Danger Close: Is the Christian Life Safe? January 21, 2009
What is the scariest thing that has happened to you? What did you do?
If we are going to experience what the NT church experienced, to see the lost saved and lives changed, we cannnot life a "safe" life. We have to be close to the danger.
Review: Acts 10 - Church in Transition: Peter and Cornelius
1. A new vision: Change the way you see people.
2. Take the risk for relationship
Background Explanation
1. Next: They speak in tongues! 10:44-47
When people are hungry for God, God shows up!
2. Peter gets into trouble: 11:2-3 You ate with those people?
Peter was about to lose some of his closest friends.
"Danger Close:" In artillery and naval gunfire support, information in a call for fire to indicate that friendly forces are within 600 meters of the target.
Example: "We Were Soliders" with Mel Gibson
How much risk is okay? How much trouble are we willing to put up for others to experience forgiveness?
When your computer freaks out, it asks some crazy question about “safe mode.” Can we live this Christian life in “Safe” mode?
We have a need for safety and security, but is it really safe to be a Christian?
Illus: Airplane crashes are more survivable! But who wants to try?
How can we live a "Danger Close" Christian life that makes a difference? How does Peter answer his critics?
I. Remember Jesus. 11:15-16
• Do you remember what Jesus said? Do you remember what he did for you? He risked it all for us!
• Whenever I am fearful about my own life, remember Jesus
• Whenever I am tempted to look down on someone, or to give up, I should remember the Jesus did not give up on me!
"When I think about the Lord…it makes me want to shout"
II. Stay out of God’s way. 11:17
Illus: Steve Watt: Forgiving the Dangerous Fugitive
Wyoming state trooper Steve Watt was shot during a traffic stop and left to die. For years, he struggled with hatred toward his shooter, Mark Farnham. But Steve took the risk and now Steve and Mark are friends. Steve did not let his anger get in the way of Mark coming to Jesus.
There are people who are seeking God: Will we get in the way?
"How horrible it will be for you, (people who think you are religious)! You hypocrites! You lock people out of the kingdom of heaven. You don’t enter it yourselves, and you don’t permit others to enter when they try. Mt 23:13
How do we get in the way? When we become the center of attention.
What is the trade off? If I stay with this relationship, is it going help me, them, or both, encounter God?
If a relationship is not helping you or them grow spiritually, take a step back.
What is amazing is some of us are willing to risk our salvation for a sinful relationship, but we are not willing to risk our lives for a spiritual relationship.
But we cannot live “safe” if we expect lives to change – including ours.
What is our message? Salvaiton, Forgivenss…for who? Sinners!
John Wesley said, "Some people want to live within the sound of chapel bells, but I want to run a mission a yard from the gates of hell."
How are we going to reach people who are drowning if we don’t get in the water?
C.S. Lewis Narnia: Aslan is a lion. He’s the King of the Beasts. He’s a great Lion. Now, Susan asks the beavers, “Is he safe?” Mrs. Beaver says, “If there’s anyone who can appear before Aslan without their knees knocking, they’re either braver than most or else just silly.”
Lucy asks, “Then he isn’t safe?”
And Mr. Beaver says this famous line about Aslan: “Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.”
Do your knees ever knock in the Presence of God? He is not safe, but he is good!
Danger Close = Potential for Collateral Damage
In a war, there will be injuries. We cannot expect to live the life of a disciple and never by hurt, rejected, disappointed, trampled on, hated.
There are many examples in the Bible of relationships gone wrong. Even Jesus was rejected by his own followers. The church will have some battles.
We will experience pain. But it’s worth it!
Jesus: They hated me, of course they will hate you.
We are pressed down but not destroyed.
What does not kill me makes me stronger.
We need to use wisdom. The Bible is full of situations where people ran to safety (Abraham, Moses, David, Jesus, Paul). But ultimately, our safety does not come from our surroundings, events, the economy, or government. Our safety is in God himself. He is our refuge.
Maybe we have tried to be too “safe” here.
Maybe we give up too easy.
We need to get some unsafe people in the church.
Find some people who make us uncomfortable.
What does it take to make you quit, to walk away?
My Space message: “oh how i miss the youth group...
i’ll come soon...like the old days. i hope everyone in the youth group is growing and learning like i was doing when i was going to youth... the youth groups taught me so much.”
Let’s Cooperate With God: He wants EVERYONE to be saved!
How can you help someone encounter God?
• Deliberating bring people to church.
• Do things outside of church with a spiritual purpose
• Ask questions (and listen!): Why are they the way they are?
• What is on the inside? Everyone wants to be accepted.
“It is, the write of Hebrews says, a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. He’s dangerous, not safe at all. And yet there is something far more fearful and dangerous than to fall into His hands: not to fall into his hands.” Mark Buchanan
If we are going to experience all that God has, we are going to have to go beyond safe.
III. Be Silent…Glorify God…Learn to be silent. 11:18
The Problem: We are so addicted to “noise” that we cannot hear. When we learn to be silent, we will recognize how much we need God and how much we need people.
Empty Stomach: Fasting showed me that it feels good to not be “fat.” I got so used to being stuffed with food all the time. I didn’t know it was not normal. We are so “full” of stuff – television, internet, music, cell phones, that we do not realize we are really empty inside. Until we fast those things, we will never recognize we are starving spiritually for God and for relationships.
Hunger Pains: We have to get past that point of hunger and be filled with God.
"Their destiny is destruction, their god is their belly, and their glory is in their shame. Their minds are set on worldly things." Phil. 3:19
Silence: Who are you really? Do you know? Ask someone to tell you what they really think about you. Recognize your value to God – as you are.
Computers and cell phones cannot hug people. We are the hug from God! We all need relationships!
“The need for human relationships is a deep as anything humans experience. Infants who are given adequate amounts of food and water die if they do not receive human contact. Adults surrounded by people all day long cry out for friendships that will break down the walls of loneliness around them. Although some people seem to function without intimacy or personal relationships, we all yearn for deep and meaningful connections with others. In the absence of intimate and satisfying personal relationships, our quest for relatedness turns towards things. Money, homes, clothes, cars, and many more…we are incomplete in our self….Many people spend more time with their computer than they do with all the other people in their life put together….If truth is told, their computer is their closest friend…Often technology makes these interpersonal connections safer by rendering them less personal.” David G. Brenner, Understanding Soul Care, p.114-15
What is God’s plan for reaching the world? US! We are the message - Christ in us! Colossians 2:26-27
Danger Close Requires Precision Bombing: God is in control, we can trust Him!
If we are going to experience all that God has for us, the abundant life, we cannot live safe. We have to live Danger Close, close to the action, protected in the arms of our Father, reaching out to the lost and dying, the wounded and broken. Connecting with God and with eac other. We trust Him to protect us.
