Death To Churchianity - ROUND TWO | Brett Esslinger

Welcome to the Saints Church Glastonbury podcast! We are a local church network based in Alberta, Canada. We go to places no one wants to go and do things no one thought possible so that anyone and everyone can discover hope and life in Jesus.

This week, we delve into the concept of resurrection power as a catalyst for personal transformation and spiritual growth and see how embracing the scripture in our daily lives and engaging authentically with our faith and community can change everything.

Verses:
- Psalm 119:103-104
- Ezekiel 8
- 2 Timothy 3
- Acts 2:42-43
- Psalm 127
- 2 Timothy 3:16

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Creators & Guests

Host

Brett Esslinger

Senior Pastor of SAINTS CHURCH | Author of #HopeNotHype | #YEG | Nacho Enthusiast

What is Saints Church Glastonbury?

A Modern Expression of a Timeless Tradition. A local church in the Glastonbury Neighbourhood of West Edmonton. Sr Pastor Brett Esslinger.

What if I told you that your world, your family, your career, your neighborhood could all look different and be changed if you simply learn to hear and respond to the sound of his voice? Often we look for a big strategy and we look for a big program. You are the strategy and you are the program, and it's been that way since Jesus walked the earth, maybe taking us 2,000 years to figure it out, because we've tried every other strategy and we've tried every other program. Jesus is alive today. The same power that conquered the grave now lives in me if I've accepted Jesus Christ into my life. The same same power that conquered the grave now lives in me If I've accepted Jesus Christ into my life. The same resurrection power that rose Jesus Christ from the grave now lives in me. Just think about that for a moment. The same power that conquered the grave now lives in me. That's resurrection power. There's resurrection power, resurrection blood flowing through your veins today. Now, the enemy of your soul would have you know I'm going to get in trouble, but I'm okay with that. The enemy of your soul, also known as the devil, also known as Satan, is okay with you coming to church. In fact, he's really good with it. You're like, wait what, as long as you do nothing with it, right? Sure, make it your tradition. As long as it's an empty tradition, sure, sing the song. It's great, feel good, it's good. Just don't let it get into your Monday to Saturday. Leave it on Sunday. What if we just, like, broke open the bottle that we have so nicely placed with the resurrection power and just let it pour over the Monday to Saturday? I'm just, I'm mostly asking questions today.

Psalm 119, 103 to 104,. This is now the words of David. He says how sweet your words taste to me. They are sweeter than honey. Your commandments give me understanding. No wonder I hate every false way of life. Most of us live in a false way of life Because we find our satisfaction in something else, anything else other than this. And if you think that I'm speaking to everybody but me, I'm putting myself in this boat. David learned something. David learned something that there is a sweetness to the words and the promises of God, because when you can start to read this and you can start to absorb this, you actually start to hear the sound of his voice.

Something begins to change over time. Not only is this a book that you read. It's a book that reads you, but not only does it read you. God starts speaking to you at just the right moment, at just the right moment. It's just the right.

Have you ever had that moment where you're going through something and you wake up and then you do the Bible reading in the morning and it's probably on the app and the app opens up and it's the perfect thing for the perfect day? And all day long you keep saying something like well, I read this today and I think it really works in this situation. Has anyone had that moment before? That's amazing. I'm so glad that you have. So then, how come you don't do it every day? If it's that incredible, if it's that amazing, if it's that powerful, like, I'm just calling a spade, is it okay? I'm just calling a spade, a spade.

Today, I'm just trying to be really honest. I'm just trying to lay it out that you can either perform or you can partner with God, but you can't do both. You can put on a spiritual show, say the right things, do the right things, shake the right hands, you can even give, but if it is not out of a place of relationship, it's simply a performance to check a box. To win a crowd, to get another customer. Let's go to the book of Ezekiel.

I think you could say that churchianity is the appearance of a godly life. But I don't know about you. I'm looking for the real deal. Anyone else? I'm looking for the real deal. I don't like we don't need to again. I'm going to get in trouble for everything I'm about to say.

