Jesus Wants to Ruin Your Life.

Steve Gentry

[0:00] My name is Steve. I’m one of the pastors here. Thanks for coming this morning [0:04] If you have your Bibles go ahead and open them up to Isaiah chapter 6 Isaiah [0:09] Chapter 6 we’re starting a new series this morning called Jesus wants to ruin

[0:18] Our steps

[0:22] All right, we’re starting a new series this morning called Jesus wants to ruin your life [0:28] Cute cuddly little series about the reality that [0:33] Dietrich Bonhoeffer, let me let me start by telling you a little story. He was a pastor in Germany [0:39] during World War two during the reign of Hitler and during World War two many pastors in Germany, especially they they [0:47] cowered they they [0:49] Instead of risking their lives to stand against great oppression and great evil

[0:54] They chose to preserve their lives and Dietrich Bonhoeffer was not one of those men rather [0:59] He was a man who stood against Hitler and it cost him his life [1:03] he preached against the evils of the Holocaust and [1:07] He was martyred because of his true faith, but he wrote a great book [1:12] And if you ever have time pick it up, it’s called the cost of discipleship and in that book [1:16] He has this quote that that’s become very famous

[1:19] If memory serves me correctly it’s on page 44 where he says when Jesus calls a man to follow himself [1:25] he bids him come and die and [1:29] When we read quotes like this [1:31] we struggle to really wrap our minds around the concept of a call for us to die and [1:38] Eventually today we’re gonna get to Luke 9 and then the rest of the next five weeks are really gonna jump right off of Luke [1:44] 9 where Jesus says if any man’s going to come after me or if any man’s going to follow me

[1:50] He must deny himself take up his cross and follow me [1:54] And we see phrases like that and and it’s kind of one of those verses that we almost kind of [2:00] Reduced to what maybe is one of those coffee cup verses and it’s like well [2:04] I’m denying myself in this way or that way, but is it more than that? [2:10] Does Jesus call us to a greater life of following him than any of us have ever imagined than any of us have ever thought [2:18] Does Jesus really want to ruin the life that I’m living and give me an entirely new life?

[2:27] and [2:27] I would say that the story of Scripture if you go through all of [2:30] Scripture and count it all up the answer to that is yes, and I’ll let the cat out of the bag on that one

[2:37] your life is [2:39] Not the one [2:41] That God would have you live [2:44] And I think that’s one of the hardest things for us to swallow because I don’t know about you, but I like it [2:49] I like my plans. I like my ways [2:51] I like my dreams the ones that I’ve had since childhood, you know

[2:55] You hold on to them you like your career you like your Monday through Friday, and then Saturday you rest and then Sunday [3:02] Maybe you go play some golf you just like your life [3:05] And so when someone has the audacity to come in and say hey deny all that [3:12] I’ve got something else for you [3:15] It grates against everything that we have and so we kind of push that aside sometimes [3:22] Because it’s not what we want to hear we would rather have some advice

[3:25] Well, I’m struggling in this area that area give me some coaching give me some advice [3:29] Maybe I just need a little makeover on the outside [3:32] I need some better wisdom on my child rearing and so sometimes it [3:36] Sermon time we reduce it to just giving people life tips life advice [3:43] and [3:44] Not to be too facetious, but your best life now isn’t what the scripture has to offer

[3:50] Scripture has to offer you a new life [3:53] to live in God and [3:56] oftentimes we [3:57] Neglect some of the stories of the Old Testament which really would give us some some light on on this whole thing of [4:04] denying myself this whole thing of taking up my cross this whole thing of [4:09] understanding that I’m a sinner and sin does not

[4:13] Equate to God’s design [4:16] Rather sin equates to my failure to follow God on his terms [4:23] In Isaiah chapter 6 we find Israel at an interesting place [4:26] They were always at some type of interesting place of disobedience [4:30] But in Isaiah chapter 6 they had had about 50 years with this guy named Uzziah raining over them. He was a good king [4:38] needed lots of great things and it was a time when the history of that area of the world was kind of an upheaval and

[4:44] The kingdoms that were all around like Egypt and Assyria. They were they were kind of in [4:50] Transition and they weren’t as powerful [4:52] So Uzziah was able to turn that on its head and he raised Israel up to a place of prominence [4:58] Militarily they took over a lot of the land that they had been ruling and in the end though

