Gregg DeMey, Lead Pastor
Gregg DeMey 0:00
I write about once a year, I point out that it's no accident, that the highest thing in this room is the symbol of Jesus, sacrifice, death and resurrection, and triumph, the cross. So if you would pray with me, with Jesus cross in view as we get ready to receive His Word today. Well, Lord Jesus, by your wounded feet, won't you direct our paths in the right way? Or Jesus, by your nailed hands. Once you move our deeds and words toward love, Jesus by your pure side, cleanse the desires and the affections of our heart. Jesus, by your crown of thorns, annihilate our pride, Jesus, by the silence of your parched lips, shame our complaints and cruel speech, Jesus through your closed eyes, look on our sin no more. And Jesus is by your broken heart, knit our broken hearts back to you. And by the beautiful and saving sign of your cross, what you draw us now to find our peace in you. Amen.
Gregg DeMey 1:47
So friends, it was about 450 years ago that a follower of Jesus by the name of John Calvin, said this, about the state of the human heart. The human heart is a factory of idols. Now, that is quite a humbling and strong statement. Calvinists are known after all, as being fairly serious about sin. A modern interpretation of this would be, we have a nonstop ability to come up with one thing after another, to distract us from God, and keep our attention. Sadly, that's true of me. But God being so kind and good, and so loving has this desire to keep saving us from ourselves. And this factory of idols that is churning away inside all of our souls and hearts of the 10 commandments. The very first one says this feud, read the words in the yellow and "God spoke all these words together, I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery, You shall have no other gods before me. " The great act of Salvation in the Old Testament story is that God set people free, remove them from slavery and made them a free people. And then God's first bit of direction for them is this don't have any gods in front of me, like the one who gave you this beautiful gift of freedom. So there is this tension in the universe in the Bible, page after page between ultimate good being God, and ultimate evil, or the forces of light. And the forces of darkness in one of the way the Bible puts this is that we do not see the battle in just our flesh and blood, that there are things going on in the spiritual places in the heavenlies. This is true. And this is why God had to set an entire people free from slavery and say, no other gods, go with the light. Go with a good team. Here's one of the things about us as people, we might recognize that huge cosmic tension between God and the forces of darkness between the real God and the pretenders. But we tend I tend to superimpose this huge ultimate reality which one day God is going to win. And to super impose it on smaller scale conflicts, we creatively find a way to maybe locate ourselves in a team or in a tribe, maybe even in a family or a group and then put that giant cosmic reality on that tiny little group and the group can't bear its weight. So here in Chicago, maybe you're a Sox fan. And some fans of another team that wears red, white and blue Happy Fourth of July, will think that you are a great cosmic and Me for your liking that team. Right? But can the Cubs bear the weight of that kind of glory? I mean, maybe they did briefly in 2016. But no, they didn't. They, they can't. By the way, I looked up, do you know how many cubs from the 2016 roster are still with the Cubs? Klein has one thing, I think to Wilson Contreras and Kyle Hendricks. So that's sad, right? If you put all your marbles with one team, and then six years later, there's like hardly a vestige left of this once glorious thing. Like that's a capsule of human history right there. I grew up in the state of Michigan, I have a brother in law who went to Michigan State, my father went to the University of Michigan, there could be fighting words at times. Right? My brother in law loves to say Michigan State is my favorite team. And my second favorite team as whoever is playing against the University of Michigan. Tastes great, less filling, like we can find anything to scream at each other about.
Gregg DeMey 6:09
In all seriousness, the biggest divide in our midst is between what I call the red team and the blue team in the United States of America, right. 60 years ago, their social service data of parents of children and the question was put to all these parents 60 years ago. How important would it be for you to free your child to marry someone with your political affiliation? And more than 75% of people did not care? Isn't that striking? Do you know in the United States of America, what percentage of marriages are between Republicans and Democrats married to each other? 3.6% You heard me right. 3.6%. Like this is the new frontier? Have you voted for who or not going on a second date?
