It’s All About the Son Part 1

Guest (Male): Today, with Pastor Jonathan Evans.
Jonathan Evans: Those that he foreknew, he already predestined to be conformed into the image of his son. And those that he predestined, he already called. And those that he called, he already justified. And those that he justified, he already glorified. So what then can you say? If God is for you, then who in the world can be against you? Other than ourselves and a broken perspective on why we're here. He has called you to experience his promise, to experience your greatness. And it goes beyond you if you didn't know.
Guest (Male): You're listening to The Faith Walk with Jonathan Evans. In a moment, Jonathan will continue today's message. But first, to thank you for your support of this ministry, Jonathan has two gifts for you. The first is the audio series that you're currently hearing called All Eyes on Jesus, helping you refocus on the one who changes everything. The second part of this gift is a book by Dr. Tony Evans called The Power of Jesus' Names. Discover how the names of Jesus reveal his character, his purpose, and his power in your life today. How can knowing him more deeply transform your faith? I'll tell you more about these later in today's program. Or you can call right now at 1-800-800-3222 or visit tonyevans.org to learn more. Now, let's get started with Jonathan's message, It's All About the Son.
Jonathan Evans: In our history, we can look back and say that we have been blessed. But we understand because of the history, the real definition of a blessing. In American culture, we have a false definition of a blessing because we tend to be narcissistic when it comes to our faith. We think a blessing is the favor of God to me. No, you missed half. The blessing is not just the favor of God to you. God is not interested in blessing a cul-de-sac. He's looking to bless someone who is going to be a conduit. So today, we're going to talk about the real definition and how to go get it because we want to actually have a Kingdom legacy. The real definition of a blessing is the favor of God to you so that it may flow through you. That's why the church is here. Because the church has not just existed for itself, but for the blessing of a whole community and even more than that, the world. If you want a Kingdom legacy, then it can't just be about you. What's the point of being applauded on earth? It's about a Kingdom legacy. That's why the church is here and exists. It's for his Kingdom so that it can be on earth a little bit more like it is in heaven. That is the goal of this life and of your life. Who wants to walk in the sands of life only to look back and see that there were no footprints? Who wants to get a well done on a social media status only to not get it in heavenly places? If you really want greatness, you live your life for his Kingdom. Let me tell you this story. It was 2006. 2006, I was playing with the San Diego Chargers. You don't know me for football because everybody was better than me, but who cares? I was there. And in 2006, they didn't have the rules back then that they have now. Now, they have rules to protect the person who's in the pads. Like you can't practice when it's this hot, you can't go out there and do too many practices, you don't need to wear pads too much. They're kind of babying them now. When I was playing, they could care less about your whole life. So we would go out and be in training camp and there was no light at the end of the tunnel. And if there was a little light, it was just an oncoming train. Training camp was a beast. We would practice two, sometimes three times a day in 100-degree weather. We had coaches back then that said water is for weakness. It was just a totally different ball game. We dreaded going out there because of how hard it was. And I remember it like it was yesterday. By day four, the veterans started talking about retirement. By day five, the rookies, meaning me and the rest of the boys, were calling home saying, "Get everything ready, I will be home soon, gladly." I'm trying to get up out of here. Because by day six, we had already been through almost 20 practices. You thought you had been there for three weeks only to look up to see that you still have five weeks left of this nonsense. And I'll never forget. Day six, we went out to practice and everybody was feeling sorry for themselves. The quarterback was throwing interceptions. LaDainian Tomlinson, for you football fans, was the running back at the time. He was fumbling the ball. People weren't tackling, nobody was hitting anybody. It was just terrible. I looked at the head coach and saw that he had taken notice, but he didn't say a word. He just watched the catastrophe happen. Then he let us go into the locker room and change clothes and he didn't say anything. So I thought he understands what we're going through and he's letting us get away with one. That is, until day seven or day eight came around when we came into the team meeting room at 6:45 a.m. And I remember vividly being slouched in my chair with my eyes halfway shut, just trying to make it through. And you could hear the grumbling, groaning, and complaining go across the room. And then the door