Conflict. Most of us shy away from it, dread it, and lament over it. Yet, from Philippians 3:1-11 Pastor Mark Driscoll preaches about how the holy rebel Paul discovered joy in the midst of constant conflict that had broken his body, taken his freedom, but not touched his joy.

Paul wrote to the Philippians, alone in a prison, broke, hungry, tired, and was awaiting the possibility of having his head chopped off when he wrote to the church to challenge them to do all things without grumbling or questioning so they could be blameless and innocent in the midst of such a thoroughly jacked up world. Pastor Mark Driscoll preaches from Phil.2:12-30, and describes how it is possible to find Joy in temptation.

Self esteem. Self improvement. Self help. Self love. Self actualization. Self pride. It’s all self delusion. Preaching from Philippians 2:1-11 Pastor Mark Driscoll teaches how Jesus is for us the most happy person who has ever lived because, in part, He was the most humble.

You are going to die. No matter how well you eat, how much you exercise, or how carefully you live in the end you too will end up in a hole in the ground. Can you find any joy in that truth? The Apostle In Phil. 1:19-30, Pastor Mark Driscoll preaches on how only a rebel like can Paul find Joy in facing Death.

Life hurts. It hurts emotionally, financially, physically, and spiritually. In the midst of suffering there is nothing worse than a pithy bumpersticker solution to a life wrecking hardship and what suffering people need is real truth for real life in real pain. To that end, Pastor Mark Driscoll, preaches from Phil. 1:12-18 to show how Paul found Joy in his own suffering, because it served to advance the gospel of Jesus.

Yo, last episode Jesus spits to Martha some words that rival His earlier spillage: “I am the resurrection and the life” for madd amazement:

“He who believes in Me, will live even though he dies,
and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die.”

I get krunk erry time I read those words, ‘cause they clearly state what Jesus freely does for anyone that trusts Him to save them from the penalty and power of Sin (Sin bein’ the anti-God attitude and disposition all men are born wit). He will save them Eternally, so they can ill chill wit Him forever an’ madd rep Him here on earth.

But, Jesus concludes his remarks to Martha, with a question which cascades over the centuries–a question Jesus still asks each and erry person who checks Him out:

“Do you believe this?

Woah. That is the question, isn’t it? That is the very question of Life itself. And, it brings up other related questions, too:

“Do you believe Jesus was a “real” person, an historical figure?”

“Do you believe Jesus was just another “important” religious figure like Buddha or Mohammed?

“Do you believe Jesus was the Son of God or Messiah—God’s appointed Savior?

and so on. Yo, we saw in Episodes IV an’ V what Jesus believes about Himself. But, fam, do you believe it…?”

If asked sincerely, these questions,and any like ‘em, are fair questions. Jesus is the first one to give peeps space to thoroughly investigate and marinate on His claims about Who He is and what He can do. Yo, In another book of the Bible by His bwoy Matthew, Jesus asks his disciples: “Who do men say that I…am?” The answers Jesus got sound remarkably similar in character to those we might hear today: “Some say John the Baptist (contemporary religious reformer), some Elijah, and others Jeremiah (earlier religious leaders) or one of the prophets (spokesmen for God).”

Then–like He did wit Martha–Jesus asks His homebwyoz: “But, who do you say that I am?” An’one o’ His tightest homiez, Peter, spits:

“You are the Christ (Messiah), the Son of the living God.”

Then Jesus responded wit somethin’deep: “Blessed are you…for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.”

Hmm…

Aiight, so what did Martha reply, when Jesus spit to her: “Do you believe this?” Yo, check it:

“Yes, Lord. I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”

Mang! Two different books of the Bible: Matthew and John; two different peeps: Peter and Martha; essentially the same question–and essentially the same answer. Yo, an’ Peter an’ Martha did not live in tha same hood, they did not grow up together or hang wit each other. They–independently– and under radically different circumstances, came to the same mind-numbing, soul-shocking conclusion:

“…You are the Christ, the Son of God…”

So, fam, whatchu thinkin’? What are you feelin’about Jesus? Are you feelin’ He only a historical figure? Yo, are you past dat point to feelin’ He one of the “great religious leaders” in history? Well, datz true, str8 up. But, are you feelin’ somethin’ a lil deeper? Iz somethin’—or Someone—speakin’ to ya heart an’ mind, in a still, small Voice dat ecko’z another Reality? Are you feelin’dat Jesus really is God’s Son—God in tha flesh. Dat He truly be the Messiah–God the Savior (hopefully, God my Savior)? Then, Jesus replies to you, jus like He did to Peter an’ Martha:

“…flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.”

God…has spoken…to you.

Next week: Episode VII. I’m out. Peace.

ONE

sun
John 3:30

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Loneliness. We all experience it, sometimes even a crowded room where we are reminded that we are not known, pursued, or loved. To not think about our loneliness we gravitate toward endless hours of mind numbing entertainment such as reality television shows featuring people hanging out with their friends while we sit on our couch alone listening to old Cure songs in the dark. Sound familiar?