Gregg DeMey 7:13
Was that a corrective cough? No, we're good. Okay. So we can laugh at that because like if you read if you watch the news a little bit, if you are on the internet, like you can feel the truth of this in your bones, that we are drawing up these lines of division and it's hardly in good taste, to even have friends, much less a romantic partner or a spouse who is on the wrong side of the line. Of course, we don't get to choose our flesh and blood and genetic family. Which is why every fourth of July family gathering and every family camping trip I'm about to go on one is fraught with danger. The Bible addresses this idol making team associating camp drawing up tendency in First Corinthians chapter three. Now this is written by the Apostle Paul, few decades after Jesus death and resurrection, there was this awesome church in the Roman Empire city of Corinth. They were, I think the most like American city in the ancient world, had more than enough money, well educated things were kind of coming up roses for them globally, and they had all kinds of nonsense and troubles. And here's what Paul writes to them on this very topic. Brothers and sisters. I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit. Ouch. But as people who are still weirdly near infants and Christ, I gave you milk, not solid food for you. We're not yet ready for it. Indeed. Y'all are still not ready. Is he mad? He seems mad. You are still worldly for since there's jealousy and quarreling among you? Are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans? For when one says, Hey, I follow Paul. That's who planted the Corinthian church and another says, Hey, I follow a palace that was Paul's successor really star preacher in the early church. Are you not mere human beings? What after all, is a Paulus? And what is Paul? Do you hear in the Corinthians this universal tendency to divide even amongst fine Christian people, their way of doing it 2000 years ago was to be like, Hey, we're on Team Paul. He planted the church. He's super smart and other people like no Paul is short, and he's dumb and he doesn't have enough hair. We're with a Paulus. Cuz he's like the rock star of preachers. He's super charismatic and energetic like I could listen to a four hour sermon by apologists Paul puts me to sleep. By the way, Pastor Jeff and I will be taking votes after the service Do know, we are doing everything in our power to resist this around here, right? Our modern way of doing this in the church, I hate to say this is to Jesus of fie. Our political preferences. Pastor and Georgian, Andy Stanley put it this way, a couple of years ago. Speaking of Jesus, he's so read, if you're a Republican, you just see like Jesus in red robes, he's so blue. If you're Democrat, you see Jesus and blue robes. It's amazing how much he just looks like you. Have you ever felt this in yourself? Have you ever had a conversation with a family member who, because of their political lens, totally imported, almost all of Jesus and almost the entire Gospel to be viewed through that particular colored lens? Now, if you've been awake for the last couple of weeks, you may have noticed that there's been a few significant Supreme Court decisions. And I think we feel I feel the possibility like never before in my life, like the theoretical possibility that we are becoming the divided States of America. Have you had the sense and a sense that not only do we have two different political parties, but increasingly we look at someone on the other side of the line or the wrong side of the line. And we have trouble believing that they could even want what's best for America, because their views are so crazy. Now we'll get on the other side of life, we have trouble believing that they could be decent people because their views are so crazy. So how could they even desire a positive future for these United States of America.
Gregg DeMey 11:57
I'm speaking politically now, and not as a pastor, just making some observations. I would observe as a Christian person.
Gregg DeMey 12:09
This,I don't want to put the weight on our federal government on our state government on our local government to be a Christian government. I think that's been true from the beginning. However, I do appreciate the space to be a Jesus loving person in our midst, right that is crucial to our life together. Let me give an example. The fourth commandment says this, "Keep the Sabbath day holy." Some of us in the room might be old enough to remember what were called blue laws, which were like you can't operate a business on Sunday, because that's the day when all of us together, like have a common social covenant that most of us are going to rest except for essential businesses. Is anybody old enough to remember that? No way, honestly. All right. So two opinions. Would the United States be a healthier, lovelier, more gracious place if everybody kept the Sabbath day? Hands down? I am all for keeping the fourth commandment. Is it immoral to break this fourth commandment? As a Christian person? I would say yes, for me, as a person who lives by the word of God who submits to the book. If I go six months without worshiping God on the Sabbath, I am in a rotten state of affairs, and I will be up to no good promise you. But do I want to I wish for the laws of the United States of America to enforce the Sabbath day on all citizens? No, not necessarily, even though I think it would make for a better country. There's one country that does this, Israel. I mean, it's not the Christian Sabbath, it's the Jewish Sabbath. But one country on earth does this, right. Similarly, on other things that are crucial to me, as a Christian human being, I don't necessarily expect the laws of the United States of America to reflect all of my Christian convictions. However, we in this room if you are following Jesus,
