Pastor John Tilton
March 28, 2021 - W2113

Recognizing Jesus

Awake, Arise, Act

Pastor John Tilton  

March 27 & 28, 2021

[Video: Testimony by Cindy Petersen]  

"I remember constantly searching for peace.  I struggled with anxiety as a child not knowing what it was, and I tried my own self?help, thinking that I could do things on my own.  As a teen, I started to dance in Waikiki, two shows a night, six days a week.  In between shows I was introduced to Bible studies and was baptized as a Christian in the waters of Waikiki--it was then that I started to really search for peace, not realizing that Holy Spirit already lived within me.  

"I became pregnant at age 19; back then, your families expected you to get married, so we married.  I believe we really tried, but as time went on, drugs became the norm--crystal meth turned you into a totally different person and physical, mental, and verbal abuse began.  I drove myself to the ERs, not disclosing how I received the injuries.  I stopped fighting back physically after I almost died from a chokehold!  The worst part was knowing that my children had witnessed this, and I was more concerned about them than anything else.  I finally got a divorce because I truly believed that God wanted me to protect the children.

"There was another dark time in my life when my anxieties got the best of me and depression set in.  I didn't know the types of symptoms that came with anxiety and I wondered, "What is going on?" I remember diving into the Word of God.  My dear friend had given me this Bible that I've had for years--it's falling apart! I really surrendered to the Lord and memorized Philippians 4:6-7 NIV: ⁶ Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

"I will never forget where God brought me from! He has guided and taught me that I am not alone; and whenever I start to feel anxious, I immediately get into His presence and the power of His Spirit brings me "peace that transcends all understanding!"  It was then that I was able to love and forgive myself.  My prayer to anyone struggling is to remember that The Lord is the anchor of your hope.  He will never leave nor forsake you.  He means the world to me, and I will serve Him till eternity! 

[End Video] 

PASTOR JOHN:  Thank you, Cindy, for sharing that powerful testimony. Many would have seen your bruises and anxieties, but God saw your heart and what you were going through!  In Recognizing Jesus, Cindy turned to Him!  All she had was The Word that gave her perseverance and brought her through everything that she had to go through! 

Hebrews 13:2 NIV says: "Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it."

During the COVID pandemic, many friends and family members have lost their livelihood, and some have become homeless. So, today, we're Recognizing Jesus by loving, caring, serving, and sharing with them and seeing them through His eyes, not ours. Thank you for being the church that you are! You have fed and clothed many during this pandemic through our Kokua Pantry, Drop & Dash, and Malama Meals; our pastors have ministered to the sick and the dying; our Needs Ministry has provided appliances and furniture--whatever people asked for was provided.

Today is Palm Sunday, the day Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey: Zechariah 9:9 NKJV says: “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, Lowly and riding on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey."

Matthew 21:8-10 NIV says: "⁸ A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. ⁹ The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Hosanna in the highest heaven!” ¹⁰ When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?”

Oftentimes, we don't recognize who is in our presence!  It isn't always what you see that is reality. The crowd sawJesus when He came into Jerusalem riding on a donkey, but they didn't recognize Him as their Messiah and Savior--they were looking for a conquering king to free them from Roman oppression, not someone to give them eternal life, and crucified their King!  

The people were celebrating Jesus, but something was wrong! When they said, "Hosanna," we thought they we're praising the Lord, but "Hosanna" really means "a plea, save us!"  They were actually saying, "Save us from the Romans!" They were looking for a conquering king, thinking about their situation, not about praising Jesus Christ their King! They were self?centered! 

1. Live Your Faith as Christ-Centered, Not Self-Centered

Matthew 16:24 NIV says: "Then Jesus said to his disciples, 'Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.'"

Denying yourself means putting others first.  The two great commandments Jesus gave are: Love God and love your neighbor as yourself. When we put others first, people will see Jesus in us that we're always thinking about others--we're not self?centered. 

Philippians 2:4 NKJV says: ^"Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others." 

WHAT DOES BEING CHRIST-CENTERED AND PUTTING OTHERS FIRST MEAN? 

a. Make studying the Word of God and praying an integral part of your life.

This is when the Lord speaks and gives you revelation through your thoughts. The first step to being Christ?like is to make time for prayer and being in the Word.  

b. Love more, care more, and serve or share more.  