For the next 13 minutes and 57 seconds, we could just stop and I'd be okay with that if it means that we're just going to go through the motions Like we can just stop next week. It's pretty like. It's pretty straightforward. We can just stop. But I'm in a place where I'm not interested in stopping. I'm looking for the presence of Jesus that's living, active, alive. I want to be a part of a church that is alive, where our relationships with Jesus are alive, where daily, we pick up our cross, meaning that we pick up our cross, we daily surrender, we say Jesus, today I'm following you. Did you know that? Yes, you made a big choice and you prayed a prayer, but it's an everyday decision that says, today I'm going to follow Jesus with my whole heart. Today, I'm going to listen, I'm going to be in his word. I'm going to hear the sound of his voice and, beyond just hearing it, I'm going to do something about it, because there are moments and there are times where we hear it and we do nothing about it. Let me give you an example that you just saw, 14 minutes ago. You might not realize this, but every time I stand up here on a stage like this and I say, if you have a need, lift up your hands, we're going to pray and believe. That takes an incredible step of faith, because I can't do anything about your situation. I can't do anything about your problem. Maybe I could offer some counseling, and even then, I'm going to tell you to follow Jesus one step at a time. And so I was sitting there listening to the voice of God saying you need to do this, you need to pray, you need to pray, you need to pray, you need to pray, and I'm going. I could do that at the end of service, when it's lower risk. Who cares about the risk If I'm obedient to the sound of his voice? There's a reason why Somebody needs a breakthrough, somebody needs a miracle. Today, I believe, someone's going home with one. Today.

Clay's story is not an isolated incident. Ezekiel 8, son of man. He said do you see what they are doing? Do you see the detestable sins that the people of Israel are committing to drive me from my temple, meaning it's happening there, but come and you will see even more detestable sins than these. Then he brought me to the door of the temple courtyard, where I could see a hole in the wall. He said to me now, son of man, dig into the wall. So I dug into the wall and I found a hidden doorway. Go in, he said, and see the wicked and detestable sins they are committing in there. So I went in and I saw the walls covered with engravings of all kinds of crawling animals and detestable creatures. I also saw the various idols worshiped by the people of Israel.

Now, this is a vivid picture that is given to Ezekiel and he sees this thing and he sees a temple and he's going through a journey. And just here's the picture. Let's put it into the 21st century. Imagine this person, ezekiel, and he sees this thing and he sees a temple and he's going through a journey. And just, here's the picture. Let's put it into the 21st century. Imagine this person, ezekiel, being led in this vision, saying see what's happening in here and he goes into the very walls of the church building and he sees the idols of the people. And today Jesus says that's what I'm going to deal with, the other things that we are worshiping, the other things that we are prioritizing. First you go. I don't know about this. Okay, let's look at a New Testament perspective 2. Timothy 3 says this in verse one you should know this, timothy.

In the last days there will be very difficult times, for people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents and grateful. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be unloving and unforgiving. They will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, love, pleasure rather than God. They will act religious. Here it is. They will act religious, but they will reject the power that can make them godly. So what do you do? You stay away from people like that. So what is the antidote? That's a great, great question. I'm so glad you asked it.

Acts 2, 42 to 43 this is the beginning of the church. The holy spirit is poured out on the whole planet. It's the beginning, it's the origin story. It's important because it's where it start started and it's important because now we see where it's been distorted to Acts 2, 42 to 43,.

All the believers, devoted, turn to somebody and say devoted I know that you hate doing it, but I like it. All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship and to sharing in meals, including the Lord's supper, and to prayer. What happened when they did that? When they became devoted, what happened? A deep sense of awe came over them all and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders. Now that sounds amazing. It sounds incredible.

Signs, wonders, miracles. We love that, we like that, we're into that, Maybe we're into it, maybe we're not into it. Maybe you're still deciding if you're into it or you're not into it. I can tell you when you receive one, you're really into it. I can also tell you my grandparents were healing evangelists. They ran healing meetings. I can tell you that their meetings were full when people had needs and when everyone got healed the next month, their meeting was empty, because we only come to get what we want and Jesus says I will meet you, I will heal you, I will set you free, but will you follow me with your whole heart, even if it doesn't? Now, after this moment, look like exactly what you need or want.

