Danny Silk - un-punishable

Oct 5, 2015

Danny Silk - un-punishable (the fruit of the Cross - 1 John 2:2)

When God looks at you you stand in a place of life and security. What Jesus did on the cross actually worked! Jesus Christ came to the earth as a man to solve the problem no other man could solve. The first man, Adam, miked thugs up pretty bad. Through Adam sin entered the world - separating God and man. There is no remedy for sin - you can postpone the wrath of God for this condition but there is nothing we can do about it.

Through the law we can offer blood sacrifice to push away the wrath of God. If you are a parent and you lose one of your children there is nothing you won't do to find them. God did everything to get his children back. 

Jesus lived a sinless life and is the only one who could satisfy the wrath of God towards sin. Now you and I can boldly approach the throne of grace. There is no separation. If the work of JC completely satisfied the wrath of God, then who are you to punish your own sin? 

We must confront our love affair for punishment:

The punishment of others who fail

The punishment of ourselves who fail

You better get right or you will get left. Danny had a bumper sticker that said "turn or burn!" We got baptized into the wrath of God and we were selling "fire insurance."

Parents think this illusion that we can control other beings: If I love you I justify my control. 

Toddlers learn to listen, but it's dormant until they are teenagers and their will comes back.

God is not afraid of anything. God doesn't want control of you and I. 

Jesus told his disciples that authority works differently in the kingdom. On earth leaders try to scare people into obedience. In the kingdom, we serve people into relationship.

Children learn to fear punishment. Parents learn its okay to use fear since "everybody is doing it." We use the threat of suffering to scare people away from doing what they want to do.

In church, we withhold love. We say, "go to your room!" We say, "I'm so upset I don't know how to love when I am so upset." We think in our head, "God has the same feelings." We think Jesus has a similar voice. 

Jesus video of him revealing people's sins. You are all evil, there is no hope. Thank you.

Now it's time for me to tell you what you did wrong since I saw you last. Some of us think that is "discipleship." 

The voice of the "accuser of the brethren" gets confused with the voice of the Holy Spirit. 

And no one after drinking old wine desires new, for he says, 'The old is good.'" - Luke 5:39

We confuse "the fear of the Lord" and the fear of being punished. 

We stay in our marriage because we fear judgement if we get out of it. 

We don't know how to handle freedom! We have been given the most potent force in the universe. If we think freedom means "I can do whatever I want" means we don't understand love. 

The most important responsibility we have in life is to love. 

There are two trees in the garden for a reason. God wanted us to have a choice. Running around naked with your girl is paradise. It wasn't the devil who out a poor choice in a perfect place! What parent would put a poor choice in a child's playground? 

Parents do their most to remove poor choices:

Private school

Christian school

Home school

And so, this us. Sitting here in our clothes.

We can't have love and destroy freedom. Love chases away the enemy of God: fear. Fear is what withholds love, turns us into defensive infantile crazy people. Fear and love cannot occupy the same place. It's like light and darkness. God did not say "love your enemies" and not give you the grace and power to accomplish that command. 

18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.

19 We love because he first loved us.

20 If anyone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. - 1 John 4:18-20

1 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

2 He is the propitiation [the atoning work of the cross] for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. - 1 John 2:1-2

The atoning work of the cross has eliminated the need to think there is a them (God) and us (humanity). Jesus said, "I didn't come here to hedge or punish you."

There is no rule that makes you love. But, if you love there are no rules. 

When my objective is to protect someone In a relationship, there are no rules. A hurt wife shouldn't list out the things needed to make her happy. The husband could the. Respond in a grumpy voice:

I love you

Here are some flowers

I got a babysitter

Let's go get pizza 

The Galatians traded a gift of grace for a list of rules. Paul in chapter 3 rebukes them. Paul says I hope them circumcised "cut themselves off." 

Paul reminds the Galatians: Two women Abraham gave birth two

A slave woman of a curse

A free woman of a promise

We shifted from a list of rules to a relationship of love. We have been released from prison. Many ex-prisoners want back in prison because they don't want the responsibility of freedom.

For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. - Galatians 5:1

Romans 7, the self talk of Condemnation 

1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

2 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. - Romans 8:1-2

Mary Magdalene is caught by the religious police in the act of adulterous (takes two). We brought just the one that the law doesn't protect, the one worthy of death, they through her at Jesus' feet. First without sin can throw the first rock. All leave. There is one sinless who could punish and Jesus says he will not accuse. He just says "don't do that again" (the scathing wrath of God)

We don't know the spirit that we are of if we are longing for heaven to destroy people.

Legalistic people:

But it says, "If you love me, you will keep my commandments. - John 14:15

Moses put them in a nice list for you and numbers them. 

Son is in 8th grade and says I want to go to Public High School. I want to play football! He says to Levi, "why would I be a genius to say yes." Son replies, "I will not break your heart."

If you love Jesus, it will show up in how you use your freedom. Jesus will not require you protect your relationship. Rules do not protect ones character. Rules do not cultivate love. 

Prioritizing rules creates religion

Prioritizing our relationships cultivates love.

My conformity to a set of rules does not display your character. Freedom is the best way to showcase character. 

You don't call the IRS (tax department) to say hi. Society uses s long list of rules because the golden rule is out. When love is high, there is no need for rules.

Sin is offensive

... But being offended is neither a spiritual gift nor a fruit of the Spirit.

People especially want religious leaders punished. 

How does this work if we can't use punishment?

Repentance!

What did the religious leaders want when they took you to the back room and introduce you to the "yellow pages" (laws). 

We can't protect hearts through punishment. Punishment does not rebuild love. Repentance works.

Repentance is where you take ownership for your mistakes. You clean up your mess. Then you show fruit of love.

Repentance Is a gift

Repentance Is required

Repentance Leads to restoration

Crying is not repentance

Change is repentance

10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. - 1 John 4:10-11