Awe

Has there ever been a time when you were flat out amazed by something? 

A time I was amazed was when Sierra and I got to go to Disneyland Paris. I was fairly against going at first, but it was a can-not-miss item for Sierra. I thought it would feel kiddy and didn’t really think I’d enjoy it much. However, when we arrived, I immediately had a “foot in mouth” moment as I found myself amazed at every little thing at Disneyland Paris. Everything about it was spectacular! But the thing that set it over the edge was Hyperspace Mountain.  

Something to know about Disneyland Paris is that they have rides similar to ours, but the rides are a little wilder as they have increased speeds and added elements such as loops or rolls. So, instead of Space Mountain, they have Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain! It was, and is, the single greatest rollercoaster I’ve ever been on. It left me totally baffled. The ride begins with the usual Star Wars scroll, the intro theme playing, and then you’re launched at extreme speeds into the bulk of the ride where you’re surrounded by TIE fighters and X-wings battling throughout the ride. It was the cherry on top that left me totally amazed by Disneyland Paris.  

Over and over in the gospel accounts, we see Jesus perform miracles that leave people amazed. The Bible uses language such as amazed, marveled, or even astounded as people respond to seeing what Jesus would do. In Mark 6 Jesus feeds the 5,000 and walks on water, and then Mark 6:51-52 tell us of the disciples, “And he got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. And they were utterly astounded, for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened.” Notice how their hearts were hardened though. They were amazed, but it didn’t result in worship.  

When we find ourselves amazed or in awe of Jesus, it should stir our affections to worship Him. At The Mount, we define worship as our response to who God is and what He has done for us in Christ. When we know who He is, we can’t help but worship. When we understand what He has done for us, there’s nothing we can do but worship. So, what is it that leaves you amazed about Jesus? 

In John 4, Jesus is interacting with a Samaritan woman. Remember that Jews and Samaritans don’t interact so there’s a major cultural norm that’s being broken here when He does this. Due to some ministry circumstances, Jesus finds Himself in Sychar, a town of Samaria, where He’s sitting beside a well. A woman from Samaria approaches, and Jesus, ignoring cultural norms, begins a conversation with her by requesting a drink. Startled by the breaking of cultural norms, she brings up the fact that He’s talking to her. He then explains further about living water which seems to really confuse her. So, Jesus provides clarity. “Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” - John 4:13-14 

In the following verses we learn four things about Jesus; Jesus knows, Jesus corrects, Jesus teaches, and Jesus declares.  

• Jesus Knows (v.16-18): Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.” The woman answered him, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You are right in saying, ‘I have no husband’; for you have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband. What you have said is true.”  

This part always used to confuse me a bit. I used to wonder why Jesus would seemingly roast this woman in this way, but v.13-14 help us to understand why. Jesus brings up her husbands to show that she’s longing for something, but these men, which Jesus refers to as “water,” will never be able to satisfy that longing. She’ll always “be thirsty again.” 

Here’s where I think this really connects to us though. Jesus shares information from this woman’s life that she likely would have preferred to keep quiet. He openly shares about her past and while this seems super shameful, I want to focus on Jesus. He knows this woman. He knows every single detail about her, and He knows us in the same manner. While we may be able to get away with putting on a mask for a Sunday to hide what’s really going on, Jesus sees straight through that. The same way He knows this woman, He knows each of us. He knows our sins, our struggles, what we delight in, what we cling to, the idols we’re tempted by, and every detail in between. He knows this woman, yet He’s still there interacting with her. He’s still breaking cultural norms to have this conversation with her. Why? Because He still cares for her despite what she has done. Jesus knows you yet loves you. He knows you yet desires a relationship with you. He knows you yet sacrificed Himself for you. That alone should move us to be amazed by Him, but the passage continues.  

• Jesus Corrects (v.19-22): “The woman said to him, “Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship.”  Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews.” 

This section requires a little Old Testament context to understand. When Judah and Israel were divided, Jeroboam established shrines in the north (at Bethel and Dan) to discourage his subjects from traveling to Jerusalem for the three annual feasts (see 1 Kings 12:25-33). After the northern kingdom fell to Assyria (721 BC), the split widened between the Jews in Jerusalem and the Israelites living in Samaria. The Israelites built a temple on Mount Gerizim, the location of this interaction, which was destroyed around 130 BC. Samaritans have continued to worship on Mount Gerizim even to this day. So, when the Samaritan woman is stating that “Our fathers worshipped on this mountain…” this is what she means by it. However, Jesus is going to correct this to help her understand what true worship is.  

