CRAZY LOVE

TEXT:

(John 1:1-14 NIV) "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. {2} He was with God in the beginning. {3} Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. {4} In him was life, and that life was the light of men. {5} The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it………. {10} He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. {11} He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. {12} Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God-- {13} children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. {14} The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth."

Something is wrong with the church..

We all know it, but we don’t quite know what it is.

WHAT DID JESUS COME TO EARTH DO DO?

WHAT DID JESUS DIE FOR?

DID HE COME SO THAT WE COULD ALL TRY TO “BE GOOD”

AND TRY TO “ACT NICE”..

- SAVE UP ENOUGH “GOOD” AND “NICE” POINTS TO GET INTO HEAVEN?

SOMETHING IS WRONG…

JESUS CAME TO BRING US INTO FULL CONTACT LIFE

(John 10:10 NLT) "The thief's purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give life in all its fullness."

GOD IS A “GIVER”

GOD IS NOT A “TAKER”

TIME WILL END, SIN CORRUPTS AND THE FLESH WILL FAIL!

1. TIME ENDS…

- TIME STARTED WHEN GOD CREATED THE EARTH..

o Mortality is WITHIN our nature – it’s what makes us “NOT GOD”

o GOD is TIMELESS… He is immortal!

 Jesus came to give us ETERNAL LIFE

- THERE WILL BE AN END TO EVERYTHING WE SEE..

o It’s not God who ends things… It’s the nature of the created world

2. SIN CORRUPTS

- SIN STARTED IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN

o SIN = SEPERATION from God

 POTENTIAL OF SIN is within our nature

 It is not in the plan of God…

o GOD IS PERFECT – He does not sin..

 Jesus came to SAVE US from sin

3. FLESH WILL FAIL

- THE BODY IS WEAK..

o DEPENDANCE ON THE BODY AND MIND WILL LEAD TO FAILURE

 WE SUFFER BECAUSE OF PHYSICAL WEAKNESS AND PAIN

 WE SUFFER BECAUSE OF CHOICES WE HAVE MADE WITH OUR BODIES..

JESUS CAME TO BRING “FULL CONTACT” LIFE..

- NOTHING HELD BACK

- NO REGRETS

- NO ETERNAL LOSSES

- NO EMPTY PROMISES

- THE SITUATION WE ARE IN IS NOT IT… ITS BEING IN HIM THAT BRINGS LIFE!

1. THE SOURCE

AMERICANS HAVE ENTIRELY LOST THE ABILITY TO GET INPUT FROM THE SOURCE

o WE ARE RELENTLESSLY HAMMERED BY INPUT

 IN EVERY POSSIBLE WAY WE ARE SURROUNDED BY INFORMATION

 WE ARE IN CONTACT WITH PEOPLE 24/7 – 365

 NO SILENCE EXISTS IN THIS CULTURE

 INSTEAD OF KNOWING… WE ARE CONSTANTLY QUESTIONING

THE PROMISE OF GOD…

(Jer 29:11-14 NIV) "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

(Isa 64:4-7 NIV) “Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him.

GOD’S PLAN FOR US IS SO AMAZING THAT WE CANT EVEN IMAGINE IT!

“YOU HAVE KNOW IDEA HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU AND WHAT I WILL DO FOR YOU IF YOU JUST GET YOUR EYES OFF THE ISSUES AND KEEP THEM ON ME.. I WILL PROVIDE A SOLUTION THAT YOU HAVEN’T EVEN IMAGINED YET!”

RUNNING AHEAD AND NOT LISTENING TO A PARENT HAVE CAUSED THE DEATH OF MORE CHILDREN THAN ANY OTHER MISTAKE

- LEARNING HOW TO TRUST AND WAIT ON A LOVING PARENT IS A BASIC SURVIVAL SKILL FOR A CHILD.

- LEARNING HOW TO TRUST AND WAIT ON A LOVING GOD IS BASIC SURVIVAL SKILL FOR A FOLLOWER OF JESUS.

2. DISTRACTION

SPIRITUAL AMNESIA

IT CONFUSES US WHEN LOVING GOD IS HARD..

