Lent: Walking Confident in Our Assurance

We are in our second week of the season of Lent.

Lent is the season of the 40 days leading up to Good Friday and Easter.

So we want to give you a few resources.

Perhaps you're looking for something to read during the Lent season, maybe a new devotional.

Here's a couple books.

The first is Show Me the Way by Henry Nowen, a great book for Lent.

And the second is Lent by Esau Macaulay.

These would both be great resources for you just through the season of Lent, preparing your heart for Good Friday and for Easter.

Now, historically in Lent, people fast from something.

They pick something that they fast for these 40 days.

Maybe you're fasting from a certain thing.

Is anybody fasting from a certain thing?

You don't have to be ashamed.

You say, Yeah, I'm fine.

I gave up something for Lent.

This is kind of a historical thing that people do.

Now, what's interesting, uh, if you gave up, maybe you give up your daily Starbucks, right?

And like the moment you want your daily Starbucks and you want it so badly, that's the moment it helps you remember.

Oh, the thing that I need the most in life is really God's love to me in Jesus.

And so the sacrifice can help us to remember Christ through this season.

Now, what's interesting is that the 40 days during Lent do not count Sundays.

Sundays are actually known as feast days.

So it's very possible you've been over-sacrificing for years.

Over-sacrificing.

What you're supposed to do on feast days, on Sundays, is you're supposed to feast on.

So have five Starbucks.

Like you just, you're gonna go, you just go for it.

You'd be a jittery mass, or you're just gonna go for it.

You feast on it.

Well, it's designed that way because on Sundays the church gathers together and we feast on the gospel.

And this morning we're gonna feast.

We're gonna look at this passage, but we're gonna feast on the assurance that we have in Jesus' fierce love for us.

Let's reread our passage.

Luke 13, 31 through 35.

At that very hour, some Pharisees came and said to him, said to Jesus, Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you.

And he said to them, Go and tell that fox, behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I finished my course.

Nevertheless, I must go on my way today and tomorrow and the day following, for it cannot be that a prophet should perish away from Jerusalem.

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it.

How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you are not willing?

Behold, your house is forsaken, and I tell you, you will not see me until you say, Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.

So this passage, it can give us a feast of assurance because of the fierceness of God's love for us in this Jesus.

Now, as for a definition, here's a definition of assurance.

What does it mean to be assured with God?

Assurance is God-given confidence, so God-given, not merit created, not I'm good enough or I've worked enough.

God-given confidence that in Christ we are fully approved by God in the present.

It is fully approved.

It's in Christ with confidence in that because of Him, and fully accepted by God in the future.

So we walk in confidence because we have assurance.

Our confidence comes from the assurance we have that God is with us and God is for us.

In our passage, Jesus was not afraid of Herod's threats.

There is something more profound about Jesus and his life.

He walked in confidence because he trusted that God was with him and God was for him.

That was just secure.

It was a foundation for him.

Point number one is this we walk in confidence because God is with us.

This past Thanksgiving, my family went up to Virginia to visit my sister.

She has two girls, husband, and we all went to an escape room.

Do you know what an escape room is?

So this is a picture of us once we got out.

We escaped, we made it out.

Lots of girls in our family, as you can see.

So we arrived at the escape room.

It's like a normal business park and Keith, who's working in the escape room, he welcomes us in.

It becomes very clear, Keith does not just work at the escape room.

Keith lives escape rooms.

Escape rooms is his whole life, this is love, it's his passion, it is job.

He loves, he's so excited for us.

He gets us in the room, closes the door, so we're locked in the room, and an escape room is gonna be one room or two rooms, and you work your way over the course of an hour through a series of clues and hints, and you're solving these things that lead to the next clue, the next hint, you're problem solving to escape, to get out.

And when you're in the room, the music starts to play, and it starts to get you get a little focused, a little obsessed.

Right?

Like the world gets pretty small.

You actually start and stop forgetting about the outside world, and you are just in this world.

