me. I wept. I was destroyed. The weight of God’s entire glory and grace crushed me. Just as my mother gave up her only son so I could have a better life, God had given up his only Son so I could have real life. It was in that moment that I realized who Jesus really was. He was my Lord. He was the one who created me and everything else. He is the one who hung the stars and set their planets on their courses. He is the one who divinely wrote out my destiny before I was even created. He is the one who bled and died on a cross to save me as if I was the only one on earth. He is the one who was raised three days later into new life. He is the one who sits at the right hand of the Father and pleads on my behalf. He is the one who held a young boy as he cried himself to sleep at night after his mother passed. He is the one who revealed himself to that same boy eight years later as he sobbed on that same bed. He is the one who held that same boy, ten years later, as he wept on the steps of this very altar as he battled thoughts of suicide. He’s the one who has chased me into the darkness again and again to pull me from despair.

[Outro]

(Central Theme) – Know Jesus

I need you to understand, you need to meet Jesus. Don’t leave here today and not know who Jesus is, who he really is.

(Application)

Maybe you were like me once and you’re just being carried to Jesus. There’s people in your life who just carry you over and over to Jesus. They pray for you, go to church with you, and maybe they’re even in your small group. You come here because you like the people or you like the pastors or it’s just what you’re used to. Something is carrying you here, there is some other reason you come to church, but it’s not Jesus. You haven’t really owned your faith yet, you haven’t got up to walk. You just keep laying on your mat. The reason for that is you don’t really know who Jesus is yet. You don’t recognize him as the Lord of you life, because if you did then there’s no doubt that you’d get up and walk. If you really knew who Jesus was then your faith would be so alive that you’d come here simply to meet Jesus and be with his people.

But for others, Jesus is not your Lord but rather just a means to an end. He’s a celestial vending machine in the sky. You don’t have a relationship but an agreement. As long as Jesus keeps you happy then you’ll stay with him. The problem with that is, well, Jesus doesn’t answer to you. He has his own great plans for your life, but those plans sometimes don’t align with our own. If you’re entire relationship with Jesus is based on him doing things for you then you really don’t know him as your Lord, he’s just an idol. The problem with idols is that we abandon them once we start to not like them. That is absolutely what will happen to you, because it’s what happened to me.But you can change all that today by actually meeting the real Jesus. When you meet the real living Jesus, the one who died and rose again, it will change your life. You can do that today. There will be people here with lanyards at the edges of the room who would love nothing more than to introduce you to Jesus.