slammed closed and all went quiet because the elephant had just entered the room. For you football fans, you may know, his name was Marty Schottenheimer. He was a tough coach. And this day I knew was different because he just paced and he looked. For five minutes, there was no talking. He took the time to look at each individual player right in the eyes, almost as if to see what we were thinking. I went to the edge of my seat because I was wondering what he was going to say when he finally started talking. And then he spoke. He said, "Guys, I did not just cast a net in hopes that the great players that I needed to win a Super Bowl with the 2006 San Diego Chargers would just so happen by luck fall into it." He said, "That's not the way this works. You were hand-selected, cherry-picked, and chosen by none other than myself. And I'm Marty Schottenheimer, I don't make mistakes with who I choose. I watched your game tape from beforehand. I knew exactly what you would do to contribute to this team so that we can advance and win like we're called to win." "I've even given you a book that's been tried and tested over the course of my career. I know it works. I've given you a coaching staff that can teach it to you. I've given you a field where you can practice it so you can execute it. And most importantly, I've given you a uniform with your name on it. Don't embarrass it." He said, "I've given you everything you need to experience this promise, but you've got to do something for me. I can give you the book, I can give you the coaches, I can give you the field, I can give you a uniform. But if you're not willing to maintain its integrity, you'll miss out on the promise that I drafted you for. Now stop wasting your time and my time. Enough's enough. Stop grumbling, groaning, and complaining because training camp is just a part of the promise. Stand up straight, strap on your pads, slip on your helmet, and meet me on the 50-yard line because the time for your greatness will start right now." We went out there with smoke coming out of our ears and fire coming out of our noses. Not because anything was different other than our perspective. We had realized now why we had been called. And I want you to understand that God has a Kingdom legacy. He has over 8,000 promises in the Bible. He has given you a book that's been tried and tested. He knows it works. He's given you people who can explain it to you. He's given you a culture where you can practice it in. Most importantly, by the blood of Jesus Christ, he's given you a uniform with your name on it. But he can give you all of that and have promises that he's already given and set aside for you that you miss out on if you're not willing to maintain the integrity of what you've been given. So I know there's trials and hardships along the way, but we cannot be a church that continues to whine, grumble, groan, and complain. We've got to step out on faith to experience his promise. And the last time I checked, he's God. He doesn't make mistakes with who he chooses. So if you're in this room, it's because you're called. And that's when I realized, when I had left the NFL in 2009, I was lost. I didn't know what was next for me. My whole life was in the game. So I didn't know what was next for me. I saw what my siblings and dad and all of them were doing, mom was doing and all that, but I was like, yeah, but little old me, I don't know what I'm about to do. And I prayed to God. I said, "God, help me understand what I'm supposed to do. What do you have for me? Why am I here?" And he knocked on the door of my heart and he said, "You remember that speech Marty gave you back in 2006?" I said, "Yes, sir." He said, "Haven't I said the same thing to you? Those that he foreknew, he already predestined to be conformed into the image of his son. And those that he predestined, he already called. And those that he called, he already justified. And those that he justified, he already glorified. So what then can you say? If God is for you, then who in the world can be against you?"
Guest (Male): More of The Faith Walk with Pastor Jonathan Evans in a moment. When life leaves you feeling spiritually dry, pressured by culture, or unsure of your purpose, All Eyes on Jesus will help you refocus on the one who changes everything. Today, with a gift to support the ministry of The Urban Alternative, Jonathan wants to give you a copy of his eight-part audio series All Eyes on Jesus. What could happen if you fixed your eyes on Jesus in every area of your life? Also included with your gift is a book by Dr. Tony Evans, The Power of Jesus' Names. Discover how the names of Jesus reveal his character, his purpose, and his power in your life today. Both the book, The Power of Jesus' Names, and the eight-part audio series All Eyes on Jesus are a gift for you to thank you to show our appreciation for your continued support. It is listeners like you who make this program possible. Our 24-hour resource request line is open at 1-800-800-3222. Let one of our team members help you. 1-800-800-3222. Or get all the details online at tonyevans.org. How can knowing him more deeply transform your faith? Now, let's get back to Jonathan with the rest of today's message.
