Simplicity is defined as freedom from complexity
Complexity is defined as composed of many different parts, hard to understand or deal with.
Oliver Wendell Holmes former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court distinguished between two types of symplicity. Simplicity on the near side of complexity and simplicity on the far side of complexity. He said he would not give a fig for simplicity on the near side of complexity.
Nobody enjoys dealing with complexity (issues that are hard to understand or deal with) but this is God’s path to the simplicity that he desires us to live with. Simplicity on the other side produces people of shallow faith
Key Point: God is calling us to live in simplicity on the far side of complexity
The question is: How do we get there?
1. You must know who you are. Romans 8: 31a
Romans 8 tells us that…
- We are under no condemnation
- Free from the power of sin in our lives
- Adopted as children of God
- Groaning to experience more of Jesus
- In right standing with God and experiencing the glory of God
Sometimes complexity comes upon us from an outside source, but sometimes we dive into it to advance the kingdom of God
2. We must know that god is for us. Romans 8: 31b
Luke 22: 31 – 34 Peter thought he knew the outcome of entering a complex situation (the arrest of Jesus) He was shocked to learn that he was not going to die for Jesus and worse yet, he was going to deny Jesus.
Sometimes when we enter complexity, we think we know how it is going to turn out. Other times, we are frustrated by the fact that we find oursleves not being the person we thought we would be. How does Jesus deal with this? He prays that our faith would not fail in the midst of the battle.
If Godis interceeding for us? Who can be against us? (See Romans 8: 26, 27, 34)
3. We must know that we enter complexity to bring about a victory Romans 8: 35, 36
When things get complicated in our lives, we tend to lose focus and think we are deserted by God.
Romans 8: 37 states that overwhelming victory is ours through Christ who loved us.
4. Godis looking for audacious followers
Audacious means extremely bold or daring without restriction to prior ideas. Inventive recklessly bold in defiance of convention.