Lesson 24 - Yes

 Lesson 24 - Yes

Introduction

Principle 8: Yield myself to God to be used to bring this Good News to others, both by my example and by my words.

“Happy are those who are persecuted because they do what God requires.” (Matthew 5:10)

Step 12: Having had a spiritual experience as the result of these steps, we try to carry this message to others and to practice these principles in all our affairs.

“Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted.” (Galatians 6:1)

The Lesson tonight is based on the acrostic “YES”. YES we will yield ourselves to God to be used by Him, practicing His principles in all our affairs, and carrying His message to others.

What are the principles of spiritual experience? Discipline, steadfastness and perseverance in the face of trials, which lead to spiritual maturity and completeness, and righteousness and peace.

Jas 1:2-4 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, (3) because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. (4) Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

A part of God's spiritual principle is that steadfastness and perseverance are rewarded with maturity and completeness. Hebrews adds to that righteousness and peace.

Heb 12:11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

Some of us have been through this. We have gone through the 12 Steps, applied discipline and perseverance, we have internalized the good news and have realized increased maturity, completeness, righteousness and peace in our lives. That is the message that we carry along to others in the form of a testimony. We testify that Jesus is a real and active presence in our lives, and if He brought this kind of change to us, I can do it for others too, and so we share in spreading the good news. Paul spoke of his testimony this way:

1Co 2:1-2 And so it was with me, brothers and sisters. When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. (2) For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.

Yes

Tonight’s acrostic couldn’t be any more positive! It is the word YES.

Yield myself to God

Example is what is important

Serve others as Jesus Christ did

The Y is Principle 8 itself: YIELD myself to God to be used to bring this Good News to others, both by my example and by my words.

What does it mean to “yield” to God, and what is the “good news”, and what am I an “example” of?

The “good news” is multifaceted. It has bearing on eternal life. Because of Jesus' death, burial and resurrection, we can have eternal life forever with Jesus where He is because he took away our sin.

But the “good news” also has bearing on our life today, and “yielding” has an important part to play in this life. So let's talk about yielding. John made an interesting statement in this passage:

Joh 12:24 Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.

What John and the other apostles explain is that life only comes through death. In order for the wheat to multiply, it must die. If the kernel of wheat dies, I.E. is buried, then it will produce many seeds and each seed subsequent fruit.

Jesus demonstrated this through His death and resurrection. He died, and through His death, He produced many sons and daughters. It is through His death that life comes forth.

Victorious life in Christ is a life that is patterned after this model. When we identify with Christ in His death, by setting aside those wants and desires that we know are not good for us, then the by product of that death is life. And that life manifests in us as increased maturity, completeness, righteousness and peace in our lives. That is the “good news”.

Here is where this principle is explained by Paul:

Gal 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Being crucified with Christ is the same as the kernel dying and being buried. Christ was crucified and buried, the kernel dies and is buried. Each subsequently experience a life of greater abundance.

So what does it mean to be “crucified with Christ”?

Gal 5:24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

Romans 6 gives greater detail regarding this principle.

Rom 6:5-8 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. (6) For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin-- (7) because anyone who has died has been set free from sin. (8) Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.

So as the kernel dies, is buried, and subsequently bears many seeds and additional fruit, and as Christ died and was buried and rose to bring much fruit, so we, as we identify with Christ also die and bury our fleshly passions and desires so that we may bear much fruit in our life.

As we begin to understand what “yielding” to Christ is, and how it relates to His death and the subsequent resurrection, we should carry this message to others. The death, burial and resurrection of Christ is central to the gospel. It is a pattern for us to follow if we want to yield to life.

Paul gives guidance on how to pass this along and encourage others.

Galatians 6:1–2 (TLB) tells us: “If a Christian is overcome by some sin, … humbly help him back onto the right path, remembering that the next time it might be one of you who is in the wrong. Share each others troubles and problems, and so obey our Lord’s command.”

So keeping the message of the gospel in mind, we share the “good news” about Christ's death, burial and resurrection and our identification with it with others so that they to might also experience abundant life.