[5:05] He got to a place where he believed his own hype if you ever met anybody like that [5:08] They were pretty successful, but in the end you really didn’t want to be around them because all you got to hear about was [5:13] their success [5:14] Well, that’s where he got in life so much so that that he got Israel to a place where they trusted in him above anything else [5:23] and so he began to [5:25] Really trust himself and he would ignore what God was leading him to do for Israel and then even where worship was concerned

[5:33] He went into the temple one day and he God had said a worship me this way with the priests the ones that I have [5:39] Appointed in whose I have said hey, I’m the king [5:41] And he went in the temple and he tried to offer sacrifices up himself even though God had clearly said don’t do that [5:48] And so God says well, okay, you want to believe your own hype house leprosy sounds [5:52] So God struck him with leprosy and God does that so he can he’s God and so he strikes him with leprosy [5:58] And so for the next couple of years his body just deteriorates and he becomes an outcast from the entire society

[6:04] and then finally he dies and

[6:08] At his death we meet this guy named Isaiah

[6:12] He [6:13] Writes one of the major prophets and all that that means is it’s a long book [6:17] Have you ever wondered what they never seen the major prophets and the minor prophets are length literally. That’s it [6:23] All right [6:24] So you can win like trivial pursuit one night or something [6:26] I don’t know but but in chapter 6 we don’t know anything about this guy Isaiah all that we know is is that chapter 6 verse

[6:32] 1 we read in the year that King Uzziah died I [6:37] Saw also the Lord [6:40] That’s an interesting way to start this off [6:42] The year that that guy died I saw God and [6:46] What we have here is I want to start by showing that

[6:51] He was following a king [6:54] And what we know about Israel this time is that when King Uzziah died great panic set in and they didn’t know what they [7:00] Were gonna do they thought that everyone around them was going to come in and take over [7:03] They thought it was all over because they had followed this king for more than 50 years and now he’s gone [7:10] What’s gonna happen so Israel’s in mourning and a panic and

[7:16] There’s an interesting word play that goes on here because the term ad and I can literally mean if you read Sproul’s commentary [7:22] It can mean sovereign king [7:26] So in the year that the king died I saw the real king [7:29] Is what he’s saying there when you see Lord and it’s it’s the lowercase. That’s what it means

[7:35] And so he’s saying in the year that the king of Israel died I saw the real king of the entire [7:42] Universe that’s what he’s saying there

[7:48] Let’s keep reading I [7:51] Saw the Lord sitting upon a throne [7:53] high and lifted up [7:56] And the train of his robe filled the temple [8:00] Above him stood the seraphim each had six wings with two [8:04] He covered his face and with two he covered his feet and with two he flew and

[8:09] One called to another and said holy holy holy is the Lord of hosts [8:14] The whole earth is full of his glory and the foundations of the threshold shook [8:21] At the voice of him who called and the house was filled with smoke [8:24] And I said woe is me [8:28] For I am lost [8:31] For I am a man of unclean lips

[8:33] And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips for my eyes have seen the king [8:41] the Lord of hosts

[8:47] Most studying the scriptures I [8:50] Always come back to this [8:51] This is one of those verses you ever have those verses that just kind of stick out to you [8:56] John Piper once said that that your life’s not gonna be changed by books, but rather it’s gonna be changed by sentences [9:02] These are a few sentences that when I was in college [9:04] I came upon them and it changed everything because I’d never been here in Scripture

[9:08] I don’t know about you, but I had spent a lot of my time avoiding the Old Testament because it was really long [9:12] So when I got there I read this and I was like, what is that?

[9:20] Isaiah has this experience where God in a specific point in time in a specific point in his life [9:26] God gives him a vision that I cannot know of anyone other than maybe Paul [9:32] whom was caught up into the third heavens maybe [9:35] Experiencing but here it’s recorded in great detail that in this point in his life [9:41] He is caught up into the very presence of God in the temple and he writes in great detail of the [9:47] Great hugeness of God

[9:51] I don’t know if you know the size of the temple, but if his robe filled the entire temple, we’re talking about a big robe folks [10:00] I [10:01] Mean the temple isn’t just like the size of your bedroom. We’re talking football fields here. That’s a robe, baby [10:07] And he says above him are these creatures [10:12] He can barely even describe what it is [10:15] God informs them at the seraphim. It’s an angel and what these angels do is the scripture tells us

[10:20] They are the protector of God’s holiness and the proclaimers of his holiness [10:25] It’s why Isaiah’s caught up in the presence and he sees these seraphim something that he’s never seen before and they’re flying [10:31] They’ve got six wings are covering their faces because of the greatness of God. They can’t even look upon his holiness [10:38] And they’ve just proclaimed constantly holy holy holy