The Holy Spirit will transform our hearts and we will see people the way God sees them. Albert Einstein had a famous quote:  "Only a life lived in the service of others is worth living." That's so profound--that's what Jesus called us to do!

John 12:37-38,40-43 NIV says: "³⁷ Even after Jesus had performed so many signs in their presence, they still would not believe in him. ³⁸ This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet... ⁴⁰ “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, so they can neither see with their eyes, nor understand with their hearts....⁴¹ Isaiah said this because he saw Jesus’ glory and spoke about him. ⁴² Yet...many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not openly acknowledge their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; ⁴³ for they loved human praise more than praise from God."

Jesus performed many miracles, but the people would not believe in Him.  How can you go from shouting "Hosanna, save us! to Crucify Him?"  It's called peer pressure or mob mentality, which brings us to our second point...

II. Beware of the "Chameleon Syndrome" influence! 

My research and study on this subject found that chameleons can turn many different colors from pink, red, orange, green, black, brown, light blue, yellow, turquoise, and purple, and all combinations, therein.  You may think that chameleons do this for camouflage and protection; but study shows that they change their skin tones for social signaling, social indicating, reflecting the physiological part of their minds and what's going on.  Isn't that amazing? It's not about camouflage and protective defense, but for social interaction, indicating how they're feeling and what's going on. Sometimes we do the same thing in certain situations without even realizing it.  

Romans 12:2 NIV says: "Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."

That's a great illustration of the chameleon syndrome.  Psychologists say that we get caught up in this syndrome by the influence of multimedia.  How do we counter the chameleon syndrome?  

(1) Get back to God's Word.  The Word will sustain you; (2) Do your own research--do not be gullible; (3) Be careful of your choice of peers and friends.   

In January 2021, Christina Crenshaw, a lecturer at Baylor University, responded to President Biden's executive order on gender identity and sexual?orientation discrimination, whereby people could choose which restroom or locker room they would like to use, regardless of sex.  Christina is a wife and mother and wrote on Twitter, "What if I don't want biological boys in the bathroom with my daughter?"  Soon, people from the school and community were calling for her dismissal from teaching in the school! Also, many faith-based Christian organizations are being censured from Twitter and Facebook. It's called the "Canceled Culture."  

John Stonestreet, president of the Colson Center, said recently: "Eventually, we will be forced to choose God's Word or the spirit of the age." Our world is changing, but we cannot change; laws are changing, but we cannot change; people are trying to influence us, but we cannot change. Do not give in to the chameleon syndrome!  Be awake and aware to what's going on; and be steadfast to be what God tells you to be! 

Mark 11:15-17 NIV says: "¹⁵ On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple courts and began driving out those who were buying and selling... He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, ¹⁶ and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. ¹⁷ And as he taught them, he said, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it a den of robbers.'" 

1. Arise and Awake with Conviction  

Hebrews 12:1 NIV says: "...since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us           run with perseverance the race marked out for us." 

God gave us "a great cloud of witnesses" to show us how to live and navigate through life by trusting God and His faithfulness; live with conviction. Be a doer of the Word not just a hearer. 

On Tuesday Pastor Gavin Tsuda and I prayed for his father, who had COVID and was in a coma for six weeks. Doctors said he would never wake up, and if he did, he would be a vegetable.  His two brothers are doctors and they wanted to pull the plug, but Pastor Gavin said, "God spoke to me!" and told them, "No, no.  He's going to wake up!"  They said, "No way! He's not coming to.'"  He told them, "Don't pull the plug!" On Thursday morning his father came out of the coma; (his brother was in the hospital room and Pastor Gavin was at home) and Gavin told his brother to put the phone by the father's ear--it was a Zoom call.  Because his father was not a believer, Pastor Gavin, with conviction, shared the good news of Jesus Christ with him, and he accepted Jesus with a nod.  Yes!  Friday morning, 24 hours later, his father went home to be with the Lord!  Tell me that's not God's providence, a miracle because of Pastor Gavin's conviction!  

Arise, awake and recognize that Jesus dwells in you; and ward off the chameleon influence; and live with conviction! 

DISCUSSION QUESIONS:

1. What does it mean to be Christ-Centered and putting others first?

2. Why is studying the Word of God and praying an integral part of your life?

3. Explain the "Chameleon Syndrome" influence.  

4. Share an experience you had of giving your testimony with conviction. What was outcome?