{"id":992,"date":"2014-07-06T20:42:24","date_gmt":"2014-07-07T01:42:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/?p=992"},"modified":"2014-11-25T10:11:06","modified_gmt":"2014-11-25T16:11:06","slug":"what-if","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/2014\/07\/06\/what-if\/","title":{"rendered":"What If?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/sermons\/?sermon_id=42\" target=\"_blank\">Audio Version<\/a><br \/>\n<span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"700\" height=\"394\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/-SPKeHeKx-c?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span><br \/>\nRomans 7:15-25a<br \/>\nMatthew 11:16-19, 25-30<\/p>\n<p>What if we follow Jesus, leave our families as He told others, and follow Him. What if we let the dead bury the dead?\u00a0 There are so many \u201cwhat ifs\u201d that Jesus presents us.\u00a0 Today\u2019s reading in Matthew is no different.\u00a0 What if we recognize the flute being played and we actually dance to it?<\/p>\n<p>Jesus is knocking at our door all the time.\u00a0 The Spirit of God is the one with us today and Jesus is in God and the Spirit, knocking at the door of opportunity, to follow Him.\u00a0 What if I just trust in the Lord that all will be okay, no matter what?\u00a0 That\u2019s the issue isn\u2019t it, trusting in the \u201cwhat ifs&#8221; that Jesus presents in everything that He says.\u00a0 We are always presented with the choice of the \u201cwhat ifs\u201d of doing and not doing.<\/p>\n<p>As I was preparing this sermon, I was also very occupied with some news that I received through email.\u00a0 My response was to pray and look for a clear answer in how I was to respond.\u00a0 On one hand, I was very upset and I knew just how I wanted to respond.\u00a0 It was full of very very colorful language.\u00a0 On the other hand, that is not who I want to be, nor do I believe this is that how Jesus wants us to be.<\/p>\n<p>Prayer and patience is all I have at my disposal.\u00a0 I found myself with clenched teeth, sore neck and a headache begging to come on.\u00a0 What if I relied upon what I have been given, the ability to speak to God, in prayer?<\/p>\n<p>I so want to respond to the email in another way, I know it is not right.\u00a0 I also know it can hurt others, and possibly me, but boy it sure would feel good!\u00a0 Paul in the Romans letter today, struggles also with this idea of wanting to do what was good, yet at the same time, doing what was wrong.\u00a0 The battle rages in each and every one of us daily. The old-self, the one that wants to lash out and do what is wrong fights against the new-self, centered on Jesus and reaching out to all of God\u2019s children, the new-self wants so badly to do what is right.<\/p>\n<p>What if I allow the temptations of the old-self, the self-gratifying and self-centered win out over the new-self?\u00a0 Just another of the \u201cwhat ifs\u201d that Jesus presents to us.\u00a0 Jesus sends a warning in the text that we skipped in Matthew.\u00a0 He speaks to the unrepentant people, in this case particular cities but it applies to all people.\u00a0 Jesus says in verse 24, \u201c\u2026But I tell you that on the day of judgment it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom than for you.\u201d <sup><sup>[1]<\/sup><\/sup><\/p>\n<p>This is not the first warning people receive in how their choices can have and will affect them later.\u00a0 Last week, when speaking of rewards in Matthew 10:40 , Jesus speaks of welcoming the disciple and therefore Jesus and the Father.\u00a0 However, the inverse is not welcoming the disciples, Jesus and the Father.\u00a0 The consequences of which, was spelled out in the week before in Matthew 10:32-33. \u00a0To deny Jesus results in Jesus denying us to the father.<\/p>\n<p>All of these choices in the \u201cwhat ifs\u201d can seem scary, intimidating, even damming!\u00a0 But there is good news in the cross.\u00a0 The cross held the redeeming love of God in Jesus Christ.\u00a0 The resurrected Jesus is our key.\u00a0 The Jesus who is no longer on the cross is our answer to the \u201cwhat ifs\u201d we face.\u00a0 Romans 7:24-25 says; Wretched man [woman] that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? <sup>25\u00a0<\/sup>Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! <sup><sup>[2]<\/sup><\/sup><\/p>\n<p>If hearing it from Paul in Romans is not good enough, then listen again to what Jesus tells us in the gospel reading for today.\u00a0 \u201cI thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; <sup>26\u00a0<\/sup>yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.\u201d <sup><sup>[3]<\/sup><\/sup>\u00a0 Jesus says that it is not through study of the Torah or anything else that we can study to gain knowledge of the answers to the \u201cwhat ifs\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>We gain our knowledge through Jesus.\u00a0 He tells us this when he says, <sup>\u00a0\u201c<\/sup>All things have been handed over to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. \u201c<sup><sup>[4]<\/sup><\/sup>\u00a0 Jesus chooses to reveal the knowledge to us, you and me, His disciples.<\/p>\n<p>Here is the \u201cwhat if\u201d that we can answer, it applies to each of us.\u00a0 It is one that we cannot refuse if we just recognize the gift in it.\u00a0 \u201cCome to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. \u201c<sup><sup>[5]<\/sup><\/sup>\u00a0 Tell me that there is a single person out in the world who has no burdens, who is not weary from the world and I will show you someone in denial.<\/p>\n<p>Jesus does not judge us for who we are.\u00a0 Jesus knows who we are and wants us to lessen the burden and walk in a way of \u201cwhat ifs\u201d that lighten our load.\u00a0 Jesus says, \u201cTake my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. <sup>30\u00a0<\/sup>For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.\u201d <sup><sup>[6]<\/sup><\/sup><\/p>\n<p>The yoke, used to pull heavy loads, our own burdens, is lightened by Jesus.\u00a0 The yoke, the answer to the \u201cwhat ifs\u201d, is light, and leads to a rest for our souls because Jesus is both gentle and humble in heart.\u00a0 He takes compassion upon us and stands in front of us\u00a0before God\u00a0when the judgment day does come.<\/p>\n<p>The \u201cwhat ifs\u201d answer is Jesus, the Son of God, who came into this world so that whoever believes in Him will not perish but may have eternal life.\u00a0 The yoke of Jesus is not condemning but saving us from the \u201cwhat ifs\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><sup><sup>[1]<\/sup><\/sup> <em>The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version<\/em> (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989), Mt 11:24.