 But there is a reason for this!

- WE ARE SO CAUGHT UP IN OUR THOUGHTS AND DESIRES THAT WE HAVE NO SPACE FOR THE THOUGHTS AND DESIRES OF GOD.

- THERE ARE DAYS I DON’T FEEL LIKE LOVING GOD.

o WHY WOULD I FEEL THAT WAY?

- THERE ARE TIMES WHEN I DON’T WANT TO OBEY GOD.

o WHY DO I DO THAT?

- THERE ARE DAYS WHEN I DON’T SEEK TO PLEASE GOD

- THERE ARE EVEN TIMES WHEN I AM MAD AT GOD.

o WHY WOULD I EVER BE MAD AT SUCH A WONDERFUL & POWERFUL GOD?

IN OUR WORLD WHERE HUNDREDS THINGS DISTRACT US FROM GOD WE HAVE TO INTENTIONALLY REMIND OURSELVES OF HIM.

- WE HAVE TO INTENTIONALLY REMEMBER WHAT HE HAS DONE

- WE HAVE TO INTENTIONALLY HEAR HIS VOICE

- WE HAVE TO INTENTIONALLY SET ASIDE OUR DISTRACTIONS AND SEEK HIS FACE.

EXAMPLE:

HOW DO YOU OVERCOME THIS KIND OF AMNESIA WITH PEOPLE?

1. GET OUT THE PICTURES..

a. RECALL THE GOOD TIMES & WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN THROUGH!

2. SPEND TIME WITH THEM..

a. GET TO KNOW WHAT IS IN THEIR MIND AND HEART!

ONCE YOU RECALL YOUR HISTORY

ONCE YOU REMEMBER WHO THEY ARE…

ONCE YOU CAN SEE THEIR HEART AND KNOW WHATS INSIDE..

THE AMNESIA DISSIPATES AND TRUE KNOWLEDGE SETS IN…



OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD IS THE SAME AS ANY OTHER RELATIONSHIP..

- ONCE WE REMEMBER WHAT HE HAS DONE

- ONCE WE LEARN TO LOOK AT HIM ANEW AND HEAR HIS VOICE AGAIN

- ONCE WE GET TO KNOW HIS HEART..

o THEN WE WILL WALK IN THE FULLNESS OF WHO HE IS

o WE WILL DISCOVER HOW AND WHY HE CAM TO GIVE US ABUNDANT LIFE

o WE WILL DISCOVER AND WALK IN THE PURPOSE FOR WHICH WE WERE CREATED.

START HERE……………………………………………………………………

3. WHO GOD IS..

WHAT COMES INTO YOUR MIND WHEN YOU THINK OF GOD?

THE BIBLE SAYS THAT….

a. GOD IS HOLY

b. GOD IS ETERNAL

c. GOD IS ALL-KNOWING

d. GOD IS ALL POWERFUL

e. GOD FAIR AND JUST

THESE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD CAUSE BOTH EXCITEMENT AND FEAR IN US…

- IF YOUR RESPONSE TO THESE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD CAUSES YOU TO FEAR FEARFUL OR CONCERNED… THEN YOU TRULY DON’T KNOW WHAT THESE ATTRIBUTES MEAN…

o THIS ILLUSTRATES HOW MUCH SPIRITUAL AMNESIA WE HAVE!

• GOD IS HOLY!

o “WHATEVER YOU BELIEVE ABOUT GOD IS FINE AS LONG AS YOU ARE SINCERE”

 THAT’S RIDICULOUS.. THAT’S LIKE DESCRIBING OSAMA BIN LADEN AS A KIND OLD GENTLEMAN

• THAT MAY BE WHAT I WANT HIM TO BE

• BUT IT’S NOT WHAT HE IS!

o I HAVE TO GET TO KNOW GOD AGAIN.. BECAUSE I CONTINUALLY BRING HIM DOWN TO BE MORE LIKE ME..

o THIS IS A PICTURE OF GOD…

(Isa 6:1-3 NIV) "In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple. {2} Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. {3} And they were calling to one another: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory."

o “HOLY, HOLY HOLY”

 THE JEWS WOULD SAY THINGS THREE TIMES TO MEAN “PERFECTLY”

 GOD IS PERFECTLY “SET APART”

o GOD’S HOLINESS MEANS THAT HE IS “SET APART”

 GOD’S HOLINESS MEANS: THERE IS NO ONE TO COMPARE HIM TO..