Jonathan Evans: And those that he predestined, he already called. And those that he called, he already justified. And those that he justified, he already glorified. So what then can you say? If God is for you, then who in the world can be against you other than ourselves and a broken perspective on why we're here? He has called you to experience his promise, to experience your greatness. And it goes beyond you if you didn't know. So I've got to take you to these three verses if I can have a moment. In Genesis chapter 12, he calls a man to greatness. A person in the Bible who you know well. And he says, "I'm going to give you a great nation. I'm going to give you a great name. I'm going to bless those who are on your side, curse those who are not on your side. In you, all the families of the earth will be blessed." That is a monster promise of God. But first, I need you to leave your country, leave your relatives, leave your father's house, and go to a place you've never been before. This is why many of us miss out on our promise because we'd rather be comfortable than be called. He said, "Oh no, but first, let me take you through training camp before we talk about all this blessing stuff." Everybody gets excited and flip over pews about the blessing, but when it comes to the calling, oh, that's where we struggle. Because Abraham had already settled in a place called Haran in Genesis 11. He had already settled. The word "settled" is not the same word as "camped." "Camped" means I'm still going somewhere. "Settled" means I'm done. He was already good with where he was. He was already good with how his situation was. He had already dropped anchor with no plans to go any further. And there are people in this room, you have dropped anchor in how you operate in your marriage, you have dropped anchor in what you're going to do in this life, how you perceive things based on your history, what it's told you, how you're going to go about life, and can't nobody tell you nothing. Because you have already settled in how you're going to do it. Abraham was already settled and then it says the word of the Lord came to Abraham and said, "Go forth from the place that you just settled." That tells me something about God's voice. God's voice unsettles those who are settled. So if you ever wanted to know if God is talking, it is not that voice in your head that's telling you what you already want to do anyway. That's your voice, that's why it sounds like you. And many of us are trying to forge God's signature on our desires. And we go to people and say, "Let me tell you what the word of the Lord told me," and then you blurt out something you've been talking about and wanting to do for the last two years. No, when God speaks, he's not thinking what you're thinking. He's God. As high as the heavens are above the earth, are his ways from your ways, his thoughts from your thoughts. He's not thinking what you're thinking, he's uprooting you from what you're thinking. He's actually taking that settled feeling that you desire and he's unsettling you. When God wants to do something big, he tells Noah to build an ark even though he had never seen rain. When he wants to do something big, he tells Gideon we're going with 300 against these thousands. When he wants to do something big, he says, "Sarah, we're going to have this baby," and I know you aren't ready now. Throughout the Bible, when he does something big, he unsettles people. So my question is, what has God been saying to you that you've been pushing back on? Over and over and over again for weeks, months, years, some of you decades, it's been the same thing. He's been telling you no, not this job, that job. He's been telling you and speaking to you, he's saying, "Uh-uh, you need to rededicate and you need to get your relationship right with that estranged son." No, you've got to be a man in your house, you can't be afraid to have devotions. Yeah, you've got to talk to your son and your daughters, you've got to spend time with them, you've got to be able to forgive. If you don't forgive, we aren't going anywhere. He's been telling you, "You've got to relocate, we're going to a place you've never seen before." But why would I do that? I'm comfortable where I am. You've been talking about it for weeks and months. I'm holding your Kingdom legacy and I'm not going to let it go until you move. And you know what it is because it's been years. Same thing. And your logic is trying to justify yourself out of it because you're uncomfortable and you start thinking, well, I don't have the ability. You start thinking I can't do it. You start thinking little old me? Wasn't Moses who said, "Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh?" Because it's always bigger than you. That's how God builds a dependence in you on him. He says, "Abraham, don't jump to these blessings until you're willing to get uncomfortable with my calling. Go forth from your relatives and from your father's house to the place where I will show you." The keyword here is the smallest word. It's called "go." Two letters is the hinge. I went to my dad's room and I was studying the passage. This is a long time ago. I went to my dad's room and I was studying this passage. I said, "Dad, let's do a word study on 'go'." So we did a study, two hours of exhaustive study on the word "go", and it meant "go." It literally rendered "don't stay where you are." In other words, it's not a hard word to interpret. So why is it when God speaks, it's such a hard word for you to interpret? I've been telling you to go. Need to say something to you. That if you don't go when God is speaking, you will miss out on the promises he had for