And I found myself a little nervous, like a little anxious.

Like the music's getting to me, like some things had like kind of frightened me, like things popped out of places and scared me.

My niece got locked in a closet at one point, right?

There were some things to get anxious about, but Keith had told us before he closed the door, he said, Hey, I will be watching, and I can hear you the entire time.

And there were several times throughout it that we had to say, you know, Almighty Keith, oh Keith, oh divine Keith, will you please help us?

We don't know what to do.

We are at the end of ourselves.

We have locked Alyssa in the closet.

Like, would you please, would you please help us?

We're stuck.

Which is why we were nervous at times, rightfully anxious inside the room, and yet, because we had someone outside the room, we never really had to be afraid.

There was a limit to our anxiety.

I was assured.

We could say, I was assured because I had Heath.

Now, in Luke 13, Jesus is a great example for us.

Pretty incredible example.

He's getting threatened.

Hey, Herod wants to kill you.

But Jesus is living on purpose.

He is brave in the face of threat.

Everyone's turning against him.

He should be filled with fear and uncertainty and anxiety and all that.

But he trusts in God.

He trusts that God is with him.

And in this way, Jesus is an incredible example for us.

Like, we should be like this.

We should live on purpose, and we shouldn't have to live in fear because God has this, and we should trust God, right?

And all that.

So Jesus is our example.

And at the same time, if that's all we have, is Jesus as an example, or Jesus has teachings for us of how we should be, that very thing is our doom.

It will eventually condemn you.

Because you're not you're not perfect.

I can't live up to be like Jesus.

I want to be like Jesus because but I'm falling really short.

And so actually, Jesus' example, apart from grace and forgiveness, is going to condemn me.

The law without grace will condemn us and crush us.

So Jesus' example, amazing, great, I want to be like that.

And yet at the same time, I need him to be more than just an example.

And this is why Jesus is not just an example, but Jesus is also our savior.

Scotty Smith writes this prayer about our need and our assurance.

And listen how Jesus is not just an example, but he's our Savior.

Jesus, with fitting humility and unfiltered joy, I affirm you to be the reason, the only reason, I have no guilt in life and no fear in death.

A line from my favorite hymn, I can hardly sing without choking up in Christ alone.

I feel guilty, but I'm not.

Because you took my guilt on the cross.

I don't feel good enough.

And I'm not, but you gave me your perfect righteousness.

So Jesus is an example for us, but Jesus is our Savior full forgiveness and full righteousness.

That's why we're assured, and because we're assured, that's why we can walk in confidence.

Luke 13, 34, Jesus says this, Oh Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it.

How often would I, and he's saying, Here is my heart.

Have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings.

And you were not willing.

Point number two is this Jesus promises to be a loving protective force for your heart.

Jesus says, I'm a loving mama chick.

I'm a hen.

He's using these are farming people.

He's just finding what's the what's the best example that he could grab that these people would understand?

Farm stuff.

And he says, okay, I'm the mama chicken, you're the little chicks, you exist under my wing, and then the hen stands between the fox and the chicks.

The hen will sacrifice herself for her chicks.

Jesus is saying, I fiercely love you and will fiercely fight for you, and I will die for you.

So two gospel ideas so clear in this metaphor that Jesus gives us.

And the first is this, we are the chick and he is the hen.

Meaning, Jesus is more compassionate to us than we will ever be toward him.

In fact, any passion or compassion we have toward Jesus is because of his compassion to us.

Number two, we are under his wing and he is in the fight.

Meaning our security, our assurance is not by our love for him, but it's by his love, Jesus' love for us.

And yet our hearts can plague us, can't they?

How can I be sure that I will wake up a Christian tomorrow?

I know I'm a Christian today, but what about tomorrow?

And what if something I do something horrible in between?

How do I know God smiles upon me today?

How do I know God loves me and likes me?

For years I lived knowing God loved me, but I kind of felt like he didn't delight in me or like me until I did enough good in a day, and it seemed to be about like 11 a.m.