Gregg DeMey 14:27
we live by the book. And we are called to be salt and light, the joyful people, the bright people who flavor this land. Now, recent, recent Supreme Court decisions, what does the Supreme Court do in our country? Does it enforce the morality of the majority? No, please, who knows who's gonna be the majority in the future? 10 years from now, or 100 years from now, the job of the Supreme Court of the United States of America is to keep our laws in line with the Constitution of the United States of America. What has been alarming to me in these days after the Dobbs decision is nobody wants to talk about the Constitution of the United States of America. And whether the Supreme Court decision is constitutional, or what the 14th Amendment is really all about, or how the 14th Amendment impacts an unborn child's rights, if they're a person, and a woman's rights, or the health care rights of us all. In general, if someone's going to have that conversation around a fourth of July barbecue, Please invite me over, like, sign me up for that conversation. What's happening is not that people in our country want to talk about the Constitution or these deep things that's going on. But we simply like to yell at each other over our preferred perception of what morality is, and that is never going to get us to a place of unification in the United States of America. Sorry to talk about politics so much. If you're disagreeing with family members, in the next couple of weeks, I would heartily invite you as Christians to know what the 14th Amendment says, maybe to read a little bit about what the Supreme Court justices in 1972 said about the 14th amendment and unborn children, and what science through the last 50 years as we are able to peer into the womb and know about genetics more than ever, like says about the personhood of unborn children. I've given you some dots. But if you connect those dots, you can make an absolutely beautiful case based on the Constitution and science for why the Supreme Court has now ruled what they ruled.
Gregg DeMey 16:57
Here's what happens next in I Corinthians 3. So Paul, I'm trying to follow Paul's example. And take the hot air out of these two teams that yell at each other. Okay. That's why I said what I said here. Paul is going to do the same thing. What after all, is a palace? What is Paul, only servants, through whom you came to believe as the Lord assigned to each his task, Paul says about himself, I planted the seed, the church, Apollo's watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God. And here's what God does, who makes things grow? Awesome description of God, the One who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their labor. For we are co workers in God's service. And here's what the Bible says about you today. You are God's field. You are God's building. And what does God do? God makes things grow. issues of identity that Paul is pointing to try to bridge the line of Corinthians yelling at each other team Paul versus Team apologists. And he says this, think of yourselves as co workers. Like that'll help get rid of this line. Your co workers, and what are we doing? We're God's field. We're God's building have ever tried to evaluate your life this way? Is God actually growing something in the field that is my life. And the field that is this church? Is God actually can I sense in putting brick upon brick to grow something more sturdy out of my tiny life out of our community's life, and God's identity? I do love this self definition from God is that God is the one who grows things. Another way of putting this today is that God is notice my words for life. I did not say pro life, because that would be looking at Jesus and God through a tiny political lens. I'd never want to do that. But God is for life. Who would exist unless God said, come into being there would be no universe, there would be no molecules, atoms or quarks, unless God had spoken them into being in this ultimate deep way. God is for life. And on a personal level, God is for your life of all the things that we know about in the universe. We as Homo sapiens are the only ones walking around of whom God said, You bear my image, personally, and collectively. It's not true of the bears or the frogs or the Plant a pie. platypuses are the planets, only people are the ones that God says, I'm creating you, beloved people in my image. And we're the only ones whom after God made us that God said, and this is very good. Goddess for life, yes, he is also the Defender of the Week. If I look at the catalogue of the Old Testament, women in the Old Testament, do you know these stories, from Tamar, to Hagar, to Mary of Nazareth, there is nothing that makes the justice of God rise up. When someone who is poor and powerless is oppressed and put upon and the justice of God rises up, God is 100%, for life, and he is so for life, that if anybody diminishes life in any way, shape, or form, it is on the heart of God to set that right. And if it does not get set right in the here, and now you can be sure that the day is coming. When God is going to make it right these phrases that we use the arc of history bends toward justice, truth will out, love wins, Jesus is Lord. When I say those phrases, they all mean the same thing. God is for life, and he raises up the poor and powerless. I say this humbly, as a person with a little bit of job responsibility and a little bit of influence in this world.
