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Sermon Reources available here...

                      

Get Real It appears that reality TV is taking over the airwaves. In an article for the San Francisco Chronicle, Tim Goodman writes, "The numbers were astounding—more than 18 million people watching 'Joe Millionaire,' more than 17 million watching 'The Bachelorette' and 'Star Search.' More than 10 million for 'Celebrity Mole.' Even on the smaller networks, millions more turned up for 'High School Reunion' and 'The Surreal Life.' " — http://www.sfgate.com

Personally, I don't know how they can call Joe Millionaire "Reality TV." The whole premise is crazy. The producers had blue-collar guy who posed as a millionaire trying to find the woman of his dreams. He hopes she will fall madly in love with him and not notice that their entire relationship is based on deception. Come on, get real, how can he possibly think that a woman who signed up to marry a millionaire won't care about money. Really, it should be called unreality TV.But that's the problem with a trying to be real. Did you catch what I just said, TRYING to be real. In a sense, whenever we try to be real, we're not. Instead, we're projecting a reality. It makes us feel self-conscious—like we're on a first date with someone—you know that sudden realization of how loud we chew our food and the panic we feel when we begin to wonder if our date is noticing.Being real can only happen when we drop the deceptions, pretense, and self-consciousness we protect ourselves with. Being real begins with knowing and admitting who I really am.Today’s sermon is a call to get real.

Once again we return to the series based on the lives of faith lived by the people named in Hebrews 11.

Hebrews 11:32-34: (NIV) “And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength.”

David is about as famous a Bible character as there is. From the slaying of the giant Goliath to his military exploits and reign as king of Israel, David is known for his trust in God. He was a man of faith.

I think what you and I need to know about David is that he made some serious mistakes in his life.

He made some wrong choices that led to wrong turns. The choices he made led him away from God for brief periods in his life.

It is painful to read about someone who walked so close to God making bad decisions. Decisions that lead them down a path of destruction.

Regardless what sin David committed or how far he strayed away from God, he always came to his senses and repented and usually wept his way back to God.

God is a God of grace and mercy and David found Him to be a refuge and tower of forgiveness but he also found out that there are consequences when you choose to ignore God and live a sinful life.

Today’s sermon is about David and a little known story that illustrates for us the steps that lead to reality in our lives.

David did something that he shouldn’t have done and then he took some steps to regain his relationship with God.

There is a common saying that has crossed over from the hip-hop world and that is keep it real. To keep it real you got to get real. This sermon is about getting real with God and yourself. It’s about being real and genuine in your faith and relationship with God.

Here are the steps and the story of David.

1. We must be willing to honestly define our faith.

In this story David reacted to God’s anger toward Israel and for some unknown reason decided to take a census of the fighting strength of Israel and Judah. It was not a time of war. There were no threatening armies about to attack.

Some have speculated that maybe it was an issue of pride. (Local airport story)

Some have speculated that it may have been evidence that he was relying on the strength of numbers instead of God’s strength.

Either way it offended God.

David’s commanding officer, Joab, begged David not to take the census but he did it anyway. This little exercise took them nine months and twenty days. It was a huge task.

The final report came back that there were 1.3 million fighting men available.

As soon as he heard the report it happened. David looked in the mirror of reality.
He knew that what he had done was wrong. Listen to verse 10: “David was conscience stricken ... ‘I have sinned greatly in what I have done. Now, O Lord, I beg you, take away the guilt of your servant. I have done a very foolish thing.’” I Samuel 24:10

David had a moment of truth.

When is the last time you had a moment of truth regarding your relationship with God?

When did you last feel that little stab of conscience and acknowledge that you made a misstep in your relationship with God?

How have you handled it?
Have you swept it under the rug?
Have you slept on it and hoped it would go away?

You and I must be honest and define our faith for what it is or isn’t.

To be real or get real you have to have a moment of truth and honesty.

2. We must be determined to accept the consequences of our choices.

Wrong choices always come with consequences. You can choose how you live your life but you cannot choose the consequences that will come because of your choice. In reality it is the law of cause and effect. You make wrong choices you will wind up in places you would rather not be.

David had to not only face himself and be honest with himself but he had to face the consequences of his choices.