I was like, all right, I got a few check marks.

Like now I feel assured.

It's a horrible, anxious, neurotic spiritual way to live.

We have enough anxiety in life.

We don't have to be anxious in our relationship with God.

At least it can be one area of life, a major one, that doesn't have to be filled with anxiousness.

How can I know for sure that I will go to heaven?

Well, Peter has something to say about this.

1 Peter 1, 3 through 5.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, according to his great mercy, not according to your great church record, your spiritual record, your righteousness report.

No, according to his great mercy, he has caused us, not us causing something else.

He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you who by God's power, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

Peter is speaking assurance, assurance, assurance.

Point number three, we can walk in confidence because we have assurance in Jesus.

For me, coming from a background that was incredibly performative when it came to spirituality.

God loves you, but now you're on the treadmill, and you better run hard enough, or you're gonna get kicked off the bat, right?

God loves you, he lets you in the dance, but you better dance well enough to stay in the dance, or he'll kick you out of the dance.

For me, learning about assurance was incredibly relieving, and it didn't excuse me into rebellion, it actually compelled me even more to want to know this Jesus.

One of the resources I found that was so good for my heart was John Piper, because he speaks so well of the centrality, the goodness, and the sufficiency of Jesus.

He gives five reasons for confidence.

This is from author Pastor John Piper.

Five reasons that we can have confidence.

Number one, you are not the decisive cause or sustaining power of your faith.

You're a participant, but you're not the cause.

Verse 3b, he has caused us to be born again.

Verse 5, who by God's power are being guarded.

Number two, our belief is through him.

Later in 1 Peter 1, later in the chapter, verse 29 and 21, he was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you, who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

Verse 21a, who through him are believers in God.

Our belief is through him, which means he causes and he keeps.

We're participants, but we're not the cause and we're not the power.

When I was 13 years old, I went to the Chilling Fields.

There's this Baptist event in my town.

Scared the hell out of me.

Literally.

Like it really did.

I'm not, I'm not, I'm not cursing.

It actually scared the hell out of me.

I got under a tent at the end of the event, and they gave an invitation, and they said, Did you know if you die tonight on the way home, will you go to heaven or are you going to go to hell?

And I'm like, I really don't know.

And I also heard Jesus really is enough for forgiveness of my sins, and I heard that God loves me.

I heard those things while I was being scared the hell out of.

And then he said, Hey, you can pray this prayer and give your life to Jesus.

And so I really did.

I gave my life.

Now I don't know if that was the direct moment, but that was an expression of the faith that had been created in my heart.

And so I bowed my head, I prayed the prayer, and he said, All you gotta do is pray this prayer.

And I said, Okay, let's pray this prayer.

I'm gonna pray this prayer, pray this prayer, give my life to Jesus.

Okay, all you gotta do is raise your hand.

I thought you said all I had to do was pray the prayer, and now I gotta.

Come on.

And so I'm I'm like, okay, like what what's going on here?

But but so I peeked.

I looked up, and Jason, my buddy, had his hand up and said, okay, well, Jason has his hand up, I'll raise my hand, so I'll raise my hand.

I just share that and say, maybe you made a decision.

Maybe you prayed a prayer, maybe you walked an aisle, maybe you took communion the first time, and it meant a lot to you.

Some inclination in your heart toward God, that you're gonna open your heart to Him, surrender your life, give your life to Jesus.

In different denominations and different Christian faith backgrounds, it looks different, right?

Baptist, Methodist, Protestant, Pentecostal, Presbyterian, it can look different.

It can look like walking an aisle, it can also look like receiving communion.

But the inclination to want to pray the prayer, the inclination to want to take the communion.

That is God causing faith.

The prayer, the receiving, the walking the aisle, that's an expression of what God has already done in your heart.

That's an expression that God has placed a desire in you.

He is causing faith.

And that's number three, faith comes by new birth.

Verse 3 says, He has caused us to be born again.

