JULY 18, 2010          CRUISE-IN SUNDAY

“HOIST THE SAILS AND CAPTURE THE WIND – GOING BEYOND”

Matthew 8:18 – 9:1

     With all kinds of churches going green and trying to be good stewards of the earth, one church I heard about decided to replace their paper-towel dispensers with hot-air dryers.  Things went along for a couple of months when the minister asked the Trustees to put the paper towel dispensers back!  When the Trustees asked why, the pastor took them into the men’s room and showed them what someone had written on the hot-air dryer: “For a sermon from our fine preacher, just press the button.”

     I really hope that on this beautiful Cruise-In Sunday that you don’t go home feeling as if I have done nothing but blow hot-air.  My hope and prayer is that with the help of these gifted musicians, Warren Barfield and instereo, that you will hoist the sails in our heart and capture the wind of the Holy Spirit so that you can GO BEYOND the limits that you and others have placed upon your life and upon your faith.

     For you see, it’s obvious when you think of sailing ships as we have this month, that ships were not made to stay anchored in the harbor.  They were made to go BEYOND the harbors, BEYOND the coastlines, and BEYOND the barrier reefs.

     When I received Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and Savior and took up the cross of Christ, I was really making a witness that in Christ, I can sail beyond my pain, beyond unforgiveness, beyond doubt, beyond anger, beyond bitterness, and beyond the habits and lifestyles that keep me anchored in the muck and the mire of life’s harbors.

     Let’s hoist the sails and capture the wind, climb on board with Jesus and the disciples on a day when they hoisted the sails and captured the winds blowing across the Sea of Galilee.

BEYOND OUR COMFORT ZONES: Matthew 8:18-22

     We have this chair at our house, a Lazy-Boy Recliner.  It’s my comfort zone. Once I sit down in it and unfurl the footrest, I don’t want to move.  It’s my harbor, in a way.

     Two things can happen when we get on board with the Lord, especially since the Lord wants to take all His disciples “over to the other side,” in other words, BEYOND our harbors.

     First of all, we react like the scribe in Matthew 8:19.  Now a scribe is a Jewish religious leader.   He’s not a believer yet, but his soul is restless and excited by what he hears from Jesus.  He hears the wind whistling in the rigging and the yardarms of his heart, but he chooses not to leave the comfort zone that comes to those who won’t make a commitment.  There are many people here in Hardin County who are restless for the gospel, but they’re stuck in the harbor and in their own comfort zones.  Keep inviting them on board; they’re just afraid.

     Second, Jesus invites believers to the “other side,” and many will want to stay in their comfort zones and in their “assigned pews.”  Notice that the second person who says he’ll follow Jesus is another “disciple” other than the 12.  He’s already a follower, but he’s the person who’s hoisted his sails yet leaves his boat anchored in the harbor.  He’s not ready to go beyond his comfort levels.  I go to church and that’s enough.  Don’t ask me to get any more involved than that. Don’t expect me to read my Bible or do devotions on my own.  I’m fine with what I’ve got. 

     A Christian is a follower of Jesus Christ, and Jesus said to this other disciple, “Follow me.”  Jesus was going to “the other side,” and this disciple basically said, “No thanks.  I’ll stay in the harbor.”  And guess what?  Many Christians fail to bear fruit for the Kingdom, fail to harvest for the Kingdom, and fail to enjoy the blessings of the Kingdom because they choose to refuse to go beyond their comfort zones…beyond the harbor, beyond the barriers, beyond the walls.

“Beyond the Wall” – Warren Barfield

BEYOND RELIGION: Matthew 8:23-27

     Religion, says one timeless definition, is man’s search for God.

    Faith, on the other hand, is God’s search for man.

     Christianity is defined as a religion of the world, but it in reality it is not a religion.  It is a relationship, a relationship of trust and commitment, and of covenant and promise with the Risen Lord and Savior.  Ours is a faith, God seeking us to save us, for while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us, as Paul said in Romans 5:8.

     The 12 disciples got into the boat with Jesus to go to “the other side” of the Sea of Galilee.  This horrible storm blew up and threatened to capsize them.  Where’s Jesus?  Asleep.  How He could sleep through such a storm, I do not know.  When they woke Him, Jesus rebuked them before He rebuked the winds, telling them that their fear had become greater than their faith.

     Jesus wants to get us on board and be born again, but from there, He wants to take us beyond religion - beyond ritual, beyond format, beyond assigned seating in the sanctuary and hoops you think that you have to jump through to be saved and sanctified.  Jesus wants to take us beyond thinking that Christianity is only what we do inside the four walls of the church on Sunday and it’s a relationship that we have out here in the street 24-7-365. 

     Going beyond religion to having a trusting relationship with Jesus takes fear and throws t overboard because you have this confidence, even in the worse storms, that you have the Lord of the wind and the waves with you.  You might think He’s asleep, but He’s not.

