Mark 9:2-9

Mark 9:2-9

WOW!

February 22, 2009

Presbyterian Communities Vesper service

Transfiguration

It starts off ordinary enough.

Jesus and his three closest friends – Peter, James, and John – go up on a high mountain. Nothing unusual. Jesus often went off from the crowds to pray and rest – and at times He would take some of the disciples with Him.

All very ordinary.

But from here on, ordinary ends.

No sooner do they arrive than Jesus is suddenly “transfigured.”

He “glowed.”

As the text has it, “His clothes became dazzling white, such as no one on earth could bleach them.”

Not only out of the ordinary, but absolutely out of this world – which, of course, is precisely what the story wants to convey.

And if that is not out-of-the ordinary enough, two men who were so important in the faith tradition of Peter – James – and John – two of faith’s most honored heroes — suddenly appear by Jesus’ side. Moses, the great law-giver, and Elijah, the prophet par excellence – as if to suggest that the entire tradition of the Law and the Prophets was paying respect to Jesus — in whom both were brought together.

This is both literally and figuratively a “mountain-top experience.”

No wonder Peter, James, and John are terrified.

But, of course, a little terror never stopped Peter from running his mouth – so — for lack of any other ideas, he suggests erecting three shrines to commemorate the event!

Wow!

A big enough deal so far.

But that is not all – for after this vision a cloud overshadows the mountain.

It must have looked like a deep fog suddenly came over the mountain.

Thinking about a foggy day or a time you have been to the mountains and a cloud has enveloped the mountain or a time when you were flying and the plane flew into a cloud can help you envision what this must have been like for Peter – James – and John.

The damp air closes in and all the world slips away into a grayness.

Then the voice of God echoes around them saying:

“This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!”

Glowing face and clothes

Visits from famous figures of the past

Hovering clouds and heavenly voices …

Wow!

It was so extraordinary – so extra ordinary that when it was all over, and Jesus and Peter and James and John were headed back down the mountain, Jesus told them to “tell no one about what they had seen.”

That made sense.

Who would have believed it anyway?

But the three of them believed it. They had been there, and those moments on that mountain would forever mark their lives and change the way they looked at everything.

Wow

Certain “WOW” moments in our lives have a way of doing that.

They have a way of marking our lives and changing the way we look at everything.

I came across a story of a 33-year-old truck driver by the name of Larry Walters who was sitting in his lawn chair in his backyard one day wishing he could fly – and figured out a way to do so!

Wow!

For as long as he could remember he had wanted to fly but he had never had the time nor money nor opportunity to be a pilot. Hang gliding was out because there was no good place for gliding near his home. So he spent a lot of summer afternoons sitting in his backyard in his ordinary old lawn chair – hoping – wishing – and dreaming.

Then—one day – he devised a scheme. He was going to fly!

He somehow came up with 45 helium-filled surplus weather balloons – and attached them to his chair.

He put a CB radio in his lap, tied a paper bag full of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to his leg, and slung a BB-gun over his shoulder to pop the balloons when he wanted to come down. He lifted off in his lawn chair expecting to climb a couple of hundred feet over his neighborhood. But instead he shot up 11,000 feet right through the approach corridor to the Los Angeles International Airport. When he finally decided to come down, he was somewhat of a celebrity.

When asked by the press why he did it, Larry answered: “Well, you can’t just sit there.”

When asked if he was scared, he answered, “Yes…wonderfully so.”

Wow!

Larry Walters will never be the same again after his trip to the mountain in his lawn chair. He has seen things and felt things that will shape the way he lives the rest of his life.

I am sure it was the same with Peter, James and John.

Up on that mountain they had been given nothing less than a glimpse into the future. They saw past the suffering and death of Jesus which Jesus had predicted a few days before — past their doubts — past their fears. For one brief shining moment God had cracked the door to the end of time and they had seen how history would be worked out — their own history and the history of the whole world. And they would never be the same again, having taken that ride.

Wow!

Now — if you had a chance to see how everything was going to turn out in the end, would it affect how you viewed the present?

Of course it would.

I read an article by a hospice chaplain that testified to this.

The chaplain had been at the bedside of many persons who had Near Death Experiences – and reported that most of those who have had Near Death Experiences are not afraid when their death actually occurs.

He relates one particular time a patient’s heart stopped – but aggressive intervention brought his heartbeat back. The chaplain was not there when this happened – but when the chaplain went to see the patient the next day the patient broke into a big grin.

“I’ve seen the light” the patient told the chaplain – then gave a story that coincided with most of the Near Death Experiences the chaplain had heard from others – a bright light – overwhelming sense of peace — and other details that were similar to the Near Death Experiences of others.

This patient had – at one time – directed his doctors to try all means to resuscitate him if his heart stopped. He was terrified of dieing. But after this experience the patient insisted the doctor issue a “Do Not Resuscitate” Order – and make sure it was followed. The patient had to twist the doctor’s arm to get this No Code – but was at peace with the decision. The patient was convinced by the Near Death Experience that death was not something to be avoided.

Wow!

But – you know — not everyone has the kind of WOW experience that can change your perspective and change your life.

You probably remember the TV show “Murphy Brown” that used to come on Monday nights. I don’t remember the real reason for the question – but in one episode the characters were discussing their thoughts or feelings about God. There were different responses from different characters – one was an agnostic — one was a Baptist, and so on. But for me the response of the character Jim stands out. He said he went to church every Sunday with his wife – then commented something on the order of:

“I haven’t had any experience of God. I go to Church because it is obvious to me that the people who attend are experiencing God, and I am hoping that one day I will too.”