Right now, a deep sense of awe came over them all. I'm like, wow, that's beautiful. A deep sense of awe, wow, this must have sound like ooh, ah. Look at the signs, wonders and miracles. No, the Greek word here suggests fear, trembling and reverence. Fear, trembling and reverence Like oh, oh, oh, what. Come on, I like that guy, what I can't believe he did it. I can't believe he did it in that way. I can't believe this is happening right now. That person they just spoke something and it feels like they're speaking exactly to me. Do they know? Can they read their mind? Can they see into my soul? Do they see what I'm thinking about? Do they know that I don't like how they're talking to me right now? Yes, that was a joke. There's a deep sense of awe that comes when the spirit of God comes, and it's fear and it's trembling, but it's good and it's wonderful and it's delightful and it's all of those things together.

I liken it to getting onto a roller coaster. You're afraid if I listen. I hate heights. I feel I'm exposed every week. I just tell you something else that I don't like. I hate heights. I feel I'm exposed every week. I just tell you something else that I don't like. I hate heights. They scare me. Like I'm not great on a tall ladder, it's not my thing. But you go on a roller coaster. Let's say I go on roller coaster at Disneyland. It's Disney. I know I'm not going to fall out. Those Imagineers are brilliant. I know I'm safe, I know that I'm fine. Doesn't mean that I'm not terrified. Every night we went a couple summers ago we went to Disneyland and every night went on this Ferris wheel and I didn't realize that it tipped and it did like this, and Everett was not ready either, and so emotional damage. Anyways, that's what it's like to follow Jesus. I know I'm going to be safe, but I can't see what's going to happen next.

It's exciting, it's thrilling, it's a little scary. It's scary because we can't control it. We can't manipulate it, we can't make it happen. It's scary because we have to trust. It's scary because we can't control it, we can't manipulate it, we can't make it happen. It's scary because we have to trust. It's scary because we have to take a step of faith. It's scary but it's exciting and that's what we're talking about when we talk about a deep sense of awe. And out of that atmosphere of reverence and fear and wonder comes Signs, wonders, miracles. It's called a wonder because it makes you wonder. You will be wondering about wonders when you see them, because it might not fit your theological framework or perspective, but it's a wonder. It's a wonder or perspective, but it's a wonder.

There's five elements here in Acts 2.42, and I'm going to call them elements for a church that is alive. Five elements and I think about it like a hand. The first one in Acts 2.42, says they were devoted. Say devoted, they were devoted. There was a level of commitment, there was a level of devotion. They were devoted to the word and to teaching. They were devoted to the word and to the teaching. They were devoted, and the teaching of the word was to show them how to live. They were being formed.

Did you know that right now, right now in 2023, according to Arizona Christian University and their cultural research department, led by George Barna, that only 4% of Christians have a biblical worldview in 2023. You're like we're in 2024. I know, I'm telling you 2023 because in 2020, it was 6%. So we slid by 2% over COVID, no surprise. So let's believe that by 2024, that we're up to five and six and seven and eight and nine and 10, meaning that my worldview is formed by scripture.

So first, they were devoted Say devoted. The second thing was community. They were committed to community. The third thing they were committed to sharing in generosity. They took care of one another. The fourth thing the sacraments. They shared in communion, lord's table. They were committed to those things into prayer. I think of it like a hand, because devotion touches each one. They were devoted to community, sharing generosity, sacraments and prayer. But the thing that holds them together is a devotion and a commitment. So the truth is, it's on me and it's on you. Am I devoted? George Barnett says this to stem about this who care about this word, who care about teaching it, who care about sharing it and passing it on to the next generation? I said this a few weeks ago when we started this series. If I'm consuming content but not connected to community, then I'm a common law Christian. Let me add on to that. If I say I believe it but I don't live like it, I'm a common law Christian.

Let's go back to Psalm 127. Are you still with me, says this in the last three verses of Psalm 127, it's just five verses. That's why I love Psalm 127. Are you still with me? It says this in the last three verses of Psalm 127. It's just five verses. That's why I love Psalm 127, five verses. So the first part says unless the Lord's built his house, unless he protects it. Then it says this it doesn't seem to make sense.

Children are a gift from the Lord. They are a reward from him. Children born to a young man are like arrows in a warrior's hands. How joyful, how joyful is the man whose quiver is full of them. He will not be put to shame when he confronts his accusers at the city gates. You go unless the Lord builds the house, and then the other half goes.