That leads us to the E in yes: EXAMPLE is what is important!

A natural byproduct of the Spirit's work of transformation in our life is love for others. As we become more like Christ and take on more of His character through our identification with Him in His death and resurrection, love arises as as sweet smelling and tasting fruit. That love is one of the greatest examples of who we are becoming in Christ. John said:

Joh 13:35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

Paul encouraged Timothy to “Arouse the love...”. Allowing this love to arise is a part of “yielding”. We may not feel like loving some people, but if we yield to the Holy Spirit that love will arise from within.

“Arouse the love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and a genuine faith” (1 Timothy 1:5, GNB).

Another way we can be an example is by sharing our testimony. As we share our testimony, we become a witness for Christ and give hope to others. Again, as Paul has said:

1Co:2:1 And so it was with me, brothers and sisters. When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God

The last letter in yes is S: SERVE others as Jesus Christ did.

Service should be known as fruit. Service can and should come out of us as a naturally occurring response to the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. A part of God's plan was that we should serve each other. As is the case when love arises our hearts, so too does service arise from our hearts from the inside. And like love, it requires us to yield to the prompting of the Holy Spirit, and for us to say YES.

And like trials and discipline, service yielded to will result in maturity, completeness, righteousness and peace in our lives. Jesus gave us an example:

Jesus said, “And since I, the Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each others feet. I have given you an example to follow: do as I have done to you” (John 13:14–15, TLB).

The passage recorded by John regarding the washing of feet is a living metaphor describing what Jesus was about to do on the cross.

You know the story of how Jesus washed the disciples feet. In John 13:12 He asks them, “Do you understand what I have done for you?”. And in vs 15 He says, “I have set you and example that you should do as I have done for you.”.

The example that Jesus provided was that of humility, and humble service to one another. He was not teaching just that we should wash each others feet, but it was an example of putting the needs of others before our own needs. It was a metaphor that precisely describes what happened on the cross, as Jesus in humility put our needs in front of His own and went to the cross on our behalf. The God of the Universe served us and our need, the greatest serving the least.

As Jesus was our example, as exemplified by the death, burial and resurrection, we are examples to others showing the power of God's healing in our lives through our identification with Him.

Here are just some examples of how you can be of service to others:

1. Be an accountability partner. Find someone in your small group who agrees to encourage and support you as you work through the principles. You agree to do the same for that person. You hold one another accountable for working an honest program.

2. Be a sponsor. Sponsors are people who have worked the steps. Their job is to guide newcomers on their journey through the steps, to give a gentle nudge when they are procrastinating or to slow them down when they are rushing through a step. Sponsors do so by sharing their personal journey on their road to recovery.

3. Become a greeter. Greeters get to Celebrate Recovery a little earlier than people generally start showing up for dinner, or these days, for large group. They welcome and provide directions for newcomers. They provide the newcomer with the important first impression of Celebrate Recovery!

4. Help with the Solid Rock Cafe. You can bake a cake.

5. Help with the Bar-B-Que. Preparing and serving food is a great way to serve others.

6. Invite someone to church. Ask someone from your secular groups or a neighbor, a friend, or a coworker!

There are many, many more areas to serve! Make suggestions! Get involved, such as ushering in the church, participating in out reaches, greeting for Saturday and Sunday services, and so on.

Wrap-up

The road to recovery is “yielding” to the “good news” which produces the fruit of love and service. The fruit of love and service is an example to others of the power of God to transform lives.

When you reach Principle 8 the road splits. Some of you will choose to serve at Celebrate Recovery. Others will choose to serve in other areas of the church. The fact is, we need both.

We need you to share your experiences, strengths, and hopes with newcomers here on Monday nights. You do that as leaders, sponsors, and accountability partners and testimony givers.

But the church also benefits from your service. As you serve outside of Celebrate Recovery, you can share with others and get them into recovery when they are ready to work on their hurts, hang-ups, and habits.

That is our lesson for today. Don't forget that when we say YES, we are saying YES to identify with Christ in His death, burial and YES, His resurrection. That is the good news.

Thank you for letting me share this lesson with you.