Does that sound familiar?

I wonder how many real-life “Jims” there are here today waiting…waiting.

Probably a majority of us!

In fact, I would dare say that most people fit into Jim’s category!

Why?

Why do most people have to wait for their WOW experience?

Well the WOW experience for Peter – James – and John occurred on the mountaintop.

Most of us spend most of our lives in the valley – not on the mountaintop.

Things are different between the two.

If you read ahead a bit in Mark’s gospel, the contrasts are stark.

(Read Mark 9:14-24)

On the mountain, there is an encounter almighty God – in the valley, there are times we – like the disciples — encounter with the demonic.

On the mountain, there is an encounter with faith’s heritage – in the valley, there are times we – like the disciples — encounter those who consider questions of faith as occasions for battle.

On the mountain, God’s calming voice is heard – in the valley, there are times we – like the disciples – hear human argument.

On the mountain, there is a mood for worship — in the valley, there are many times we – like the disciples — are spoiling for a fight.

On the mountain, the glory of God is revealed; in the valley, there are many times we – like the disciples – deal with the power of sin and unbelief .

Maybe your prayer is:

“O Lord, carry me away to the mountain,”

YES, Lord!

But then we remember the place of our ministry is with those who need our help down in the valley.

That being the case, how can we arrange for having those WOW moments — those energizing, even life-changing, mountaintop experiences during the course of our journey – that will strengthen us – – give us a glimpse of the holy – and even let us know that all our work is blessed by God ?

The easy answer is that we cannot!

Sorry.

We have to wait…just like Jim in the “Murphy Brown” episode.

But — if you remember, Peter, James, and John were there with Jesus because they had been invited – there were nine others who were not. I suspect the reason that they were invited while the others were not has something to with the fact that they were ready – while the others were not.

A friend of mine has noted that, when his children were small, he and his wife discovered that there were some words that they could not say at the dinner table. Not that these words were inappropriate or not nice or did not make for good conversation – but the truth was they could not be said because as soon as words like “cookies, candy, or cake,” were said – their children did not want to eat supper any more. My friend observed that the kids knew what “cookies, candy and cake” meant — but did not seem to understand the word “later.” They wanted the dessert right then! Forget the main course! If they were allowed to eat the sweet stuff—my friend observed that they would have no interest in the nutritious stuff – and may have never had a healthy diet.

A mountaintop experience – a WOW experience — is like dessert.

If that is the extent of our spiritual diet, we will be poorly fed.

Our faith will be unhealthy.

We need some preparation before we can truly appreciate the WOW of the mountaintop.

Do you want to be ready for an invitation to the mountaintop?

Let me make a few suggestions.

First, make yourself available.

Peter, James, and John were invited up the slope because they were already in the company of Jesus.

This means that – if we are to have a WOW experience – a mountaintop experience of Jesus – we have to be active in the company of those who follow Jesus – which means being active in the Church. Those who, for whatever reason, choose to absent themselves from the fellowship of the Church will not be ready to respond to the invitation to the top of the mountain where the WOW experience awaits.

So – make yourself available.

Second, learn all you can about your faith tradition.

Sunday School, Bible Studies, personal devotions.

All the surveys indicate that biblical literacy is at a low ebb these days, and going down!

Sad.

The Gospel passage does not tell us how Peter, James, and John recognized Moses and Elijah, but they did, and they knew how incredibly important these men were. Had they never heard of them, the moment on the mountain would not have been nearly so special.

So – learn all you can about your faith tradition.

Third, listen to Jesus.

There are only a few times in the gospels that God – or the Voice — speaks – Jesus’ baptism is one such time – another is here at the Transfiguration. When God speaks – He does not mince words.

“This is my son, the Beloved; Listen to Him.”

Listen to Him.

We hear Him as we worship.

Listen to Him.

We hear Him as we study scripture.

Listen to Him. We hear him in the voice of other Christians.

Listen to Him.

It is so easy to listen to other voices to the point of drowning Jesus out.

Listen to Him.

So — listen to Jesus.

Fourth, remember where your work is.

It is in the valley.

The church is the only institution I know of that exists primarily for the sake of those outside it. If we listen to Jesus, we hear him say again, “GO…make disciples.”

So – remember where your work is.

One final suggestion.

If you want to be truly prepared for Christ’s invitation to the mountaintop – to a WOW experience — you need an attitude of joyous expectancy.

When you come to this holy place from week to week, prayerfully begin your trip through the doors ready to have an experience with God.

Don’t come ready to not run into someone you would rather not see –

Don’t come ready to not sing a hymn you don’t know and would rather not learn –

Don’t come ready to mumble through a prayer or a creed without giving it much thought –

Don’t come ready to “suffer through a sermon” that you will not understand or be able to relate to.

No.

Instead – come ready for an experience with God – an experience with Jesus.. an experience that may come in a person – or in a song – or in a prayer – or in a creed – or – maybe – just maybe – even in a sermon.

The older I get the more I realize that attitude is everything!

If the attitude is right, then the invitation for a WOW experience – a mountaintop experience — can come and be received with the joy it deserves.

