THE BARBARIAN WAY: Part 3

OUR TRIBE
June 18, 2006

CHARACTER (Yoda)
LUKE: Oh, no. We'll never get it out now.
YODA: So certain are you. Always with you it cannot be done. Hear you nothing that I say?
LUKE: Master, moving stones around is one thing. This is totally different.
YODA: No! No different! Only different in your mind. You must unlearn what you have learned.

John 3 ~
“There was a man named Nicodemus, a Jewish religious leader who was a Pharisee.2 After dark one evening, he came to speak with Jesus. "Rabbi," he said, "we all know that God has sent you to teach us. Your miraculous signs are evidence that God is with you." 3 Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, unless you are born again,* you cannot see the Kingdom of God." 4 "What do you mean?" exclaimed Nicodemus. "How can an old man go back into his mother's womb and be born again?" 5 Jesus replied, "I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit.*6 Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life.*7 So don't be surprised when I say, `You* must be born again.'8 The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can't tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can't explain how people are born of the Spirit." 9 "How are these things possible?" Nicodemus asked. 10 Jesus replied, "You are a respected Jewish teacher, and yet you don't understand these things?11 I assure you, we tell you what we know and have seen, and yet you won't believe our testimony.”

BORN OF WATER
l The entire focus of our faith has been the elimination of sin, which is important but inadequate.
l It should be about the unleashing of a unique faith: you cannot meet God and remain unchanged. When God lives in you, there is transformation… you are no longer suited for a normal life.
l Extraordinary faith: 1Peter 2:9-10
l Original faith: If you are already a follower of Jesus and have been domesticated, you have lost the power to be who God intends for you to be. You must go to a primal place, a place in the presence of the Most High God and there be changed.
l Wonderfully, untamed faith: Hearing God is not only normal, but essential proof of belonging to God (Jeremiah 31:33ff)
l STORY: “I want it to snow. (71-77)”

BORN OF SPIRIT
l Tribe of Irrational People: Noah, Elijah, David, Hosea, Moses… and these are the most popular ones.
l These people and many like them were the barbarian tribe. There stories began and ended with God. They were mystical warriors called out to advance the cause of the Creator of the universe. Every one of us is a follower of Jesus is called to join the SAME TRIBE, to live the same way.
l The civilized build shelters and invite God to stay with them: the barbarian tribe moves with God wherever He chooses to go.
l Civilized Christian has routine: Barbarian tribe has a mission.
l CC knows the letter of the law: Barbarian tribe lives the law of the Spirit
l CC loves tradition: Barbarian tribe loves challenges.
l CC is satisfied with ritual: Barbarian tribe lives and thrives in the mystical.
l CC has religious stability and certainty: Barbarian tribe has risk and mystery.
l STORY: “Hearing voices. (84-90)”

CHALLENGE
l The barbarian call confronts us with all we love and all we fear. We resist love to avid pain and squelch our dream out of fear of failure. For the Spirit of God to unleash dreams and visions within our souls, we must become free to risk and to fail. Every dream born of God is fueled by love. Every conversation to be had with God challenges the boundaries of our imagination. When we turn to God, His love transforms us and ignites a new passion within us. All that we have loved is consumed by the passion of a new heart. We discover the power and force of love in its purest form. At the same time, when we turn our hearts toward God, all of our fears are consumed by one fear. We are called to fear God only. There is an important reason for this. What we fear is what we’re subject to; our fears define our master. Where there is no fear, there is no control. When we fear God and God only, we are no longer bound by all of the other fears that would hold us captive. God will not hold us captive by fear though, but by love. Join the TRIBE that allows for us to live out dreams greater than ourselves. A place to have our dreams nurtured, developed and unleashed.
l SEE the invisible.
l HEAR the inaudible.
l Baptism & Recommitment…

YODA REWRITE:
YOU: Oh, no. I can’t change the way I live my life.
Jesus: So certain are you. Always with you it cannot be done. Haven’t you heard what I said?
YOU: Master, going to church is one thing… This is totally different.
Jesus: No! No different! Only different in your mind. You must unlearn what you have learned and follow me.