[10:45] In Hebrew language [10:47] When you say something once it’s important when you say something twice everybody pay attention [10:52] You never say something three times because that means it’s incredible

[10:57] Some people think that this may be them appealing to the Trinitarian nature of God [11:03] That’s why they say it three times [11:04] But also what they’re doing is is they’re trying to get a point home that this God is unlike [11:11] Anything else in the universe his holiness is unparalleled [11:16] He is completely set apart from anything that you could ever imagine [11:21] He’s more righteous than your most righteous thought you’ve never been in the presence of something like this and Isaiah’s response

[11:31] It’s like looking into a mirror

[11:36] He says when Jesus was on earth he looks at the Pharisees at one point [11:40] He starts pronouncing woes upon them. It’s basically saying [11:45] terrible [11:46] You’re in trouble [11:49] And Isaiah’s caught up into this presence and he comes face to face with God’s holiness in his sin [11:56] He says whoa is me

[12:00] He was to say that now we would basically say I’m in serious trouble

[12:06] And he says I’m lost [12:09] Another translation of that and some translations that actually says which I think is maybe a little bit closer be says I’m ruined

[12:22] What’s interesting about this passage is that it wasn’t that something happened to him at that point in time [12:29] He doesn’t say God you’re ruining me. He doesn’t say I’m being ruined or I’m in the process of being or no [12:36] He says emphatically I am [12:38] ruined [12:40] In other words, this is something that he brought into the presence of God

[12:47] It’s something that he’s realizing by being in the presence of God that he is not what he’s supposed to be [12:58] Because he knows he’s seen the king he knows he’s seen the sovereign ruler of the universe [13:02] He knows he’s seen the one that created everything that is he knows he’s seen the only one with the authority to say [13:10] Life should happen this way [13:13] You should walk like this and he’s caught up in the presence of God and all that he knows is is that I’m not [13:20] Doing what he wants me to do. I

[13:23] Never have it’s not in me. There’s something wrong with me [13:27] I don’t belong in the presence of a holy God

[13:34] So much so that he looks at his entire life and he says it’s all ruins

[13:40] It’s a whole worthless

[13:44] It’s the reality that we all have to come face to face with is that for us to live a life of ruin Jesus doesn’t [13:50] Really have to do anything

[13:54] We just are ruined

[13:58] If there is a God [14:01] And Isaiah 6 is accurate in its description of who he is [14:08] Ruin is part of what defines you and I as we walk through this life

[14:20] Doesn’t only say I’m ruined because we could look at that and say man Isaiah must have been a really bad guy [14:27] I’m sure that if that happened to me, I’d be perfectly comfortable in God’s presence [14:34] Because I’m a nice guy [14:36] Do the best I can good husband good wife. I obey my parents [14:42] Maybe I’d fare a little better than him. Unfortunately, Isaiah didn’t stop [14:46] He says I’m a man of unclean lips and I come from a people of unclean lips. Why lips?

[14:54] Everyone read some scriptures and you’re like it doesn’t work in our culture. What’s wrong with his lips? [15:00] this is little parts of me in [15:03] Jewish culture and in the understanding of that time when someone would talk about their lips [15:08] They would talk about very some something is very important because they thought language was far more important than we have talked to some [15:14] Teenagers you’ll find that out real quick. We don’t really have any respect for language, but I mean lol. What? [15:21] What are we doing guys

[15:26] But out of their lips is what they understood worship is coming from [15:33] So anything that was worth anything to come from your lips is how you vocalized [15:40] worship [15:42] Basically what you talked about what came out of your mouth? [15:46] Defined that which was the most important to you and that should all make us pause and say hmm [15:54] What’s important to me? What do I talk about the most there you go?

[15:59] But what he’s saying is is that I am worshiping the wrong thing [16:05] That’s what he’s saying there [16:07] My life has been spent in worship of all that has nothing to do with who I’m in the presence of

[16:18] The reality is is that the thing that Jesus wants to save us from is a life of lies

[16:24] See Israel when they were following King Uzziah they began to believe lies [16:29] And I’m convinced that we as a people believe lies as well

[16:35] And we tell ourselves most of these lies or allow the world or culture to tell us these lies [16:41] We allow the world to tell us that our lives are okay the way that they are [16:46] We’re doing the best we can with what we’ve got

[16:51] We believe these lies [16:55] Because of our sin not in spite of our sin friends [17:02] We believe lies that we don’t need change [17:07] We believe lies that everything’s okay [17:09] And that if we could just have this one thing will be alright if I could just get a new job if I could just [17:15] Find a new husband or wife if I could just find a new boyfriend or girlfriend my life’s gonna be okay