See, the Samaritan woman was thinking of worship as a place. Worship to her was something that only happened “on this mountain” (v.20) or “in Jerusalem” (v.20). However, Jesus is subtly telling her that He’s about to change worship from being something we only do in certain places to making it about a lifestyle. This isn’t the only time that Jesus corrects false thoughts on worship either.  

 “‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’” - Matthew 15:8-9 

Jesus isn’t after supplemental worship or lip service, but after hearts that are surrendered to Him. How might our lives be different if our awe of Jesus didn’t just lead us to worship in church on Sunday mornings, but live lives of worship in reverence of Him? 

• Jesus Teaches (v.23-24): “But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” 

After correcting, He goes on to teach the Samaritan woman, as well as us, what actual worship is. We are to “worship the Father in spirit and truth.” Commentaries go back and forth on what exactly is meant here, but both are mentioned. The Holy Spirit shapes us through sanctification and the Bible stands as our objective truth. Do you desire the Spirit, as painful as it may be, to be shaping and molding you to be more like Jesus? Are you willing to surrender in holy obedience to the truth that is found in Scripture? We don’t do these things from a place of legalism, but from a place of awe. This is what Jesus desires in our worship.  

• Jesus Declares (v.25-26): “The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things.” Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am he.” 

This is the one occasion before His trial when Jesus declares Himself as the Messiah. Of all the situations He could have revealed Himself as the Messiah, Jesus reveals Himself to this Samaritan woman. He culturally shouldn’t be talking to her, knows everything about her yet interacted with her anyways, had to reteach her the heart behind worship, and is now confirming to her that He is indeed the coming Messiah she has heard about. When you consider everything happening in this interaction, this is such a sweet moment. Everything she has sought after to find satisfaction has yet been left empty. Everything she has been through, yet she’s face to face with Jesus because He is choosing to reveal Himself to her. Now, remember when you came to know Jesus. How does that stir your affections for Him? He chose to reveal Himself to you and now you get to live in a relationship with Him. Praise God!  

The section closes by showing us a few responses that take place.  

(v.27-30): Just then his disciples came back. They marveled that he was talking with a woman, but no one said, “What do you seek?” or “Why are you talking with her?” So, the woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people, “Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?” They went out of the town and were coming to him.” 

Disciples’ Response: “marveled that He was talking with a woman.” They miss out on the point of this interaction. Her response: “left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people, “Come see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?”” She actually leaves the whole reason she went to the well sitting there on the ground to go tell others about this interaction. Her awe of Jesus results in others coming to Him as well. Don’t miss that part! Your awe of Jesus could do the same. The Peoples’ Response: “They went out of the town and were coming to Him.” The people respond to the woman’s excitement by coming to see themselves.  

Big question: What is your response to who Jesus is and what He has done for you? 

As much as I love the Hyperspace Mountain ride, I intentionally left out the best part. There’s a particular barrel roll in the middle of the ride where you travel through the laser shots of the X-wings and TIE fighters shooting at each other in battle so as the shots come across, you actually barrel roll right through the middle of them to narrowly avoid the shots. Absolutely insane. That’s what set it over the top. I rode it multiple times, and every single ride, that was the thing that blew my mind.  

When it comes to worship, the thing that will leave us in awe is not the setting, who is leading worship, the day we’ve had, or anything else. It’s who Jesus is and what He has done for us. When we find ourselves in awe of Jesus, we can’t help but to worship Him the way we are designed to, in full awestruck surrender to the Lord and Savior of the world. 

What about Him and what He has done for you leaves you amazed or in awe? What about Him stirs your affections and gives you the desire to live a life of worship? What’s your response? 

Written by: Joseph Hefner

Guilt and Grace

Grief, anxiety, love, celebration, pain, and struggles were common stories we heard as week after week our college and career CG would meet and share.  

As Leslie and I got to know our group better and listened to their stories more deeply, a common thread emerged. A sense of guilt. I do not believe it has anything to do with the uniqueness of their stage of life; I think it is something we all struggle with.   

Our group was made up of good kids. Most, but not all, were raised in church.  Many had walked with Christ for years, and some were getting their first introduction.  Yet one thing that struck me is how much grace they had for each other, and at the same time so little grace for themselves. 

“But there was that one night when <insert struggle here>.” 
“I just can’t seem to break the power that <insert sin here> continues to have over me.” 

Guilt-ridden is how many came on any Sunday night; unable to forgive themselves for sins of the past (or present). Determined to help them understand their identity in Christ, we started a chapter-by-chapter study through The Grace Awakening by Charles Swindoll. 