 HE IS THE SOURCE OF “RIGHTNESS” AND “GOODNESS”

o THE FEAR OF GOD COMES UP IMMEDIATELY WHEN WE TALK ABOUT GOD’S HOLINESS…

 HE IS PERFECT… WE ARE COMMANDED TO BE PERFECT

• WE FEEL INCAPABLE AND UNABLE…. = FEAR

 FEAR IS A GOOD THING, IT LETS US KNOW WHERE OUR CONFIDENCE IS.. IF WE FEAR GOD, WE FEAR NOTHING ELSE..

• IF WE DON’T FEAR GOD… OUR LIVES ARE FULL OF FEARS OF ALL TYPES…

• WE FEAR LOSS, HARDSHIP, DIFFICULTY… ETC..

(1 John 4:18 NIV) "There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. THE ONE WHO FEARS IS NOT MADE PERFECT IN LOVE."

o WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR US..

 WHEN WE BEGIN TO GET TO REALLY KNOW GOD

 WHAT DOES THE FACT THAT HE IS PERFECT AND REQUIRES US TO BE LIKE HIM MEAN?

1. SUGGEST: THAT WE STOP TRYING TO USE OUR LIMITED UNDERSTANDINGS ABOUT WHAT IS GOOD AND NOT GOOD FOR US

a. MEANS: WE NEED TO CONNECT TO THE ETERNAL NATURE OF GOD… BEGIN TO ALLOW HIS CHARACTAR TO TRANSFORM US.

• GOD IS ETERNAL!

• GOD NEVER STARTED

(Gen 1:1 NIV) "In the beginning God.. created the heavens and the earth."

i. WHATEVER WAS HERE BEFORE THE “BIG BANG” – THAT WAS GOD!

ii. IMMENSITY: THE TIMELESSNESS OF GOD IS SO HARD TO COMPREHEND

1. ITS LIKE TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE OCEAN BY TAKING HOME A BOTTLE FULL OF SEA WATER..

iii. OUR LIVES ARE SO SHORT AND INSIGNIFICANT COMPARED TO THE VASTNESS OF GOD

iv. WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO ME TO REALIZE THAT LONG BEFORE I WAS HERE… AND LONG AFTER I AM GONE, GOD’S CREATIVE WORK AND PLANS HAVE BEEN AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE WORKED OUT.

1. SUGGEST: THAT WE GET OUT OF THE STREAM OF SELF-CENTEREDNESS AND GET IN THE ETERNAL STREAM OF HIS PURPOSES ON THE EARTH.

a. MEANS: IT’S TOTALLY WORTH IT TO SPEND YOUR LIFE SEEKING HIM..

• GOD IS ALL KNOWING!

• THIS IS SO INTIMIDATING

i. GOD KNOWS WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO DO BEFORE YOU DO IT

1. HE DOESN’T MAKE YOU DO IT… HE JUST KNOWS YOU THAT WELL!

ii. ALL KNOWLEDGE STARTS AND ENDS WITH GOD

1. WE CAN’T KNOW (OR EVEN THINK OF) ANYTHING THAT GOD DOESN’T ALREADY KNOW

a. HE CREATED KNOWLEDGE

iii. SINCE THE GARDEN OF EDEN WE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO KNOW GOOD AND EVIL WITHOUT SEEKING GOD

1. ADAM & EVE AT THE FRUIT FROM THE TREE OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL

a. INSTEAD OF CONSULTING GOD THEY WANTED TO AS GOD, KNOWING GOOD AND EVIL

(Gen 2:16-17 NIV) "And the LORD God commanded the man, "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; {17} but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die."

iv. WHAT DOES GOD KNOWING EVERYTHING MEAN TO ME?