Five suggestions in preparation for a trip to the mountaintop – five suggestions for preparation for a WOW experience –

make yourself available –

learn all you can about your faith tradition –

listen to Jesus –

remember where your work is –

and finally, attitude.

These might help us be ready when the mountaintop experience – the WOW experience – presents itself!

Amen

Acts 16:5

Acts 16:5

Strengthened In Faith – Growing In Numbers

February 22, 2009

For the past 5 weeks we have been looking at having a great commitment to the Great Commandment and the Great Commission for our lives and the Church. Using ideas from Rick Warren’s book The Purpose Driven Church we have looked at how a great commitment to loving God with all our heart, soul, and mind – that’s the Great Commandment that we have in Matthew 22:37-39 – and going and making disciples for Christ – that ‘s the Great Commission that we find in Matthew 28:18-20 – make for great Christians and a great Church – and affects how we as a Church and as individual Christians go about our tasks of worship, ministry, evangelism, fellowship, and discipleship.

I had planned to preach on the final task that Warren ties to the Great Commandment and the Great Commission – discipleship – today — but felt that it was more important – before we begin our focus for the Season of Lent nest week – to take a closer look at an opportunity we will have in a few weeks to begin an exciting adventure with other churches in our Presbytery – The Acts 16:5 Initiative.

I have said for the past 5 weeks that we were preparing ourselves for The Acts 16:5 Initiative by looking at our purpose as a Church – my preaching on ideas from Rick Warren’s book and our studying these ideas on Wednesday nights.

Now it’s time for us do something about the Acts 16:5 Initiative.

I want to tell you some things the about the Acts 16:5 Initiative – the process Presbytery has gone through to choose this program – and 3 questions about the Acts 16:5 Initiative – namely:

1. What is it?

2. What’s in it for us?

3. What do we need to do now?

Several member of the Session are going to share their thoughts on it also.

First – what process has Presbytery gone through to choose the Acts 16:5 Initiative to offer to churches in this area – and what role have I played in the process?

Let’s go back about 3 years to when I was interviewing with the PNC. I was asked what ideas I would bring to help Hopewell grow and do all it can for God in the community. I replied that I did not have a “bag of tricks” to bring with me because I knew that every church is different and needs different things – but I would commit myself to getting to know the members of Hopewell and their needs – and helping you look for ways to deepen your faith and reach your potential for God’s glory.

I believe that I have used the gifts God has given me to be a Pastor to the members of Hopewell – and that I will continue to do so. I also believe that I have spent a lot of time learning about how to help churches grow and reach their potential – and the Session and I have looked at ways we can do this here at Hopewell.

The Session invited Judd Shaw and Ray Howe to come and lead us in a discussion of ways we can reach out to the community – including ways to get folks who live on Claussen road to turn towards Hopewell on Sundays instead of turning towards Florence.

The Session also met with Danny Murphy — an Associate Executive Presbyter with Trinity Presbytery in Columbia and a staff person with the denominations Church Growth team – who spent a morning with us last February sharing his ideas on how churches can grow and reach their potential.

Personally, as soon as I was approved as the minister of Hopewell I began talking to Preston Shealey – minister at Trinity Presbyterian at Surfside Beach and a good friend of mine for many years — who at the time was chair of Presbytery’s Church Development Division. I found out that there was an opening on that Division, and I volunteered and was elected to serve. I thought that being a part of CDD would put me in touch with ideas and ways to help churches – and would be a benefit to Hopewell. I have also taken advantage of many opportunities to learn about different programs and ways to help churches grow as I have – with the help of Hopewell and Presbytery – attended several training events and conferences that focused on church change and church growth.

So – during the 2 years I have been here at Hopewell, I have also been working with Presbytery through CDD to look for ways to help all the churches in New Harmony Presbytery. As I have shared ideas dreams and visions and listened to the ideas, dreams, and visions of others, I have been a part of the conversation on Presbytery level of how we can help churches reach their potential.

In November CDD finally decided that we needed to offer a program to the churches that would help them grow and reach their potential for God. After looking at and praying about various options, the Acts 16:5 Initiative from the Vital Churches Institute was decided upon. Kevin Cauley , pastor of First Presbyterian in Darlington, and I were asked to be co – chairs of Presbytery’s “Acts 16:5 Leadership Team” – and plans were made for the program to be introduced to the churches.

So – now for the 3 questions about the acts 16:5 Initiative:

1. What is it?

2. What’s in it for us?

3. What do we need to do now?

1. What is it?

The Acts 16:5 Initiative is a program designed by Stan Ott, a Presbyterian pastor with a passion for helping churches grow and reach people with the Good News of Jesus Christ. He named the program after the scripture – Acts 16:5 – which says that:

“the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew in numbers”

The key to church growth is being strengthened in the faith.

If a church is strengthened in the faith, it will grow in numbers.

If church members are strengthened in their faith, the church will reach it’s potential for God’s glory.

“the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew in numbers”

Ott designed a program that is scripturally based and that helps churches grow in their faith – and in numbers.

Since the Acts 16:5 Initiative has been introduced, Presbyterian churches throughout the country have used it and have grown – in faith and in numbers.

The Acts 16:5 Initiative is a 3 year process in which consultants from Ott’s Vital Churches Institute come and work with churches who participate in the program to pray with and for them, give them resources to help them grow in faith and numbers, and help them develop the all – important “action plans” so they can actually grow – in faith and in numbers. The consultants – who are all pastors of churches that have benefited from this process – come and meet with all of the churches taking part several times a year – then the churches meet together several times a year to discuss what they have learned and what they have done – and what they are planning to do – so that they can grow in faith and numbers. So – for 3 years churches are meeting with consultants familiar with their situations – and then are meeting with each other to plan how to implement what they are learning.