Week after week we discussed the beauty and depth of grace. Our group never cheapened grace with a get-out-of-jail free card which might encourage reckless living; they were very restrained, offering grace to others, but not seeing that the same grace applied to each of them.  They were a new creation in Christ, unworthy of His grace, but willingly holding it as a valuable gift. We never saw in them the danger of standing in judgment over others, but they struggled with being judge and jury over their own actions and decisions. Each of us cries for the mercy of God but also holds the attitude that if God truly knew me, He might not be as full of grace and love. If He knew what a wreck I had made of my life or had seen that secret sin I hope no one will catch me in (you know the one, it’s the one you can’t let go of), then certainly He couldn’t love me so easily. 

At times, we tend to take the seat of judgment from God. We see Him as the Holy, loving judge for others, yet when it comes to THAT sin in our lives, we become judge and jury of ourselves, and we find ourselves guilty. We serve a God, who by His mercy, has declared us NOT GUILTY. Not because He is impressed by us or because we deserve it, but because He sees us through His Son with whom He is well pleased.  

We cannot fathom the depth of grace God has for His children, the ones who are hidden in the righteousness of His Son.   We are not guilty because He declared us not guilty. That is our identity. God is on His throne! 

Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. 2 Blessed is the man against whom the LORD counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit. Psalms 32:1-2 (ESV)  

Written by: Tim Gardner 

Tim and Leslie Gardner have been at The Mount for seven years. They have two daughters, 26 and 18 who both attend The Mount.  The Gardners have served in children’s ministry, students, as CG leaders, and both are Certified Biblical Counselors. 

The Word Revealed

Rhythm: Be With Jesus

I consider myself to be a Bible nerd. It fascinates me to see connections between the Old and New Testament, seeing the big picture of scripture which has an overlying major thread running from the first page of the Bible to the last. Even as a kid, I used to sit in “big church” because I wanted to be a part of the sermons and deep study. I am thankful the Lord gave me a desire to learn, but more importantly that he provided his Word to reveal more of himself to us each day.  

God has revealed himself to his creation in many ways.  Paul makes an argument in Romans 1 that through the general revelation of God to all mankind, no one has an excuse to say they do not know him. “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they [we] are without excuse” (Rom. 1:20). Having a knowledge of God’s existence does not have the power to save; it can convict, but the natural world around us cannot convey the message of Christ and the hope and mechanism of salvation. 

The fullest manifestation of God’s glory in his creation is through the person of Jesus Christ – “and the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). 

God also gave to his creation the written Word as a revelation of his person, his nature, his character, and his righteousness. The Holy Spirit inspired men to record the heart and mind of God as it had been shown to them, the infallible, enduring Word that is the highest authority among creation. Just hear how men under the inspiration and authority of the Spirit speak about scripture:  

“All scripture is God-breathed and useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness.” 2 Timothy 3:16 

“Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it.” Luke 11:28 

“The grass withers and the flowers fade, but the word of our God stands forever.” Isaiah 40:8 

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” Psalm 119:105 

We should ask, why did God create language?  If we were created to simply bring glory to God in individual worship, then there was no need for us to be able to communicate with each other.  Language was created, though, for us to be able to share the knowledge of God, ideas about God, and worship God corporately.  His inspired Word was given so we could combine our intellectual experiences as we explore who we are and who he is.  God gave us his Word to understand his redemptive plan through history; to preserve it, and to share it with others.  To understand him more deeply drives us to enjoy and worship him more thoroughly. 

God’s word reveals his lovingkindness; the beauty of his holiness is recorded in the pages of scripture. He invites each of us into a personal relationship with him, then shows us who he is through the depth of his word. Enjoy a quiet time as His Word washes over you; love him with all your mind as you study with your Bible and a good, thick commentary. “For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” (1 Cor. 1:18). Believer, come to the table and feast on the nourishment that is the Word of God. 

Written By: Tim Gardner 

Identity in Christ

Rhythm: Be with Jesus

Maybe you’ve had the unfortunate dream where you are being pursued by someone or something. In the broken physics of the dreamworld, no matter how hard you try, your pursuer is gaining ground. A few years ago, it seemed everywhere I looked I found Isaiah 43:18-21. It was in devotionals, emails, and even on the lips of my friends. God was pursuing me with the loving truth that my identity was found in Him and not my circumstances.

"Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. 19 Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. 20 The wild beasts will honor me, the jackals and the ostriches, for I give water in the wilderness, rivers in the desert, to give drink to my ch”osen people, 21 the people whom I formed for myself that they might declare my praise.”

As Christians, our identity is found in Jesus, who saves us, forms us for Himself, and calls us to live our lives for Him.