[17:21] Everything’s gonna be fixed well what happens when you get that and you realize it’s still needs in need of something else

[17:30] Do you ever come face to face with the holiness of God or do you just sit in ignorance of the holiness of God [17:37] Do you run away from it as fast as you can do you ignore it with all that you are have you become? [17:43] Apathetic that he exists and that he is the king

[17:50] The reality is that in Luke chapter 9 when Jesus says [17:54] Deny yourself take up your cross and follow me [17:59] For whoever would lose his excuse me would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it [18:07] For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?

[18:13] I believe that these are some of the hardest sayings that Jesus ever had for us

[18:19] In the next five weeks, that’s what we’re gonna be talking about

[18:23] We’re gonna jump right off of that text

[18:27] When Isaiah left the presence of God he was never the same again because he never really left the presence of God

[18:34] He stayed in that the rest of his days [18:36] Prophecying to Israel people wouldn’t listen to him God actually says the next couple of verses [18:41] They’re not gonna listen to you, but you’ve got to say it anyway because I’m the king I make the orders

[18:49] And there are a couple of lies that Jesus wants to save you from this morning, and I believe that [18:56] And I believe there’s a couple of things that you need to start denying yourself of that many of us are not [19:01] Because we don’t want things to change we don’t want our life ruined [19:07] But the only way that you can call yourself a follower of Jesus is if you take joy in [19:15] The ruin of what you call life, and he calls death

[19:23] First lie that Jesus wants to save you from is that the world has all that you need [19:28] So that’s what Uzziah believed [19:31] That’s what he brought Israel to believe is that this world’s got enough. I just need to get more of it I [19:39] Just need more [19:41] Than I have right now if I could just lose weight if I could just have a prettier lady by my side if I could just [19:47] If I could just if I could just none of it will eternally satisfy you and all of it

[19:53] Will drive you into the pits of hell

[19:57] There is nothing in this world that may not drive you to the pits of hell [20:02] But there is something above this world that will drive you to the gates of glory [20:07] And that is God you cannot find your happiness on this earth

[20:16] Secondly there’s the lie that you don’t need to change

[20:21] The problem is somebody else [20:24] Problems my boss the problem of the kids problems my spouse look in the mirror. There’s problem number one

[20:33] When Isaiah came into the presence of God the first thing he realized is that he needed to change

[20:42] And so do you I don’t care how young you are I don’t care how old you are you’re a sinner I [20:48] Don’t care how long you’ve been in church. I don’t care how long you’ve been doing things you still need [20:54] Change I need change every day of every week. I need growth every day of every week [21:00] I need repentance every day of every week if from nothing then thinking that this world [21:05] Exists for me and that it’s all about me and somebody needs to offer something to me

[21:13] You need change and only God through Jesus Christ can give that to you

[21:20] Thirdly there’s a lie that faith is private

[21:25] Faith is a private thing. There’s two things you don’t talk about religion and politics. I [21:30] Can do without politics, but I can’t do without religion

[21:35] And not this trite religious [21:39] Standard of living that some people have but rather the relationship that I have with Jesus Christ [21:44] Because what happens to Isaiah is that as soon as he is forgiven God says go tell the world

[21:52] Jesus said the exact same thing to us those conversations that you are avoiding with your family friends and neighbors [21:59] Because you do not think that you have anything to say is a denial of the very atonement that you claim that you have

[22:09] Some of our faith is so private that it’s not even real

[22:16] Fourthly [22:16] You believe the lie that you don’t need to sacrifice that’s somebody else

[22:22] This comes from a couple of places we’re complacent

[22:28] We think that we don’t have anything to offer or we think we’ve given enough

[22:35] I’m glad Jesus didn’t have that mentality

[22:41] I’m glad after the first few hours of hanging on that cross. He didn’t say whoo. That’s enough

[22:48] I [22:49] Glad in the garden when he was sweating blood because of the reality that he was gonna take my sin

[22:57] He instead of saying all right, I’ve done enough now. He says not my will but thine be done father

[23:05] When I think I’ve given enough I think about a holy God who gave his all for me

[23:10] Friends each and every one of us barely makes a single sacrifice

[23:17] What are you sacrificing for the gospel of Jesus Christ right now

[23:26] And are you still trying to figure that out right now [23:32] Friends it should be much easier. I shouldn’t have to sit and say