“This is what the Lord says: ‘I am giving you three options. Choose one of them for me to carry out against you.’” I Samuel 24:11-16

It doesn’t work out that way very often for us. David was given a choice of which punishment he would like better.

The point is that just being honest with yourself and walking God’s way does not insure you that you will escape the consequences for your sin.

Karla Faye Tucker was a clear testimony of this point. Her story is a little extreme perhaps but relevant none the less.

In 1983, Tucker and an accomplice killed two people with a pickax. While in prison she became an authentic follower of Jesus Christ. Not only does it appear that she was forgiven for her sin she lived out her faith in the prison population and left no doubt as to her genuineness as a Christian. When it came time for than Gov. George W. Bush to make the decision on staying her execution her faith in Christ was certainly a part of the plea on her behalf.

"If I go home February 3rd, don't take that as God not answering our prayers. If he brings me home February 3rd, it's because in his wisdom, and his sovereignty, he knew that through that something greater is going to be accomplished."

Her last words were simple but clear.

"Yes sir, I would like to say to all of you, the Thornton family and Jerry Dean's family that I am so sorry. I hope God will give you peace with this. "Baby, I love you. Ron, give Peggy a hug for me. Everybody has been so good to me. I love all of you very much. I'm going to be face-to-face with Jesus now. "Warden Baggett, thank all of you so much. You have been so good to me. I love all of you very much. I will see you all when you get there. I will wait for you." Jesus Christ is not an escape hatch for when you’re in trouble. When I was a kid I pretty much lived in trouble. I can remember being told to come home at a certain time but not being able to pull myself away from what I was doing and then all of a sudden being seized with panic at the thought of being punished for not obeying once again.

I always knew I was really in trouble when I would get half way home and see my sisters out looking for me. You should have heard the prayers that I prayed in those short bike rides. While I may have received Jesus forgiveness hundreds of times when during those moments of repentance it never spared me from facing the consequences of my actions.

You and I must have determination that no matter what the consequences are we will be honest with ourselves and with God and face reality.

3. We must desire to make the necessary adjustments.

David chose to thrust himself on the mercy of God and let God choose the punishment. “Let us fall into the hands of the Lord for his mercy is great.” Ver. 14

Just like nearly every other story we have looked at this summer in this series there is a moment of graphic drama. In the three days of God’s punishment 70,000 people perished and in fact it was God who in verse 16 stays the hand of the angel that is causing the deaths and stops it before it reaches Jerusalem.

(Wonder why the people who have overdosed on angels in the last few years never talk about these kinds of angels.) “When David saw the angel who was striking down the people, he said to the Lord, ‘I am the one who has sinned and done wrong. These are but sheep. What have they done? Let your hand fall upon me and my family.’” I Samuel 24:17

Sometimes in our lives we need to really be honest and get right down to the truth. Where are we headed? What are we doing with our lives?

What kind of adjustments do we need to make to position ourselves to be in God’s will?

David needed to make an adjustment in his life. The consequences of his choice were all around him and he responds by desiring God to change his life and spare his country.

I spend a fair amount of time trying to remind all of us on a regular basis that there is more to life than living for just the next big moment.

All of us have done this to some extent. We have some big upcoming event and we can’t wait until it comes and then the day arrives and we experience it and when it is all over we wonder why we were so excited about it. We wonder if the price we paid was really worth it.

Life without Christ is not life at all.