So – now for question 2

What’s in it for us?

Well – let me ask you a question:

How many of you think that it’s important for Hopewell to grow in faith and in numbers?

How many of you think that would be a good thing?
Go head – raise your hands. Let’s have a show of hands here.

How many of you think that it’s important for Hopewell to grow in faith and in numbers?

Ok – now – let me ask you another question –

How many of you know how we are going to do this?

Any ideas?

I didn’t think so!

That’s the problem – we might think it’s vital for the Church to grow in faith and in numbers – but we might not know how to do it. Even if we know how it was done in the past we may not know how to do it now.

That’s why I am excited about the Acts 16:5 Initiative.

Ott is very creative in coming up with ideas for things churches can do so the members can grow in their faith and the church can grow in numbers. He believes – as I do – that a definition of insanity is: “Doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results each time.” He knows that we have to try new things and do new things to grow in our own faith and reach the world with God’s love.

The Acts 16:5 Initiative would offer us a lot of different resources and new ideas us to grow – in faith and in numbers – and the consultants would be available for calls and contact every day as we would implement the particular plans we feel would be the best for us. Other churches in this Presbytery taking part will also be meeting with us as we share together.

That’s what’s in it for us – and our community.

Follks offering resources – ideas – proven strategies – and prayers for new ways for us to grow in faith and numbers.

I find that to be very exciting!

OK – so you know a little bit more about how I came to know about the Acts 16:5 Initiative – how Presbytery came to choose this particular program to offer churches in this area – what the Acts 16:5 Initiative is – and what might be in it for us.

There’s one more question I would like for us to consider before others talk about it.

What do we have to do – now?

Friends – we can talk about this and plan for it and be “fixin’ to get ready to commence to plan …” but there comes a time when have to do.

When Jesus called the first disciples they didn’t say: “let me think about it…” no – Mark says that immediately they dropped everything and followed. In fact, Jesus pointed out that those who gave Him excuses were not fit to follow Him. It was only those ready to do something when He called to them who made disciples.

There comes a time when we can’t sit and do nothing.

When God gives us opportunities to grow in faith and numbers, we have to take advantage of those opportunities.

God is giving us the opportunity.

We need to take advantage of it.

The first step in taking advantage of the opportunity is for some of us to go to what they are calling the “Launch” that will take place March 30-31 from 9:00 – 4:00 each day at First Presbyterian, Sumter. We need several from the Session to go – but we also need several from the congregation. We need members of the congregation to commit to going and hearing about this program – then prayerfully decide if it is for us – and help us promote it to the rest of the congregation.

Remember a few minutes ago when I asked who thought it would be a good idea for Hopewell to grow in faith and numbers?

Do you think this will be a good idea?

If so, prayerfully consider going with us to the “Acts 16:5 Launch” on March 30-31! It’s free – no expense – but the information shared and the learning will be invaluable.

Let me or a member of the Session know as soon as you can if you would like to go with us – we are going to have to let Presbytery know by March 15 so I am going to say to let us know by March 8 – 3 weeks from today – so plans can be made.

Let’s commit to learning more about what the Acts 16:5 Initiative offers us!

Let’s commit to looking at ways God wants us to grow – in faith and in numbers. Amen.

Some members of the Session are now going to share their ideas about this program and the potential it holds for us.

Matthew 22:34-40, Matthew 28:16-20, 1 Corinthians 12:1-31

Matthew 22:34-40

Matthew 28:16-20

1 Corinthians 12: 1-31

February 15 2009

“A Great Commitment To Fellowship”

Part 5 of The Purpose Driven Church series

Read Scripture

A great commitment to the Great Commandment and the Great

Commission makes for a great Church.

That’s what Rick Warren – in his book The Purpose Driven Church – gives as a purpose statement for a great church.

A great commitment to the Great Commandment and the Great Commission makes for a great Church.

This year holds an exciting promise for us as churches in New Harmony Presbytery begin taking part in The Acts 16:5 Initiative – a program where consultants from the Vital Churches Institute will be working with local churches – and helping them look at some specific things they can be doing to be reaching out into the world with the gospel of Jesus Christ. I pray that Hopewell will be led to take part in this. But — as we wait for that opportunity — we are taking the time to look at what God may be calling us to do as a Church by studying Rick Warren’s The Purpose Driven Church on Wednesday nights and my preaching on topics from the book on Sundays.

Remember — as a Church, we can’t do everything.

No one Church can do everything.

But – every Church can do some things.

There are things we can do.

There are things we should do.

In fact — there are things we must do if we are going to be the Church God would have us to be.

So — what are the things we can do – should do – indeed must do – to be the Church God intends for us to be – and to do God’s work and will in the community and in the world?

What are the things that should be our focus – our purpose – that we should use to define ourselves — and that others should use to define us?

What is our purpose as a Church?

Rick Warren writes that

A great commitment to the Great Commandment and the Great Commission makes for a great Church.

A great commitment to loving God with all our heart, soul, and mind and loving others as ourselves – that’s what we find in Matthew 23 with the Great Commandment –

And a great commitment to going and making disciples for Christ – that’s what we find in Matthew 28 with the Great Commission –

Makes for a great church!