Children are a reward. Don't you understand If you're not devoted? I guess the question is am I devoted? Because if I'm devoted, the Lord will build my house. He'll protect my house. He's given me children. He's entrusted those to me. Maybe it's children, maybe it's grandchildren, maybe they're adopted, maybe they're just people that you're taking in, maybe they're spiritual sons and daughters. He's entrusted you with those as a gift. As a gift, and now we have a responsibility. He's going to build his house, he's going to protect his house. It's going to take some work, it's going to take effort, but he's going to give rest. Then he asks us to pass it on. Pass it on to our children and our children's children.

It says in Deuteronomy Like okay, yeah, I'm into this. How do we do this? We just saw two youth get baptized today. I'm thankful for that. I'm thankful that at our church we love the next generation. Let me just throw this out there to you especially. I'm going to say this to parents who are like me Everett's in grade six, going into grade seven. He's in rally six, seven right now.

Let me speak to the parents of preteens for a moment. Get your kids to youth on Friday night, here at this church, not in another church down the road. On a Wednesday or a Thursday here at this church, because this is where you're rooted and grounded. This is where your family is. You get connected and you get committed here. You get connected and you get committed here as a family because you make a declaration as for me and my house, we're going to serve the Lord. We're going in this way, we're going in this direction. We know what we believe. We know that the word is taught. We know that they're going to have an encounter with the Holy Spirit. We know that lives are going to be changed. And let me also speak to parents of teenagers for a moment.

Youth ministry today does not look like youth ministry when you were a teenager, just like youth ministry that you experienced did not look like the youth ministry that your parents experienced. Because the world is changing, so our approach has to change, the way we do it has to change. But I can tell you who's center? Jesus is center. His word is center. So come on a Friday night, bring your kids and listen.

Parents of preteens, I know family night's, friday night. You're just gonna have to move it to another night. Just gonna have to move it. Do you know why? Because what you're saying, without saying it, is that the house of God is a priority. I'm eternally grateful to my parents who decided that in our house and I know there's many of you that have said this that if the doors of the church are open, we are there. Let me also tell you what they said we don't care if you like it. We don't care if you like youth on a Friday, you're going. We don't care if you we went on Tuesdays and Fridays to you. We don't care if you like it on Tuesday, you're going. We don't care if you like it on Friday, you're going. We don't care if you like children's ministry, you're going. Oh, you've aged out Now you're going to start serving in it and you go. Man, those are harsh parents. No, those are good parents who love their children and who brought them up in the way of the Lord that they would not depart from it. That planted a love for the house of God in their hearts and a priority for the presence of Jesus. Planted a love for the house of God in their hearts and a priority for the presence of Jesus. It's about our priorities. Can I also suggest this Parents of young kids I'm just telling everybody today just parent, just keep showing up here.

I recognize that it's hard, that it's not easy to get your toddler or your little one out the door to get them to church. I understand that's a struggle. I would rather that you show up late than don't show up at all. That's why there's the nursing mother's room and that's why we've got the other room that I can't remember what it's called right now. That's why there's toddler classes and all these things and you go. I don't know that if it matters, no, no, what you don't understand, you're setting a pattern now that says this is a priority Because if it walks in the parents, it will run in the children. That's generational principle. That works both ways. If you can always reschedule this and you're the one who believes in this, what are you saying? We're just asking questions. Is this good, femi? Are we good? This is good? Okay, one last verse, because they're playing beautifully. Second Timothy three.

But you must remain faithful to the things that you have been taught, because you know that they are true, for you know that you have been taught, because you know that they are true, for you know that you can trust those who taught you. You have been taught the holy scriptures from childhood and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus. Come on, pass it on. Live like it matters, live like you believe. You believe it.

Verse 16 all scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true, to make us realize what is wrong in our lives.

It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.

God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work. Every dream that you have in your heart, everything that you want to do, everything that you've been thinking about, everything that's just been that causes you to wake up and causes you excitement, god is planting seeds in your hearts and your lives and he's preparing you through his word, through his presence, to accomplish those things. And you can do a whole bunch of those things on your own and in your own strength. Why? Because he made it. He made you, he created you, he crafted you to step into those things. But what we have missed is that we can do some and a lot in our natural ability, but there's a whole nother realm in our spiritual ability that God is saying listen, you are just starting to taste the things that I've placed in your heart, the dream that you're living. There is more for you if you would trust me and allow me to form you and equip you and prepare you to do every good work.