Life without a relationship with God is at best a series of efforts to self medicate yourself with enough cool experiences until you feel better about your life. In the October 1999 issue of Rolling Stone Magazine, Brad Pitt admits to identifying with his character "Tyler" from the movie "The Fight Club."Brad Pitt: The point is, the question has to be asked: 'What track are we on?' Tyler starts out in the movie saying, 'Man, I know all these things are supposed to seem important to us–the car, the condo, our versions of success–but if that's the case, why is the general feeling out there reflecting more impotence and isolation and desperation and loneliness?' If you ask me, I say, 'Toss all this, we gotta find something else.' Because all I know is that at this point in time, we are heading for a dead end, a numbing of the soul, a complete atrophy of the spiritual being. And I don't want that."Chris Heath : So if we're heading toward this kind of existential dead end in society, what do you think should happen?Brad Pitt: Hey, man, I don't have those answers yet. The emphasis now is on success and personal gain. [Smiles] I'm sitting in it, and I'm telling you, that's not it. Whether you want to listen to me or not–and I say that to the reader–that's not it.Chris Heath: "But, and I'm glad you said it first, people will read your saying that and think . . . Brad Pitt: "I'm the guy who's got everything. I know. But I'm telling you, once you get everything, then you're just left with yourself. I've said it before and I'll say it again: It doesn't help you sleep any better, and you don't wake up any better because of it. Now, no one's going to want to hear that. I understand it. I'm sorry I'm the guy who's got to say it. But I'm telling you. - Rolling Stone, 28 October 1999, RS #824The bottom line is this. . . there is a God-shaped hole in every one of us and nothing you can do, buy or bargain for will ever fill it except God.

What kind of adjustment do you need to make in your life?

4. We must devote ourselves to self sacrifice.

In David’s search for reality back in his life he comes across Gad the prophet who instructs him to go to the threshing floor of Araunah and build an altar to God. He goes and because of his status as king everyone starts bowing to him and the owner of the threshing floor offers to let him take whatever he needs to make his sacrifice.

It’s the same old story of life really. David could have easily accepted the gracious offer. He refuses and makes a classic statement.

“No I insist on paying you for it. I will not sacrifice to the Lord my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing.” I Samuel 24:24

“David built an altar to the Lord there and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings.” I Samuel 24:25

To come to Christ with your life, means that you devote yourself to following Him. It means that you focus on living each day for God and not for yourself and it means above everything else keeping real.

Maybe we should go back to Woody and Buzz for a moment. There is another place in Toy Story 2 that is all about being real.

Video

Are you for real or a poser?

Are you genuine in your faith or have you veered off course. You look like the real thing. You want to be real but in reality you are not connected to God right now and you know it.

The fact is that God loves you more then you can ever imagine. It doesn’t matter who you are or what you’ve done He loves you and wants you to get real with Him.

Bennan Manning tells the following story in his book, Signature of Jesus.

“One summer in Iowa City, Iowa, I directed a five day retreat for a little band of Christians. One mid-thirtyish woman in the group was conspicuous by her silence. She was a slender, attractive nun who neither smiled nor sighed, laughed nor cried, reacted, responded, nor communicated with any of us.

On the afternoon of the fourth day I invited each person to share what the Lord had been doing in his life the past few days. After a couple of minutes of silence, the uncommunicative nun (whom I shall call Christine) reached for her journal and said, ‘Something happened to me yesterday, and I wrote it down. You were speaking, Brennan, on the compassion of Jesus. You developed the two images of husband and lover found in Is. 54 and Hosea 2. Then you quoted the words of St.Augustine, ‘Christ is the best husband.’”

‘At the end of your talk, you prayed that we might experience what you had just shared. You asked us to close our eyes. Almost the moment I did, something happened. In faith I was transported into a large ballroom filled with people. I was sitting by myself on a wooden chair, when a man approached me, took my hand, and led me onto the floor. He held me in his arms and led me in the dance.’

‘The tempo of the music increased and we whirled faster and faster. The man’s eyes never left my face. His radiant smile covered me with warmth, delight and a sense of acceptance. Everyone else on the floor stopped dancing. They were staring at us. The beat of the music increased and we pirouetted around the room in reckless rhythm. I glanced at his hands, and then I knew. Brilliant wounds of a battle long ago, almost like a signature carved in flesh. The music tapered to a slow, lilting melody and Jesus rocked me back and fourth. As the dance ended, he pulled me close to him. Do you know what he whispered?’

At this moment every retreatant in the chapel strained forward. Tears rolled down Christie’s cheeks. A full minute of silence ensued. Though her face was beaming, the tears kept falling. Finally she spoke, ‘Jesus whispered to me, ‘Christine, I’m wild about you.’”

I don’t know how or where you lost your ability to be real with Jesus but I know this, He is wild about you. He waits for you to return. He longs for you to be in a relationship with Him.

He loves you.
He calls you.
He waits for you.

Are you ready to get real?

2003/08/10