you. God, listen to me, God can make promises you never see. Ask the first generation of the people of Israel. They had a promised land and got cut off because they kept talking about Egypt. They didn't have the faith enough to step into what he had for them. He kept his promise and just gave it to the next group. Because he's going where he's going. You have to decide if it's with you or without you. Go. I know the fear thing. I have it too. But God has not given you the spirit of fear. Comes from somewhere else. Let me say it again. Kingdom legacy here. You here. If you don't go over here, he's not doing this. Because he's not going to waste it. Go to a land which I will show. Now in biblical hermeneutics, the study of the Bible, we believe the word of God is God-breathed. That means not only do we believe it, but we believe that every word is appropriately positioned for your interpretation. That means when you study this and you see that the word "go" comes before the word "show", that means you think in order for God to show, first I must go. That's how you interpret it. Most people want God to show before they go. But God can't disagree with himself. So the reason why he's not answering your prayer is because your feet are stuck in the mud. And until you go, he won't show so that he can remain integral to himself. You want to know that the grass on the other side of the fence is as green as what you currently are standing on before you move and you're going to miss your promise. Okay, let's recount some history, shall we? June 6th, 1976, the church started. But that's not how it started. Tony and Lois Evans were at Carver Bible College in Atlanta, Georgia. He knew that he was going to Indiana to go to seminary. But one of his professors said, "I think you should look at Dallas Theological Seminary." He said, "But it's too late, I've already registered and it's too late to register for DTS." He said, "Yeah, but DTS is a big deal and I think you're going to really learn what you need to learn specific to Dallas Theological Seminary." The professor said, "What I'm going to do is I'm going to pay your application fee. I feel that strongly about it." So my dad and mom were already settled on Indiana. But then at the last minute, at the last minute, when I'm already settled on what I'm going to do, you come in with a different word. And how I know it's you is because they didn't just throw it off. They were like, man, they started struggling with it. And as they struggled with it, my dad said, "Okay, well, if they're going to pay for it, why don't I just go ahead and apply?" When they applied, they got accepted. Oh, that made the struggle worse. And now I got accepted, but they got accepted on probation because they applied late. The professor said, "I still think this is the place." So by faith, they changed from where they were going to where we are now, to Dallas Theological Seminary. While he was at Dallas Theological Seminary, I say they because while he was doing the studying, Lois was doing everything else to make it happen, they started a Bible study. This was just because they loved to teach the word. They'd have friends over, they loved to teach the word. Two men were hearing Dr. Evans teach the word and they kept hearing this Kingdom world view. So they came to him. Now mind you, he was already settled again that after he finished seminary, he was going to go back to the East Coast to be an evangelist. Tony Evans was not trying to be a pastor. He was trying to be an evangelist and he was already settled on that idea. But then while he was doing this Bible study and these two men heard this Kingdom world view, they said, "Dallas needs that Kingdom world view and we believe that Kingdom world view from Dallas will go beyond Dallas." So they went to him and said, "We think you should start a local church and not go to the East Coast." He said, "Oh, again? Y'all keep talking to me. I already was settled." But now he's unsettled again. Now him and my mom are talking and dealing with this internal turmoil of do we stay here or do we go to the East Coast and be an evangelist? Because my dad was just going to Billy Graham it. He was going to be out there just teaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. And while that's a great thing, God had another thing.
Guest (Male): That was Pastor Jonathan Evans. Before you go today, I want to remind you that we have a couple of gifts for you. An eight-part audio series All Eyes on Jesus and a book, The Power of Jesus' Names. How can knowing him more deeply transform your faith? Through Dr. Evans' book, The Power of Jesus' Names, you'll discover how the name of Jesus reveals his character, his purpose, and his power in your life today. We're also including Jonathan Evans' All Eyes on Jesus audio series, helping you refocus on the one who changes everything. Discover how to deepen your faith, stand firm in difficult times, and live with confidence in God's calling. What could happen if you fixed your eyes on Jesus in every area of your life? Both resources are a gift to you to thank you for your donation to help support the ministry of The Urban Alternative. It's our way of showing appreciation for the continued support of listeners like you who make this program possible. Call 1-800-800-3222 anytime or get all the details online at tonyevans.org. Again, that's tonyevans.org. Or you can call our 24-hour resource request line at 1-800-800-3222 and let one of our team members help you. That's 1-800-800-3222. Thank you for listening to The Faith Walk with Jonathan Evans. The Faith Walk is produced as a part of The Urban Alternative, a ministry of Dr. Tony Evans.