1. SCIENCE AND THE CHURCH HAVE BATTLED IN HISTORY

2. AUGUSTINE FIRST OPENED THE DOOR

a. SAID THAT STUDYING CREATION WAS A MEANS OF WORSHIP..

3. GOD’S CREATIVITY IS EXPRESSED IN CREATION

a. WHEN WE KNOW MORE ABOUT THE UNIVERSE WE CANT HELP BUT WORSHIP

b. SIR ISAAC NEWTON (most profound scientist of all time) WAS A WORSHIPPER.

i. GOT HIS INSIGHT AND IDEAS FROM GOD

ii. ALSO WROTE 3 VOLUMES OF PROPHETIC INSIGHTS IN LATIN (CAN DOWNLOAD ON INTERNET)

c. ALBERT EINSTEIN (most profound modern scientist) was a worshipper

i. DIRECTLY GIVES GOD CREDIT FOR “E = M C2”

v. SUGGEST: INSTEAD OF PURSUING KNOWLEDGE BASED ON WHAT SEEMS RIGHT TO ME.. COULD I GAIN THE MIND OF GOD?

1. MEANS: I HAVE TO BE “OUT OF MY MIND” AND LEARN TO LISTEN, BELIEVE AND WALK IN THE “MIND OF CHRIST”

• GOD IS ALL POWERFUL!

• EVERYTHING WAS CREATED FOR GOD…

(Col 1:16-17 NIV) "For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; ALL THINGS WERE CREATED BY HIM AND FOR HIM. {17} He is BEFORE ALL THINGS, and IN HIM ALL THINGS HOLD TOGETHER."

i. ALL THINGS WERE CREATED BY HIM

1. SCIENCE IS STILL TRYING TO CREATE MATTER

a. “Matter cannot be created or destroyed” LAW OF MATTER..

ii. ALL THINGS WERE CREATED FOR HIM

1. IT’S NOT ABOUT US…

2. WE ARE ALONG FOR THIS CRAZY WONDERFUL RIDE WITH GOD!

a. GOD HAS INVITED US TO PARTNER WITH HIM ON THE EARTH

b. GOD GAVE US LIMITED DOMINION BUT HE RETAINS OWNERSHIP!

iii. ALL THINGS CAME FROM HIM (“HE IS BEFORE ALL THINGS”)

1. ALL OF CREATION REVEALS THE POWER AND CREATIVITY OF GOD… IT SCREAMS ABOUT HIS PERSONHOOD

2. “NATURAL REVELATION”

(Rom 1:19-20 NLT) "For the truth about God is known to them instinctively. God has put this knowledge in their hearts. {20} From the time the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky and all that God made. They can clearly see his invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature. So THEY HAVE NO EXCUSE WHATSOEVER FOR NOT KNOWING GOD."

iv. ALL THINGS ARE HELD TOGETHER BY HIM

1. IT’S SO AMAZING WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU SPLIT AN ATOM.

a. THE STABILITY OF THE PLANET IS DEPENDANT ON THE POWER OF GOD TO HOLD THINGS TOGETHER

v. SUGGEST: GETTING UPSET THAT GOD DOESN’T DO THE THINGS THAT WE FEEL AS THOUGH HE SHOULD....

1. MEANS: WE NEED TO HAVE A WAY TO GET FAITH.. TO EXPERIENCE THE CRAZY LOVE OF GOD BY ASSOCIATION.. TO KNOW WHAT HE WANTS… THIS IS CALLED FAITH

(Rom 10:17 NASB) "So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ."

• GOD IS TOTALLY FAIR AND JUST!

• GOD IS TOTALLY FAIR AND JUST… THIS IS SCARY!

• GOD HATES SIN

i. WE HAVE LOST THE UNDERSTANDING OF GOD’S DISTAIN FOR SIN IN OUR GENERATION..

ii. GOD HATES SIN AND HAS TO PUNISH IT..

1. EITHER YOU WILL ALLOW THE PUNISHMENT THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN GIVEN TO BE APPLIED BY BROKENNES AND REPENTANCE..