A great commitment to the Great Commandment and the Great Commission makes for a great Church.

I really like that statement. I believe that it encompasses the things that are most important for us to be doing as a Church – and keeps our focus on God – on others – and on making disciples.

But – we can’t just have nifty little sayings such as this one and expect to truly be the Church God wants us to be. It takes much more than just words to do God’s work in the community and the world – it takes commitment – and it takes action.

If we are going to say that loving God with all our hearts, souls, and minds — loving others as ourselves – - and going into the community and the world to make disciples for Christ – is our purpose as a Church – then we have to be focused on these things – and focused on how we can do these things and put actions behind these words. We have to be focused – and committed – to truly being people and a Church that loves God – loves others – and makes disciples.

In his book Warren ties 5 elements of church life – 5 things we do as a church – to the Great Commandment and the Great Commission. These elements are:

Worship – which we looked at 3 weeks ago and saw that a great commitment to the first part of the Great Commandment – loving God with all our hearts, souls, and minds – leads us to having a heart of worship —

Ministry – which we looked at 2 weeks ago and saw that a great commitment to the second part of the Great Commandment – loving others as we love ourselves – leads us to reaching out to others with God’s love –

Evangelism – which we looked at last week and saw that a great commitment to the first part of the Great Commission – going and making disciples – leads us to tell others about Christ —

Fellowship — which Warren ties to the second part of the Great Commission – Baptizing – and

Discipleship – which Warren ties to the third part of the Great Commission – teaching them to obey all I have commanded you.

A great commitment to the Great Commandment and the Great Commission makes for a great Church.

Today we are going to look at the second element of what we do as a Church that Warren ties to the Great Commission – that being fellowship.

Go and make disciples of all nations – Jesus says – baptizing them – and teaching them.

That’s the Great Commission.

Once we tell others about Christ – once we get involved in the work of evangelism – is that all we need to do?

No – we need to baptize them – or make them members of the fellowship we have – the body of Christ.

Jesus says to “baptize them”.

That means bringing them to a decision about Christ – a decision for Christ to be their Lord and Savior – or in the case of infants it means the parents and the Church are committing themselves to teaching the child about Christ until they can make their own commitment. We even say in the Service of Infant Baptism that we are doing this “in the sure and certain hope of the day when they child will make their profession of faith in Jesus Christ”.

Baptism is a way of professing faith in Christ.

Baptism is also a way of committing ourselves to being a part of the body of Christ – the Church.

I believe that it is that aspect of baptism – being an active part of the body of Christ – the Church – that Warren is emphasizing when he ties that aspect of Fellowship with “baptizing them”.

Baptism is becoming a part of the body of Christ – the Church – and a part of the fellowship we have as the Church.

If we here at Hopewell are going to be the Church God wants us to be – we are going to have to have a great commitment to the fellowship that we have as a Church.

A great commitment to fellowship makes for a great Church.

A great commitment to fellowship makes for a great Church.

Now – first of all – we have to understand what is meant by Fellowship.

By Fellowship I mean the feeling of belonging to the Church –

the feeling of taking an active part of the Church –

the feeling being an important part of the Church –

the feeling that you have an important role to play and contribution to make in the Church –

the feeling that everyone involved in the Church is important –

the feeling that everyone involved in the Church has an important role to play and contribution to make to the Church–

the feeling that no one is unimportant in the Church.

Yea – we have “Fellowship Suppers” and activities and even a Fellowship Committee – but eating and going places is not the purpose. We can eat on our own – we can go places on our own but the purpose of the fellowship times we have as a Church is to help us get to know each other – share times fun times together – build up a feeling of love and support for each other – so that we each will see how important we are to each other in the Church – and everyone will see how important they are. The more time we spend together sharing our lives, the greater our feelings of love for each other will become – and the greater our commitment to each other – the Church – and using what God has blessed us with for the work of the Church – will become.

Too many times we overlook the fact that we are needed and have God – given gifts to offer for the good of the Church and feel we are not important – so we don’t get involved and we don’t offer what God has given us to offer to the Church.

Sadly, too many times we also overlook that fact that everyone is important in the Church – and don’t try to get others involved in the life and work of the Church.

The thing is – everyone is important – God has given everyone something they can use that will enrich the life of the Church – and when we do not get involved – or make sure everyone is involved – the work and life of the Church suffers.

Friends — if we here at Hopewell are going to be the Church God wants us to be – we are going to have to have a great commitment to the fellowship that we have as a Church.

A great commitment to fellowship makes for a great Church.

A great commitment to fellowship makes for a great Church.

We have to realize that we are important – have been blessed by God with gifts to give for the work of the Church – and that everyone else is important – and have gifts to give for the work of the Church.

Here’s an easy way to remember this important truth:

Nobody is a “nobody” in Christ’s body.

Nobody is a “nobody” in Christ’s body.