     Who am I?  I am the one that Jesus died on Calvary for.  I am the one that Jesus came to save and take beyond religion so that I can have a saving, eternal relationship with Him.  Who am I?  I am the one that Jesus rose from the dead to remove my fears and calm my storms.

“Who Am I?” – instereo

BEYOND PREJUDICE: Matthew18,28a

     Prejudice stinks.  Prejudice is of the devil. Prejudice destroys. Prejudice builds walls, breaks spirits, destroys communities, shrinks hearts, divides congregations, wounds relationships, and sabotages the work of Christ in our world.  For how can Jesus talk about unity in the Body of Christ and making peace in this world if we have prejudices against other people? How can we share the gospel and love of Jesus with everyone if we are prejudiced against them?

     I’m going to teach you now what “the other side” meant in the time of Jesus and how in taking His disciples to “the other side” that day, He was actually taking them beyond prejudice. 

     When Jesus and His disciples set sail, they launched from the northern shores of the Sea of Galilee that day., which was inside borders of Israel and therefore, holy land.  They headed to the eastern side of the Sea of Galilee, outside the borders of Israel and therefore pagan land.  The eastern side of the Sea of Galilee was “the other side” – literally and figuratively. 

     Every Jew was prejudiced towards the people who lived on “the other side,” and why not, they weren’t the chosen people.  In fact, no well-intentioned Jew would step foot on the shores of “the other side.”  If for some reason they had to, they would ritually bathe themselves immediately upon coming back across the border into Israel so as to wash off all the spiritual impurities they would have picked up on the “other side.”

    Not Jesus!  Not this day.  This was to be a “going-beyond-day.”  He intentionally chose to sail beyond prejudice that day.  He intentionally directed the disciples to sail to the “other side.  I’m sure that when the disciples heard His intentions that they thought the Master had lost His mind.

    So who’s living on “the other side” in your life and in your world?  Who is the target of your prejudice?  Who have you written off that Jesus wants to write in?  There is somebody in your world that you are prejudiced against…that’s why you haven’t forgiven them.  That’s why you avoid them, why you haven’t invited them to worship, and why you haven’t prayed for them.

     Let’s get transparent here, because that’s the only way that Christ can take us beyond our prejudices and that is if we confess them and admit to them. 

    I have them.  You have them.  Let’s let Christ take us beyond them because that’s what GRACE is all about.  Amazing grace is all about going to “the other side” with the gospel, with the love of Christ, with the forgiveness of the Lamb.

“Grace” – Warren Barfield

BEYOND RESISTANCE:  Matthew 8:28-34; 9:1

     I just get a kick out of this passage of the day when Jesus took His disciples beyond their comfort zones, beyond religion, and beyond prejudice, because His followers already know that no one intentionally goes to “the other side.” Certainly the Messiah, the Son of God, wouldn’t contaminate Himself in such a way and violate His holiness by going to the “other side.”

     Now, as if to confirm their every suspicion, look at the Welcome Wagon Ccommittee that greets them upon their arrival on “the other side” – two demon-possessed men!!!  Not only are they demon-possessed, but they are so fierce that they look like the champion tag-team cage wrestlers of the country of the Gadarenes.  No one messed with them because no one could mess with them.  Can you just see the faces of the disciples when they land and are greeted by the these two demon-possessed men and then hear the roar of the demons shouting, “What have you to do with us, Son of God?  Have you come here to torment us before our time?”  

     Brothers and sisters in the Lord, whenever you surrender and allow Jesus to take you beyond your comfort zones, beyond religion, and beyond prejudice, just take it for granted that you will meet resistance.  Whether it’s storms in the natural world or demons in the supernatural world, expect resistance.  Satan does not want the kingdom of God to prosper and expand.  He does not want people saved.  He wants to keep Christians in their comfort zones and in their prejudices, and if we hoist our sails and capture the wind and allow Jesus to take us beyond the harbors and over to “the other side,” trust me…there will be resistance.

    But where there is resistance, there is victory because Jesus knows how to take us beyond resistance, whether it is natural or supernatural.  He, in us, dismantles what resists His Kingdom.

     Would the disciples have stayed and fought that day if, upon being welcomed by the two demon-possessed men, Jesus had not been with them?  Could they, without Christ, have overcome such resistance?

     No, they could not.

     But with Jesus there, the demons had to submit.  They resisted but they could not defeat the Master, the Savior, the King, and the Sovereign Son of God.

    Neither will we be defeated when we allow Jesus to take us beyond the resistance.

    Listen, on “the other side” in your life, as you try to share Christ with those who are tormented by the devils and demons of this world, you’ll run into resistance.  When you do, don’t panic – pray.  When you do, don’t fear – believe.  When you do, don’t run - stand.  When you do, don’t stutter – speak…speak the Gospel, speak the name of Jesus, speak the word of grace that breaks the chains that bind.   Do not give up when you meet resistance.  Go beyond it.

‘Amazing Grace Medley” – instereo

“I Am a Friend of God”