<\/p>\n<p><sup><sup>[2]<\/sup><\/sup> <em>The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version<\/em> (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989), Ro 7:24\u201325.<\/p>\n<p><sup><sup>[3]<\/sup><\/sup> <em>The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version<\/em> (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989), Mt 11:25\u201326.<\/p>\n<p><sup><sup>[4]<\/sup><\/sup> <em>The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version<\/em> (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989), Mt 11:27.<\/p>\n<p><sup><sup>[5]<\/sup><\/sup> <em>The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version<\/em> (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989), Mt 11:28.<\/p>\n<p><sup><sup>[6]<\/sup><\/sup> <em>The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version<\/em> (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989), Mt 11:29\u201330.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Audio Version Romans 7:15-25a Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30 What if we follow Jesus, leave our families as He told others, and follow Him. What if we let the dead bury the dead?\u00a0 There are so many \u201cwhat ifs\u201d that Jesus presents us.\u00a0 Today\u2019s reading in Matthew is no different.\u00a0 What if we recognize the flute being &#8230; <span class=\"more\"><a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/2014\/07\/06\/what-if\/\">[Read more&#8230;]<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_crdt_document":"","_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[21,3,10,5,51,83,39,4,31,35,47],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"entry","1":"post","2":"publish","3":"author-admin","4":"post-992","6":"format-standard","7":"category-faith","8":"category-grace","9":"category-jesus","10":"category-law","11":"category-peace","12":"category-sermon","13":"category-sin-2","14":"category-spirit","15":"category-theology-of-the-cross","16":"category-trust","17":"category-truth"},"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p2m6h5-g0","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1017,"url":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/2014\/08\/12\/respond-step-out-and-trust-jesus\/","url_meta":{"origin":992,"position":0},"title":"Respond, Step out and Trust Jesus","author":"Douglas Dill","date":"August 12, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Audio Link [youtube:http:\/\/youtu.be\/lW2vcgw0pa0] 1 Kings 19:9\u201318 Psalm 85:8\u201313 Romans 10:5\u201315 Matthew 14:22\u201333 Our God comes to us in many shapes and forms.\u00a0 God loves us and wants the best for us always.\u00a0 God loves all of humanity and wants the best for all of God\u2019s creatures.\u00a0 Do you believe that\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Evangelism&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Evangelism","link":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/category\/evangelism\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/img.youtube.com\/vi\/lW2vcgw0pa0\/0.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":24,"url":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/2009\/08\/03\/prayer-journey\/","url_meta":{"origin":992,"position":1},"title":"Prayer Journey","author":"Douglas Dill","date":"August 3, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"Below you will find a short sermon I used while with the Boy Scouts in Boundary Waters. I hope you will enjoy.As we gather today at the Boundary Waters, I get an awesome sense of God\u2019s majesty. So much of our days are spent in hustle and bustle. But here,\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":825,"url":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/2014\/03\/05\/transfiguration-transformation-faith-to-discipleship\/","url_meta":{"origin":992,"position":2},"title":"Transfiguration, Transformation faith to Discipleship","author":"Douglas Dill","date":"March 5, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Link to Audio of Sermon Video Link to Sermon Exodus 24:12-18 Psalm 2:1-11 2 Peter 1:16-21 Matthew 17:1-9 We hear today of two \u201cmountain top experiences\u201d both unique but also have common threads to each other and to us today.\u00a0 Both not just for the humans directly involved but for\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Discipleship&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Discipleship","link":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/category\/discipleship\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":1843,"url":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/2017\/07\/02\/trust-call-out-the-wrongs\/","url_meta":{"origin":992,"position":3},"title":"Trust, call out the wrongs","author":"Douglas Dill","date":"July 2, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Sunday, June 25, 2017 | After Pentecost Proper 7 Year A Revised Common Lectionary (Bellingham, WA: Faithlife, 2009). Romans 6:1b\u201311 Matthew 10:24\u201339 Click here for the audio only version https:\/\/youtu.be\/TzdGddWpsHQ","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Bullies&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Bullies","link":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/category\/bullies\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/img.youtube.com\/vi\/TzdGddWpsHQ\/0.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":809,"url":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/2014\/01\/26\/disciples-chosen-through-love-not-merit\/","url_meta":{"origin":992,"position":4},"title":"Disciples, Chosen through Love, Not Merit","author":"Douglas Dill","date":"January 26, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Audio Link to Sermon Video Link to Sermon Isaiah 9:1-4 Matthew 4:12-23 Each of you and myself merit nothing from God. We are sinners through and through. We too are like the people described in Isaiah today, we are in darkness and we turn away from God each and every\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Christian Love&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Christian Love","link":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/category\/christian-love\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":29,"url":"https:\/\/www.messy-spirituality.com\/wordpress\/2010\/02\/27\/a-new-thought-for-easter\/","url_meta":{"origin":992,"position":5},"title":"A new thought for Easter","author":"Douglas Dill","date":"February 27, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"Christmas has always been my most favorite time of the year. When I was a child, yes, it was about presents and Santa. My family did not go to church ever, so Christmas to me was the snow, the decorations, presents and Santa. 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