Imagine with me some Carpenter’s tools holding a conference:

The Hammer presides, but several suggest he leave the shop because he is too noisy. The Hammer replies, “If I have to leave this shop, the Screw must go also. You have to turn him around again and again to get him to accomplish anything.” The Screw speaks up: “If I have to leave, the Plane must leave, too. All his work is on the surface. His efforts have no depth.” To this, the Plane responds, “The Rule will also have to withdraw if I have to leave, for he is always measuring folks as though he were the only one who is right.” The Rule then complains about The Sandpaper: “He ought to leave, too, because he’s so rough and always rubbing people the wrong way”. And so goes the discord. In the midst of all this discussion, in walks the Carpenter. Putting on his apron, he goes to the bench and goes to work. He uses Brothers Hammer, Screw, Plane, Rule, Sandpaper, and all the other tools. After the day’s work, when he is finished and has left, the Saw arises and remarks, “I observe that all of us are workers together with in the hands of the Carpenter.”

Friends — if we here at Hopewell are going to be the Church God wants us to be – we are going to have to have a great commitment to the fellowship that we have as a Church.

A great commitment to fellowship makes for a great Church.

Nobody is a “nobody” in Christ’s body.

Nobody is a “nobody” in Christ’s body.

Everybody is important because we are all part of the body of Christ.

Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 12:12-13:

12 The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body–whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free–and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.

Nobody is a “nobody” in Christ’s body.

Our bodies have many members. Our physical bodies are the most wonderful creation on the planet. One of the many wonderful things about our bodies is that they have many significant members. Our mouths, our eyes, our teeth, our toenails, our knees, and our hair (no matter how much or little we have) are all members of one body. We don’t have more than one body (although I know most of us wish we had another one!). We only have one body that is made up of many, many members.
And the body of Christ has many members, also.

We are all members of Christ’s body — we are all members of Christ’s church here at Hopewell. Just as our physical bodies have many members that form just one body, all of us who make up Hopewell Presbyterian Church are all members of Christ’s body – the church in this place and time.

Nobody is a “nobody” in Christ’s body.

We can easily see why the many members of our bodies are one – but what about the Church – the body of Christ?

What makes us here at Hopewell Presbyterian one body – the body of Christ – even though we are all different?

In 1 Corinthians 12:13 Paul says that we are one because we are baptized by one Spirit. The Holy Sprit has made us one body. We are all members of the body of Christ – everyone is included – and no one is excluded. The Holy Sprit has united us in the body of Christ just like all of the parts of our bodies have been united to form one body. Everyone is important because we are all part of the body of Christ!

Nobody is a “nobody” in Christ’s body.

In fact, everybody is important because we are different. Look at the illustration Paul gives:

Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. 15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body. (1 Corinthians 12:14-20)

There is diversification in the body of Christ – just as there is in our bodies – but e ach part is needed – just as each part of our bodies are needed.

Nobody is a “nobody” in Christ’s body.

We all have different abilities — according to what God has blessed us with – and we each can serve in different ways — based on the abilities God has given us – but we are all important. We are all different — but we are all members of the same body – the body of Christ – the Church here at Hopewell. The members of our physical bodies are all as different as toenails and eyelashes, but they are all members of the same body! Toenails and eyelashes look different and they have different abilities, but they are all members of the same body! So it is in the body of Christ! We are different, but we are all members of the same body. In spite of the fact that each member is unique, we are all still members of the same body, important and needed. The reason everybody is important because we need each other. Just as Paul illustrates that the parts of our physical bodies — though different – are needed – every member of the body of Christ – the Church – is needed – and important.

You may not feel that you are important, but you are. You may not feel that you are needed – but you are. You may feel that no one will notice if you are not here, but you are mistaken! You may think that no one will notice whether you are here are not. You may think that there’s nothing for you to do and therefore you are not needed. But I am here to correct that notion. Everyone is important because we need each other! When you are not here, it is discouraging to those who are here. We need each other – we need you!

There may be some that we do not treat as important – or get involved in the life and fellowship of the Church. If we do that, we are hurting the Church – missing what they can offer and give us – and we are actually hurting ourselves.

Friends — if we here at Hopewell are going to be the Church God wants us to be – we are going to have to have a great commitment to the fellowship that we have as a Church.

A great commitment to fellowship makes for a great Church.

Nobody is a “nobody” in Christ’s body.

Nobody is a “nobody” in Christ’s body.

Everybody is important because we are all part of the body of Christ.

We are all important because we need each other. If one member suffers, we all suffer. When one member of our physical body suffers, the whole body suffers. If you question that, notice how your body reacts the next time stub your little toe. You might think your little toe is not important, but when it suffers the whole body suffers! And — when someone in the body of Christ suffers, we all suffer with them.
You can easily see it each Sunday during our prayer requests — when folks are suffering, we all suffer – and want to pray for them. When one of us suffers (even when they think they are no more important than a little toe), we all suffer with them. And likewise when one member rejoices, we all rejoice. In our physical bodies, when the virus that was in our stomach is gone – or the cold that was in our sinuses — the rest of the body rejoices with it! We should get excited at the victories and celebrations in other peoples’ lives —because everyone is important!

Everyone is important because we need each other! Everybody is important because we all have an important purpose. Listen to what Paul; writes:

Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 28 And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues ? Do all interpret? 31 But eagerly desire the greater gifts. And now I will show you the most excellent way. 1 Corinthians 12:27-31

If one member of our physical bodies ignores it’s purpose, the whole body suffers. If the nose quits smelling, the body will suffer. If the tongue decides to quit tasting, the body will suffer. If the foot decides to quit walking, the body will suffer. Paul is saying that not everyone in the Church has all of the gifts – but – just as each member of our body has an important gift – each member of the Church does also. Not everyone does everything. – but everyone can do something! Everybody has different gifts, but we all work together for the common good just like toenails, eyelashes, hands, and feet. Everybody is important because we all have an important purpose.

