Ben: Ben Dixon here with JesusHasAlreadyWon.com, and I’m really excited to have my good friend Pastor Andy Doyle here with us today. Andy is actually the inspiration that caused a couple of friends of mine and the other contributors to put together the blog JesusHasAlreadyWon.com. I wanted to bring him on for just a short video today and let him share that story.
VIDEO:
So, it had to be a few weeks ago Andy that we were at a prayer service here at church, called Ignite, and you had talked about how there is no fear in life with the things that are happening in our world today because Jesus has already won. What does that mean?
Pastor Andy: Sure. I first heard the idea through Alpha, Nicky Gumbel, did an explanation of the time we’re currently living in, so it’s key to remember that just in our daily lives, and we were just about to take communion when I shared the illustration. It’s key to remember that Christ has already won, and so it’s a great celebration and a reverence as we take communion. And then always just that sacredness in our church environment where we feel close. We feel secure. We feel like we belong. But then when we leave the church environment and go into our daily lives, it can just feel very, very different. And its easy with all the environment around us in terms of news, information, just day-to-day dysfunction, to be overwhelmed by and just forget Christ has already won. So I really just wanted to talk about the importance of remembering that Christ has finished all.
Ben: You know, that’s a really big point because I think about a lot of things going on in our world and I have friends who are Christians, good people, good people of faith, and something we talk about a lot is thinking about our world is how should we really live? And when you think about the idea that everything we’ve gone through in our life that Jesus has already won, and we’re just living in a period of time right now in our life until Jesus is going to come back again. What does that mean to us as Christians. How should we live with that knowledge in mind?
Pastor Andy: One, it can help us live with a certain form of confidence and security in that no matter what’s currently going on, that this isn’t it, the best is yet to come. With a sense of that, I think it creates an urgency of sharing who Jesus is to people. So just as it’s wonderful we meet Christ face to face as Christians, if we are not Christians, it’s going to be awful. I think it’s Ephesians 2:1-10 is a great description of the gospel, and in there we find out what our state is before Christ dies on our behalf, and it paints this picture of the first 3 verses that we are, by nature, children of wrath that are destined for destruction. Everyday, as we go about our daily lives, people are either destined for destruction, or later on, and I think it’s in verses 5-8 that in Christ we are seated in the heavenly realms, although, we’re not in the moment. It’s something definitive that will happen, so the present tense is used. So we’re walking around, but it’s either destined for destruction or we’re seated in the heavenly realm, so that creates an urgency to share the Good News of Jesus with people.
Pastor Andy: So for me, it’s almost like the imagery of what happens when Christ returns, it’s awful. As I look at the news, it creates a tension as you see, whether it’s ebola, or victims of violent crime, or accident, or disease. Whatever it is, there is always a sense of “Am I safe?”, and you get this sense that you are not in control.
And we kind of tell ourselves we’re going to be safe, because numbers-wise, it’s unlikely going to be me that’s making the news. The reality is, it’s almost a deeper reality that’s almost worse, at one point we will be facing God’s wrath. Thankfully there’s some wonderful news as well, which is Christ died on our behalf, so that we could be saved from objects of God’s wrath, and to be seated in the heavenly realms. And you want to share that good news with others.
Just as in James Cameron’s film in 1997, The Titanic, you see them all setting off from South Hampton (I think), and they were going to New York, and everyone is celebrating and just enjoying life. So too, as many people don’t know Christ. Live is happening and they’re enjoying it, and just as the people on the Titanic didn’t know what was going to come to them 4 days later and how tragic it was going to be. There are lots of people out there who don’t know that Christ has died on our behalf. He has already won the victory. It’s not down on them to save themselves by good works, but Christ has saved us for good works. It creates that urgency of wanting to share that with other people.
Ben: You know, that’s incredible. We talk about in Romans how it says that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. That’s what brings the urgency to the message of what Andy is sharing is that the truth is: yes, all of us has sinned, all of us aren’t worthy of going to heaven, but Jesus came and won the battle of good and evil, almost 2000 years ago on the cross, and because of that knowledge, because we know that, the battle of good and evil is already over. Its already been won. If we’re here to receive the gift of Christ in our own life, and accept Christ and find out what he has for us in our world, we can have his sacrifice be our payment for our sin to be able to go to heaven. That message is so powerful because life can feel hopeless when you get overwhelmed. It really can, and when I heard you share that he had already won, it’s a totally different way to think about it, and to think that the battle is still going on.
I want to thank you so much for coming here today. Could we pray for everyone watching this video real quick and send them on their way?
Pastor Andy: Lord Jesus, thank you that you have already won the battle. Thank you that you invite us to reign in life with you Father, safe in knowledge that we can be one with you in eternity Heavenly Father, in paradise. I pray here if there is anyone who yet put their faith and trust in you Lord, that has been relying on their own works rather than your infinite works across the world, that you draw them into that saving relationship with you Father God. So I pray that each person would say and repeat these words after me Lord, whether it’s in the quietness of their own heart or out loud: Father God, you are a Holy God. I am sorry I have sinned against you. Father God, I want and accept the full forgiveness you give us and all the sins in the world, even my own sins. Father God, it’s my intent to live for you now, so I pray through the power through your Holy Spirit, you help me to live through you Lord. For your finished works on the cross and show me the good works Lord that you have for me to do for you Lord, not because it save me, but it helps share the good news of You with others. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.