Gregg DeMey 21:41
Here's how Paul, bring this round. This passage has always scared me a little bit. By the grace God has given to me I laid the foundation of a wise builder, someone else building on it, each one should build with care. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If anyone builds on this foundation, using gold, silver constantly stones, wood, hay or straw, their work will be shown from what it is. Because the day with a capital D like Judgment Day, the day will bring it to light. Here's what will happen. It will be revealed with fire and fire will test the quality of each person's work. If what has built survives the fire, then you the builder will receive a reward. If it's burned up, the builder will suffer loss, but yet will be saved even though as one escaping through the flames. The scared me as a kid, just the thought that there's a judgement day of final day coming, I'm going to pass through the fire. And it seems like it's open possibility that everything is going to get torched. And hardly anything is going to be like sturdy enough to come through. So anybody else scared of this passage? Who it is not meant to scare us though I do believe this is meant to comfort us. What is going to come through on the other side of this purifying, refining fire is simply what's real. What was built to last, what God's grace is already involved in what God's redemption has already touched. So much is going to come through the fire but not my nonsense, not my sin, not my immorality. Also, I believe this is comforting, because things that seem huge and monolithic to us today will not pass the final test of fire. Will the Apple Corporation pass through the fire and exist on the other side? In the kingdom of God? Oh, I don't think so. Will Apple stock shares exist on the other side? No, they will go up. How about Tesla? How about your Tesla if you're lucky enough? No, it's not going through the fire. What about the Republican Party? Is there going to be a Republican Party on the other side in the kingdom? What about the dems? Surely the Libertarians those of us who identify know all of the sad divisions are burning up in the fire, big oil going up in a giant plume. What about the nations of the earth Saudi Arabia? Russia, Ukraine, the United States of America is it unpatriotic on July three to say that the United States of America is not built for eternity. That is great and good gift that we enjoy right now as fragile as it is appearing is not going to be in the final kingdom of God. No, it will not all the institutions as life giving us As important as they are here on Earth right now, are not durable are powerful enough to go through the fire of the final day and be part of the kingdom. On the other side, the final kingdom. Have you had this thought before? Like in the eyes of God, all these monoliths are just a flash in the pan. But what about you? What about the person sitting next to you? And the answer is yes. Yes, we, as eternal beings, even though we're walking around in the sin stricken bodies right now, you as a human being, are made for eternity, and you will pass through. And this is why in the big arc of eternity, you are more important than Apple, you are more important than big oil, you are more important than any country and that final number of your days will outlast the collective days of all of these institutions. This is why God came to save human beings why God so loves the world. All the countries, corporations, economies, universities, police departments have a job here to do to help human life flourish. It's such an important job, but the kingdom is coming when their services will no longer be needed.
Gregg DeMey 26:30
When those who are weak, who are currently humbled and looked down upon, are lifted up and exalted by the Lord. And when those who hear now who have misused their power, for their own ends pleasure accumulation lording it over others, those of us who are living that way, will be put in the lowest place. And again, as a person with some modicum of power and influence in this life. I say, Lord, have mercy. And Lord, come quickly. I want to live in that country. Paul offers this conclusion about our tendency to idolize our teams, and institutions and affiliations. Now. Paul says so then no more boasting about your human leaders. Whether it's the Cubs, or the Sox, or your business, your pastor's, don't boast about those things. All things are yours, whether Paul or a polish their safest, or the world, or life or death, or the presence or the future. All these things are yours. And let's say together, and you are of Christ, and Christ is of God.
Gregg DeMey 27:52
We're so easily led astray to put our affections and even ultimate affections to to associate those with some group, or team or party. That is not the one true God. So perhaps together, we can say like, yep, God, I tend to do that. But thank you so much for being patient with me, for helping me laugh at myself, and for reminding me again, through Your Word, to put my vision on Jesus Himself. And thank you that when you see me you see a person who is of Christ. And because of that, who is of God, we pray with me. Jesus, we want to say that you are enough, you are more than enough for us, forgive us when we allow our teams and tribes and groups to get in the way of our primary relationship with you. And thank you that you do indeed transcend Paul and apologists and Boomers and Gen Z and America and Russia and democrat, republican and life and death, the present in the future. And thank you for providing us with all of us with this one table to come to served by one Lord, through one faith to the glory of you the one God and Father of us all. In His Majestic Name, we pray and everybody says Amen.
Transcribed by https://otter.ai