Talking about Drug addiction, conflict of what has been going on in selling the building. We spent last week praying over two potential buyers. Recovery at the old property. While others said, yes needed, just not here. I want you to know we see you, we hear you, and we aren’t giving up. This pastor and this church is coming to help you in your darkest days. We are coming and we are bringing Jesus with us, everyone else wants to push you out, we are trying to bring you in! You belong here, we aren’t going to marginalize you, we are going to pray someone else does something, WE are committed to helping you, you pray with me, I will work for you, and we will see Jesus bring healing. Stay strong, this isn’t over by a long long shot!
As I prayed and prepared for this service I was conflicted as to what to preach, and normally that isn’t the case. On the one had I wanted to preach a celebratory sermon.
Psalm 126:1-6 READ
And while that is us joyful and glad, that wasn’t the message that was squaring with my soul.
Then someone sent me a book and I read it. “Gentle and Lowly” by Dane Ortlund
And then two of my friends walked in with a verse for my new office on Friday, that said, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” Romans 8:31
And it was like the Holy Spirit said, this is it, WHAT KIND OF CHURCH ARE YOU GOING TO BE MOVING FORWARD?
WHAT KIND OF HEART IS THIS CHURCH, THIS GROUP OF FOLLOWERS OF JESUS, THE GROVE GOING TO HAVE MOVING FORWARD?
So this morning very quickly I want to ask a question, “DO YOU HAVE THE HEART FOR IT?”
Or more importantly, while the world is watching, while the community is watching, while the broken are watching, WHAT KIND OF HEART IS THIS CHURCH GOING TO HAVE MOVING FORWARD? OH I KNOW THE HEART I HAVE AND THE ONE WE HAVE HAD, BUT THIS MORNING LETS REUP AND GO WITH THE HEART OF JESUS.
In the four Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and Joh, there are 89 chapters.
In those 89 chapters there is only 1 time that Jesus describes His own heart.
Matthew 11:28-30, “Come to me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, FOR I AM GENTLE AND HUMBLE IN HEART, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
Our Heart is what defines us.
It gives us direction through our emotions – you have heard me talk about this before. Your mind justifies, but your heart guides.
It is why the Bible says, Proverbs 4:23 “watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life.”
Your heart is who you are.
So when Jesus says this is my heart, we must look at it and say I want a heart like HIS.
This Church must have the Heart of Jesus about it. IT MUST BE WHAT DRIVES US.
FROM HEAVEN THE FATHER MUST SAY, NOW THERE IS A CHURCH WITH THE HEART OF JESUS.
So lets look at what makes up the heart of Jesus, and the kind of heart we want to have, individually, and collectively as the church.
- It is a Gentle Heart.
From the greek, Gentle has the understanding of Meek, Humble, and gentle.
This is the first of the characteristics, as Dane Ortlund says, “It isn’t a heart that points fingers, but one that has open arms.”
2. It is a lowly heart.
Lowly and gentle actually overlap and make one single reality.
Lowly is normally translated as humble. And while often times this is translated as humble as in humility or a virtue, in this case it is the understanding of a posture, (A sense of destitution or being knocked down by life and circumstances.) Humble means.
Romans 12:16, Paul says, “do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly.”
Ortlund says, “These are the socially unimpressive, those who are not the life of the party but rather cause the host to cringe when they show up.”
THE POINT IS – The heart of Jesus gravitates, and is accessible to those who have been beaten down by the circumstances of life.
He doesn’t run from you, point at you, cast you out, push you away, His heart is for you. You are the ones the heart of Jesus comes for.
This is why he says come to me. Those who are weary, and heavy laden. Come to me.
This is the heart of Jesus!!
LOOK AT IT IN ACTION –
- The Leper – Matthew 8:2-3 – “Lord if you will, you can make me clean.” The word “Will” means desire or wish.
2. The Paralyzed man brought by his friends. Matthew 9:2, before they asked for Help, Jesus says take heart and heals him. He knew what he needed and he jumped at the moment to help him. In his most difficult situation.
3. He fed the hungry. Compassion on them.
4. Jesus saw the funeral procession of a mother who’s only son had died. She was weeping and He had compassion on her. Raised the young man, and wiped her tears as she wept. THIS IS HIS HEART. THIS IS HIS COMPASSION. THIS IS WHO WE MUST BE IN THIS CITY.
5. He wept twice. Once for Jerusalem and the other for Lazarus.
JESUS WAS DESCRIBED AS THE FRIEND OF SINNERS. LUKE 7:34 (We want to point out the sinners.)
This is who we must be.
Two thoughts –
- This is Jesus heart towards YOU! No matter who you are and what you’ve done. Jesus is gentle and lowly and he is on a mission to meet you with compassion. You don’t have to run from Him, He’s running toward you. I am sorry if others have made you feel disgusting and unwanted. But Jesus is exactly the opposite of that today.
2. THIS IS WHO THIS CHURCH IS GOING TO BE IN THIS COMMUNITY. THIS IS THE HEART OF THIS CHURCH.
A Place where Broken People Belong.
Others can point, push out, turn away, or wait for someone else to do it, BUT NOT US, WE ARE TAKING THE HEART OF JESUS WITH US AND GOING TO THE LEAST OF THESE.
THIS IS THE HEART OF JESUS, THIS IS THE HEART OF THE GROVE, AND WE WILL PRESS INTO DARKNESS FOR THOSE WHO NEED HIS LOVE AND COMPASSION.
WE WILL NOT STOP, WE DO NOT HAVE THAT LUXURY. LETS GO GROVE, LETS LET HIS HEART SHINE THROUGH US. LETS FIGHT FOR THOSE WHO NEED HIM THE MOST, NOT THOSE WHO THINK THEY HAVE HIM AND KEEP IT TO THEMSELVES.