Nobody is a “nobody” in Christ’s body.

Nobody is a “nobody” in Christ’s body.

Every member is important because they have an important God-given talent that is needed in the body of Christ! If we will use our gifts used together we will build up the body of Christ; we will grow spiritually and numerically when we use our gifts together as part of the team! If we use our gifts we will unify the body f Christ — we will be unified when we use our gifts as part of the team! But — I hope that you see that none of these things will happen if each of us are not using our God-given talents – and encouraging others to do so. If you or I choose not to use our God-given abilities, — and encourage everyone else to do so — the church will suffer.

We can’t think that since we don’t have the same abilities as everyone else, we won’t get involved. We can’t let others think that either. But God knew that the body only needed all kinds of gifts – and has given different members different gifts – so that His work can be done. Every member – every gift they can give – every contribution they can make — is important! Every member has a God-given ability and therefore a God-given purpose! God doesn’t expect you or me or anyone else to do everything — God expects us to do what He has gifted us to do! And when we all use our gifts together we become a church! When we all do our part, we become the greatest organization on the planet – the Church of Jesus Christ – doing God’s work in this community and the world.

So – if we here at Hopewell are going to be the Church God wants us to be – we are going to have to have a great commitment to the fellowship that we have as a Church.

A great commitment to fellowship makes for a great Church.

Nobody is a “nobody” in Christ’s body.

Nobody is a “nobody” in Christ’s body.

Everybody is important because we are all part of the body of Christ.

So – here is the question you need to consider:

Are you fulfilling your purpose for which God brought you to Hopewell?

Are you fulfilling your purpose for which God brought you to Hopewell?

God has given you a specific ability that Hopewell needs. If you choose not to use that ability, the Church will suffer.

Are you fulfilling your purpose for which God brought you to Hopewell?

Here’s another question:

Are you encouraging others to fulfill their purpose for which God brought them to Hopewell?

God has given all of us specific abilities that Hopewell needs. If we choose not to encourage others to use their abilities, the Church will suffer

We all need to simply allow God to use us by using the abilities that he has given us and encourage those around us to do the things that God has gifted them to do. In that way every member is fulfilling the purpose to which God called and gifted them to do.

Are you fulfilling the purpose for which God has brought you to Hopewell?

Are you encouraging others to fulfill the purpose for which God has brought them to Hopewell?

If you’re not, you need to commit yourself to that today.

If we here at Hopewell are going to be the Church God wants us to be – we are going to have to have a great commitment to the fellowship that we have as a Church.

A great commitment to fellowship makes for a great Church.

A great commitment to the Great Commandment and the Great Commission makes for a great Church.

Next week we’ll look at another aspect of this – but for today remember that a great commitment to fellowship — to using the gifts God gives you to encourage and build up others and do God’s work – makes for a great Christian – and a great Church.

A great commitment to fellowship makes for a great Church. Amen. .

Matthew 22:34-40, Matthew 28:16-20

Matthew 22:34-40

Matthew 28:16-20

February 8 2009

“A Great Commitment To Evangelism”

Part 4 of The Purpose Driven Church series

Read Scripture

A great commitment to the Great Commandment and the Great

Commission makes for a great Church.

That’s what Rick Warren – in his book The Purpose Driven Church – gives as a purpose statement for a great church.

A great commitment to the Great Commandment and the Great Commission makes for a great Church.

If we are going to be the Church God wants us to be, we are going to have to have a vision for what we can do for God’s glory in the community and the world. This year holds an exciting promise for us as churches in New Harmony Presbytery begin taking part in The Acts 16:5 Initiative – a program where consultants from the Vital Churches Institute will be working with us – and helping us look at what some specific things we can be doing to be reaching out into the world with the gospel of Jesus Christ. I pray that Hopewell will be led to take part in this. But — as we wait for that opportunity — we are taking the time to look at what God may be calling us to do as a Church by studying Rick Warren’s The Purpose Driven Church on Wednesday nights and my preaching on topics from the book on Sundays.

Remember — as a Church, we can’t do everything.

No one Church can do everything.

But – every Church can do some things.

There are things we can do.

There are things we should do.

In fact — there are things we must do if we are going to be the Church God would have us to be.

So — what are the things we can do – should do – indeed must do – to be the Church God intends for us to be – and to do God’s work and will in the community and in the world?

What are the things that should be our focus – our purpose – that we should use to define ourselves — and that others should use to define us?

What is our purpose as a Church?

Rick Warren writes that

A great commitment to the Great Commandment and the Great Commission makes for a great Church.

A great commitment to loving God with all our heart, soul, and mind and loving others as ourselves – that’s what we find in Matthew 23 with the Great Commandment –

And a great commitment to going and making disciples for Christ – that’s what we find in Matthew 28 with the Great Commission –

Makes for a great church!

A great commitment to the Great Commandment and the Great Commission makes for a great Church.

I really like that statement. I believe that it encompasses the things that are most important for us to be doing as a Church – and keeps our focus on God – on others – and on making disciples.

But – we can’t just have nifty little sayings such as this one and expect to truly be the Church God wants us to be. It takes much more than just words to do God’s work in the community and the world – it takes commitment – and it takes action.