2. OR YOU WILL SUFFER THE PUNISHMENT THAT IS AUTOMATICALLY APPLIED AND ATTACHED TO SIN…

• NONE OF US ARE GOD..

i. Celebrate Recovery FIRST principle: “Realize that I am NOT God, and that I am powerless over my tendency to do the wrong thing and that my life is unmanageable”

• DO WE KNOW WHAT TRUE JUSTICE AND FAIRNESS IS?

i. “JUSTICE: reward and penalty as deserved”

• DO WE REALLY WANT JUSTICE FOR OURSELVES OR OTHERS?

i. NO, WE REALLY ALL DESERVE DEATH

• DO WE REALLY WANT TO KNOW GOD - IF HE IS TOTALLY FAIR AND JUST?

i. IF WE ENCOUNTER JUSTICE… WE WILL EXPERIENCE LOSS

ii. IF WE ENCOUNTER GOD… WE WILL HAVE TO DIE TO SELF!

• IF WE EXPERIENCE THE JUSTICE OF GOD.. WE WILL NO LONGER LIVE, BUT GOD WILL LIVE IN US!

(Rom 5:17-21 NLT) "The sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over us, but ALL WHO RECEIVE GOD'S WONDERFUL, GRACIOUS GIFT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ. {18} Yes, Adam's one sin brought condemnation upon everyone, but Christ's one act of righteousness makes all people right in God's sight and gives them life. {19} Because one person disobeyed God, many people became sinners. But BECAUSE ONE OTHER PERSON OBEYED GOD, MANY PEOPLE WILL BE MADE RIGHT IN GOD'S SIGHT. {20} God's law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were. But as people sinned more and more, God's wonderful kindness became more abundant. {21} So just as sin ruled over all people and brought them to death, now GOD'S WONDERFUL KINDNESS RULES INSTEAD, GIVING US RIGHT STANDING WITH GOD AND RESULTING IN ETERNAL LIFE THROUGH JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD."

THIS IS A DEFINITION OF GOD’S JUSTICE!!

THIS IS AN UNDERSTANDING OF HOW GOD SERVES JUSTICE ON US..

JESUS CAME TO FULFILL HIS JUSTICE!

THE CROSS IS GOD’S IDEA OF JUSTICE..

(Rom 5:8 NLT) "But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners."

HOW IS GOD REVEALING HIS CRAZY LOVE FOR YOU BY HIS:

a. HOLINESS

a. WHAT ABOUT GOD’S PERSONHOOD AND STANDARD OF HOLINESS IS HE APPLYING TO YOUR LIFE?

b. ETERNAL NATURE

a. SUGGEST: THAT WE GET OUT OF THE STREAM OF SELF-CENTEREDNESS AND GET IN THE ETERNAL STREAM OF HIS PURPOSES ON THE EARTH.

b. MEANS: IT’S TOTALLY WORTH IT TO SPEND YOUR LIFE SEEKING HIM..

c. OMNICIENCE..

a. SUGGEST: INSTEAD OF PURSUING KNOWLEDGE BASED ON WHAT SEEMS RIGHT TO ME.. COULD I GAIN THE MIND OF GOD?

i. MEANS: I HAVE TO BE “OUT OF MY MIND” AND LEARN TO LISTEN, BELIEVE AND WALK IN THE “MIND OF CHRIST”

d. OMNIPOTENCE

SUGGEST: GETTING UPSET THAT GOD DOESN’T DO THE THINGS THAT WE FEEL AS THOUGH HE SHOULD....

MEANS: WE NEED TO HAVE A WAY TO GET FAITH.. TO EXPERIENCE THE CRAZY LOVE OF GOD BY ASSOCIATION.. TO KNOW WHAT HE WANTS… THIS IS CALLED FAITH

e. JUSTICE

MAYBE YOU DON’T KNOW JESUS.. YOU HAVENT GIVEN HIM YOUR LIFE…

GOD WANTS TO BE JUSTICE FOR YOU…

HE WANTS TO KEEP YOU FROM THE PRICE OF SIN!