The past doesn’t define our identity. In 2 Corinthians 5:17, Paul says, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." We tend to hold on to our past whether it is our past sins, who we used to be, or what others think of us, but the Lord wants us to look forward to what He is doing in our lives. When we hold on to the things of old, we are not putting our trust in Him. He has chosen us, has made us a new creation, and is sanctifying us. He is active in our lives and doing new things, now we get to live in that freedom and declare His praise.

Our present identity is defined, not in isolation, but with our ever-faithful friend, Jesus. We find this in Colossian 1:9-14. This scripture shows who we are in Christ, we get to share in the inheritance that belongs to His people who live in the light, and we are no longer slaves to sin, because Jesus has purchased our freedom and forgiven us.

To continually find our identity in Christ, we have to acknowledge the battle for what it is. There are competing allegiances, distractions, and desires of the flesh. These enemies can be external but often are the internal lies that we tell ourselves. I want to encourage you to not get caught up in negative self-talk because of circumstances, what others have said, or how they made you feel. Instead focus on the truths that we can easily find in God's Word. As we follow Jesus together, walk in the strength of who you are in Him, in endurance in the path before you, and in patience with each other.

To close, pray Colossians 1:9-14 over yourself, your family, and our church.

“I ask you God to give us complete knowledge of Your will and to give us spiritual wisdom and understanding. Then the way we live will always honor and please You Lord, and our lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, we will grow as we learn to know You, God better and better. I pray that we will be strengthened with Your glorious power, and you will provide us the endurance and patience we need each day. May we be filled with joy, always thanking You, Father. For You have enabled us to share in the inheritance that belongs to Your people, who live in the light. For You have rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of Your dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins. Amen."

Written by Kim Wreay

Kim has been a member at The Mount since 2006 and on staff as a ministry admin since 2014. She has two great boys, Tommy and Sammy. Kim leads a women's community group and is part of our biblical counseling team.

Repent and Believe

Rhythm: Be with Jesus

The gospel of Mark moves quickly and is action-driven towards Jesus’ words and works. Much like the war film, 1917, which followed two soldiers tasked with delivering a life-or-death message to Colonel Mackenzie. With 1,600 men hanging in the balance of this delivery, they had less than sixteen hours to successfully deliver this message. Whereas the gospel of Mark is focused on one man, the man Christ Jesus, and His message of life in exchange for His death. That is exactly how John Mark expresses his authorial intent of Jesus’ ministry. Within the very first chapter, Mark gets right to the gospel, ‘Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”’ (Mk. 1:14–15). Just as the lifesaving news successfully reached Colonel Mackenzie (spoiler alert), Jesus is proclaiming the good news of the gospel, that there is life in Himself, so repent and believe in Him.  

In the same way, wars determine the outcome of how people’s lives are sovereignly lived, Jesus is bringing cosmic war terms. However, the war is unseen, and its effects change nations. This was precisely the message of the kingdom of God through the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is news that demands a response because the time is at hand. God’s kingdom is being inaugurated, so repent and believe. The implication of this response to repent and believe is not just an event but an ongoing response to the reality of who is sovereignly reigning over our lives. It is the beginning of basic training under the sovereign rule of the kingdom of God. In the same way, the two soldiers’ basic training equipped them to accomplish their mission of delivering a message, our basic training in spiritual disciplines begins with confessing and repenting of our old way of thinking, believing, and acting, and turning toward God’s way according to His kingdom because it is now a reality.  

As we Follow Jesus Together, we are called to live according to His spiritual rhythms, which begin with confession and repentance (turning from ourselves) and turning towards Him in full trust of our lives. Confession and repentance are the beginning posture of humbling ourselves under His mighty hand and it is an everyday process. John the Baptist expressed this idea as ‘bear fruits in keeping with repentance’ (Lk. 3:8). In other words, there is an attitudinal reality of us confessing (affirming God’s nature and will of) our rebellious hearts and repenting of (turning from) our selfish desires towards His desires (His will). This is a daily dynamic in the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit in our lives, and when we recognize that process, it empowers us to pursue humility. The temptation is when focusing on confession and repentance a lot, we start to feel and believe that we are terrible people, like it is a constant beatdown. Know that this is the flesh’s response to God’s work in our lives.  

Be encouraged that confessing and repenting of our self-centeredness daily, is a daily dose of God’s enabling grace that the Holy Spirit is conforming into the image of Christ, the image of the invisible God (Col. 1:15). We must embrace the grace of the Holy Spirit convicting us of our sin, that we would confess it and repent of it, trusting the process of His rhythms of grace. So, trust the process of confessing and repenting—daily let this discipline become your delight.     

Written By Michael Van Dyke