In Jesus, a new life begins in us.

Our decision for Jesus is a sign of the new life that we did not cause, but he caused in us, and now we're expressing.

By his great mercy, this has happened to us.

Number four, God promises to keep us.

Philippians 1, 6, and I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus.

Number five, Jesus intercedes for us.

Hebrews 7, 25.

He is able to save to the uttermost, that means to the fullest, to the fullest extent possible, those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them, which means this on the Sunday that you're not caring about God and you're thinking about something else, you're doing it right now because it's the days I don't preach, that's what I do.

I'm like, oh, this is what everybody's doing.

They're thinking about other stuff.

That's amazing.

You don't care about God, you're numb, maybe you're rebellious, maybe you're escaping all sorts of things.

In that moment, Jesus is interceding for you.

In that moment, Jesus is interceding for you just as much in the moment that you're the most passionate, devout Christian Jesus follower possible.

Isn't that amazing?

Doesn't that create like an inspiration in you to want to know this Jesus more that would love you like that?

It builds assurance that he is for you even when you're not for him.

Verse 32, and he said to them, Go and tell that fox, behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day, I finished my course, the third day.

He's speaking about his death on the cross and the resurrection.

And he says, finish the word, finish.

Point number four, we're secure with God, assured, because of Jesus' work for us, not our work for him.

Our word for him is never finished, never perfect, never finished.

Jesus' work for us, finished.

And secure.

When our sin is put upon Jesus on the cross and his righteousness given to us, so we're objectively his children.

God's daughter, God's son, by his work for us, that is secure.

It's finished.

This week I was out in my yard just walking around looking at the new blooms, gardeners.

Has anybody been looking walking around here?

A few gardeners in here.

You're like, yeah, I know what you're talking about.

Walk around and I look, I look at my little babies.

My little babies are coming up.

Here's a Linton Rose.

Linton rose blooms at the beginning of Lent every spring, an amazing beginning to Lent.

And then I'm walking around and I look at my little limelight hydrangeas.

Look at this little baby.

Oh.

I mean, gardeners, you know exactly what non-gardeners are like, the stupid.

But so a gardener, you're like, that is the cutest, most precious thing.

My oak leaf hydrangea out by the street.

Here's its little beginning.

That is just the most darling little thing.

And I just walk around and look at my babies.

Oh, little babies.

Now, two weeks ago, there was nothing.

There were no blooms.

Nothing.

That was not there two weeks ago.

And then something happened.

The plant didn't move.

The plant didn't cause something.

Spring happened.

Spring happened to the plant just as God happens to us.

Which is why.

And it's the only reason why we are not neurotic, anxious Christians when it comes to our relationship with God.

There's plenty of other stuff to be anxious about, but not our relationship with God.

We are secure, we are assured by his work for us.

As spring happens to the plant, God happens to us.

Because God comes to us, he fights, he lived, he died, and it's finished.

So it's not a life of, God, do you love me?

Like, do you love me today?

How much do you love me today?

Do you like me today?

Do you delight in me today?

How are we doing today?

Am I okay today?

Do you accept me today?

No, no, no.

Like you got enough to worry about.

You don't have to worry about that one.

Like, Jesus really is enough.

And in his grace, we get to grow in that assurance that we have.

That we are fully forgiven and fully righteous by Christ's finished work.

And we get to learn to walk more confidently in the world.

Let's pray together.

Jesus, thank you that you hold us under your wing.

Jesus, thank you that you stand between us and the darkness, between us and death, between us and our own penalty for our sin.

And we are assured because of your love and work for us.

For those of us struggling with assurance of faith, would you give these people the courage to come forward afterward and speak to a pastor?

We would love nothing more than those who do not know you this morning to come to know you, and those who do know you and struggling with assurance of faith to be more assured, would we rest all the more that Jesus, you are enough?

Jesus, you fully forgive us.

Jesus, we are fully righteous in you.

In Christ's name.