Preaching from Philippians 1-11 Pastor Mark Driscoll explains how the rebels guide to joy is to be found amidst loneliness according to the apostle Paul who was sitting alone penning the truth from his cold, lonely, and dark jail cell.

We live in a society where everybody is peddling joy. Stuffed shirt types try to sell you religion, and the legion of advertisers tell you that joy can be found in a bottle, pill, or new car. Yet, as Pastor Mark Driscoll examines the life and teachings of the apostle Paul in Acts 16 and Phil. 1:1-1a you will learn where joy is to be found as the Bible is the rebels guide to joy.

Jonah
The God of This City
Jonah 4:1-11

Pastor Adam Sinnett | August 31, 2008 | 36mn:40sec
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So far, in the first three chapters, Jonah looks bad. He receives clear instruction from God to go to Nineveh, but runs. God tries to get his attention with a storm, but he sleeps. God sends a non-Christian captain to convict him, but he doesn’t listen. God uses a pagan dice game to call him out, so he asks to get thrown overboard. Jonah nearly drowns, but God graciously rescues him. Finally, after getting spit up on the beach, covered in fish puke, Jonah gets the idea that there’s no avoiding God so he goes to Nineveh, preaches an unspectacular five word sermon, the entire city falls on its face before God, repents of their sin and God relents from the promised disaster.

But, instead of getting better, it gets worse for Jonah in chapter four. Here we learn of Jonah’s initial motivation for running from God. Jonah knew that God is a “gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster” (4:2, cf. Ex 34:6-7), and he couldn’t stand the thought of Nineveh being forgiven its sins and accepted by God. Therefore, after leading one of the greatest revivals of in history, Jonah becomes angry with God for offering grace and mercy to these wicked, violent unbelievers, even after his great declaration, “Salvation belongs to the Lord!” (2:9). God then patiently and graciously uses a series of questions and an object lesson to point out Jonah’s great self-centeredness and self-righteousness, being more concerned for a mere plant, and his own comfort, than the souls of an entire city (not to mention the cows!).

Jonah’s heart is revealed. Jonah likes God’s blessings when they’re in his favor, he prefers personal comfort over others coming into relationship with Jesus Christ, and he forgets that he is no different than the Ninevites. Jonah elevates the blessings that God has given him to enjoy (i.e. salvation, shady plant, etc ), above God, and then advises God on how best to distribute such blessings to others. We do the same thing, acting just as self-centered and self-righteous. This chapter challenges us to assess our lives in Seattle and ask whether we’re more concerned for our personal well being than the spiritual well being of this great city.

Questions for application:
· What are the “shady plants” in your life?
· Are you more concerned with them than with getting to know and love Jesus?
· What are you willing to give up for the sake of others knowing Jesus?
· Do you know and feel that you are no different than anyone else in this city?
· Who are 3-5 people in your life that God wants you to love on, pray for, and point to Jesus?

Pastor Adam Sinnett

We left Jonah, at the end of chapter two, vomit-drenched standing on the beach having spent the last three days inside a great fish. As he comes to his senses, and his eyes acclimate to the light, the word of the Lord comes to him a second time, saying “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it the message that I tell you.” (3:1) Given a second chance, this time Jonah obeys and goes to Nineveh (modern day Mosul, Iraq) which was approximately 500 miles away, requiring a month long journey. Upon arrival, he delivers an unconvincing and unspectacular five-word (in the Hebrew text) sermon (3:4) warning the people of Nineveh of the impending judgment of God.

Following God”s words of warning through Jonah, the entire city immediately repents through fasting, wearing of sackcloth (a sign of grief and humility), sitting in the dirt, and turning from their violent and evil ways (3:5-9). Compare this to Jonah”s l ess than urgent and immediate response in chapter one. The word spreads explosively and reaches the king of Nineveh, who calls for citywide repentance. God accepts their heart-felt repentance and graciously withholds the promised disaster (3:10), much to the dismay of Jonah as we learn in chapter four (4:2).

Like Jonah, we too are called to proclaim the Word of God, which always accomplishes what it sets out to do (Isa 55:11), in the city of Seattle (Mt 28:18-20; Acts 1:8) even if conveyed through a reluctant and less-than-perfect messenger.

All biblical mission involves “going”, “seeing”, “feeling” and “doing” (cf. Mt 9; Acts 17:16-34). We are called to “go” to the people of the city, “see” the lives and needs of the people of the city, “feel” as God feels for the people of the city and “do” as God would have us in proclaiming the Gospel to the people of the city. Jonah does eventually “go”, “see” and “do” but does not “feel” as God does for the people of the city of Nineveh as we see in the next chapter. Statistically, the longer someone is a Christian the fewer non-Christians they know and the less they care about them. Only when you and I go to people and see their lives and needs do we feel for them as Jesus feels for them, thus paving the way for us to rightly and sincerely share the Gospel of Jesus with them. Our job is to be faithful, albeit imperfectly, and leave the results to God. May the Gospel explode in Seattle, as it did in Nineveh, and bring the city to its knees in repentance beginning with us.