[23:39] We’re not earning anything

[23:43] We’re just given in worship

[23:48] Fifthly we believe the lie that we can have it all

[23:53] See there’s something that’s happened to the church in the last 50 years in America and [23:58] That is that we believe that because of our desire to not sacrifice anything that we can have [24:04] Both the riches of God’s glory that fill the earth and the riches of earth’s glory that fill our hearts [24:13] And we believe that those should not come into contact with each other I can go and have everything [24:19] I don’t have to do without really this is the delight that you don’t have to sacrifice [24:26] But I’m telling you when you try to have everything that this world has to offer in everything that God has to offer you are

[24:33] Sacrificing something and that is God

[24:39] You cannot have these petty little vices in your life and still say I’m following Jesus I’m denying myself really

[24:51] Friends I know enough young people whose parents aren’t sacrificing and I talked to them about the scriptures and they’ve never even read any of it [24:59] Doesn’t tell me as much about them as it tells me about their parents

[25:04] Because a child learns what he should sacrifice by what mom and dad are sacrificing

[25:09] And I say that as a parent that’s as much on me as it is on you [25:18] Finally you believe the lie that God can’t or won’t use you

[25:25] I think that’s the greatest lie of them all [25:29] Because I think it speaks to a lack of faith in the sacrifice that Jesus Christ did for us

[25:36] We have this esteem about ourselves we’re conditioned to think that we’re worthless

[25:44] That we haven’t paid enough penance [25:47] We haven’t done enough to cover over our own sins and God can’t use me until I’m spotless. Oh [25:55] That you would have what Romans 3 calls faith in Jesus

[26:01] and [26:02] When Isaiah was in the presence once his sin was purged there was no barrier between him and God

[26:08] Once you trust in Jesus there’s no barrier [26:11] There’s nothing that he can’t use you for there’s nothing he can’t do through you because it’s not about your holiness and righteousness [26:18] What is it about? It’s about his holiness and his righteousness

[26:24] See a lot of you sit around thinking that you’re not good enough [26:28] You’re not [26:30] But it’s not about how good you are [26:32] It’s about how great Jesus is [26:36] It’s about how much he’s capable of forgiving me of I [26:41] Got up here every week, and I’m not spotless

[26:45] Friends when you walk out these doors if you’ve been forgiven through the trust and a faith that you have in Jesus Christ you are [26:53] spotless as Jesus is spotless

[26:58] You are as clean as he is clean you are as holy as he is holy [27:04] Because that’s what faith is [27:07] That’s what hope is that’s what trust is it’s believing that I may not be but he is

[27:17] and [27:18] My sin has been purged from me my sin has been atoned for

[27:24] And not mine alone [27:28] But yours also if you would just trust in him [27:34] Do not settle for a mediocre life of ruin [27:41] When the greatness of God’s glory is offered to you by the King of Kings and Lord of Lords Jesus Christ

[27:52] You are [27:54] As good as he is [27:58] You are [27:58] Isaiah was a man of ruin

[28:05] Until he was a child of God [28:11] Escape from ruin and follow Jesus [28:17] It’s hard [28:20] It’s a tough road [28:23] Change is never easy, but it’s always necessary [28:28] As we move now into a time of communion

[28:37] I [28:37] Want you to understand that? [28:40] When we take communion every week and we do it every week as a constant reminder [28:45] Of all that God has purged from us of the ruin that he has taken away from us to give us his life

[28:55] I [28:55] want you to understand that [28:58] The bread represents his broken body and the cup represents his shed blood

[29:07] Forgiveness wasn’t easy, but he did it anyway

[29:14] Following him and trusting him will not be easy

[29:21] But he has forged the path

[29:25] And he says come because I’m already walking

[29:33] If you’re a follower of Jesus Christ today, I invite you to come and partake of a meal with Jesus [29:41] It represents his life entering into your life [29:45] It represents you claiming him as your king [29:49] It represents you telling everyone are in here right now

[29:54] I [29:55] Will not live a life of ruin when the greatness of God’s glory is offered to me

[30:03] Jesus has done everything to remove your sin you need only to trust in him

[30:09] If you’re not a follower of Jesus today is the day of salvation [30:14] Today is the day where you can be in the presence of a king and not fear him in terror [30:20] But love him as his child [30:23] Where he’ll talk to you he’ll love you he’ll give himself over to you over and over and over [30:30] His forgiveness never stops his love never ends [30:33] It’s a constant lifelong pursuit that we have the joy of living for

[30:40] You can know him today if you trust him come