If we are going to say that loving God with all our hearts, souls, and minds — loving others as ourselves – - and going into the community and the world to make disciples for Christ – is our purpose as a Church – then we have to be focused on these things – and focused on how we can do these things and put actions behind these words. We have to be focused – and committed – to truly being people and a Church that loves God – loves others – and makes disciples.

In his book Warren ties 5 elements of church life – 5 things we do as a church – to the Great Commandment and the Great Commission. These elements are:

Worship

Ministry

Evangelism

Fellowship

Discipleship

Warren ties Worship and Ministry to the Great Commandment – loving God with all our heart, soul, and mind – and ties Evangelism, Fellowship, and Discipleship to the Great Commission – going and making disciples, baptizing, and teaching.

A great commitment to the Great Commandment and the Great Commission makes for a great Church.

2 weeks ago we looked at worship – and how loving God with all our heart, soul, and mind leads us to have a heart for worship – and how we need a commitment to worship.

Last week we looked at ministry – and how loving our neighbor as ourselves leads us to a great commitment to reaching out to others – ministering to them in the name of God and with the compassion of God.

You see — a great commitment to the Great Commandment – to worship and ministry – loving God and loving others — and the Great Commission makes for a great Church.

Today we are going to look at the first element of the church life that Warren ties to the Great Commission – that being evangelism.

In the Great Commission, Jesus told His disciples to make disciples – to baptize them – and teach them.

Go and make disciples — Jesus says.

In other words, evangelize.

Tell others about Jesus.

Help others come to a saving faith in Christ.

Tell your story about what Christ has done for you.

A great commitment to evangelism makes for a great Church.

Friends – if we here at Hopewell are going to be the Church God intends for us to be we are going to have to be committed to going into the world – the community and beyond and make disciples for Christ — – and that means being committed to evangelism .

A great commitment to evangelism makes for a great Church.

Listen again to what Jesus tells us in The Great Commission:

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28:19-20)

This is what it means to proclaim the gospel. This is what it means to do the work of evangelism.

It means that those who know about Jesus – those who have been saved by God’s great love for us in Jesus Christ – need to commit themselves to telling those who do not know about Jesus – or do not live as God calls us to live – about God’s great love.

Those who know telling those who don’t know.

This is evangelism – and needs to be one of our main commitments as individual Christians – and as a Church.

Friends – if we here at Hopewell are going to be the Church God intends for us to be we are going to have to be committed to going into the world – the community and beyond and make disciples for Christ – telling those who don’t know about God’s love — and that means being committed to evangelism .

We need a great commitment to evangelism.

A great commitment to evangelism makes for a great Church.

We should be “those who know” telling “those who don’t know.”

I once read about an abbot of a monastery who called a novice – a first year Monk — into his office and instructed him to give the meditation at the next morning’s chapel.

Well, the novice was struck with fear – but the abbot insisted.

The next morning at chapel the novice stood in the pulpit with his hands trembling — his knees knocking – and his voice was quivering. There was a long pause before he first spoke – and then he asked a question: “Do you know what I’m going to say?” They had no idea, so all of their heads shook “no” almost in unison, as if it were choreographed. The novice said, “Neither do I. Let’s stand for the benediction.”

Well, the abbot did not appreciate this. He called the novice into his office and said, “You must do this. It’s for your own good. Tomorrow is your day again. Be prepared, and this time do it right.”

The next day was almost an exact repeat of the day before. All the brothers sat there before him. His hands shook — his knees knocked – and his voice trembled. After a long pause he again asked: “Do you know what I’m going to say?” Well, after the previous day’s experience, they had a pretty good idea. All of their heads went up and down – “Yes” – they thought they knew what he was going to say. “Then there’s no need for me to tell you” the novice said. “Let’s stand for the benediction.”

The abbot was now very angry. He brought the novice into his office and said, “If you do that again, you are going to be in solitary confinement, bread and water for thirty days and any other punishment that I can think of. Tomorrow morning give the homily; do it right.”

Well, the third day, all the monks were there to hear what he would say, and it was, again, almost an exact repeat. He stood, trembled, voice quivered; and after the long silence, he asked, “Do you know what I’m going to say?” After three days of this, about half of them had a pretty good idea and they nodded their heads up and down. Yes, we know. But the other half noticed the switch from day to day, and they really weren’t sure what was going to happen; and so they shook their heads back and forth. No, we don’t. The novice observed this, then said:

“Let those who know tell those who don’t. Let us stand for the benediction.”

Those who know telling those who don’t know.

That is a simple definition of evangelism. A simple definition, but an inadequate one.

A more fully Biblical definition of evangelism is making more disciples for Jesus Christ.

The word “evangelism” is actually almost a transliteration from Greek. The Greek word was euangelion, but the pronunciation has become blurred when brought into English. The prefix eu means “good.” We’ve brought that over into English as well. We go to a funeral and you hear a “eulogy”, which is two Greek words — the words for good and word. It is a good word about the person who has died. The rest of the word euangelion – the angelion part – we’ve also brought over into English because we speak about “angels” as messengers. The Greek word is the word for “message.” So euangelion — or “evangelism” — is the good message or the Gospel, the good news about Jesus Christ.

Now, interestingly, the word “evangelism” is never used in the New Testament, at least not as people use it today. To many people, evangelism means telling about Jesus and that’s all it means — but that was never all it meant in the Bible. That is only the beginning of evangelism.

Let’s think about it this way – suppose you walk out of Church this morning and there was a stranger standing outside who said to you, “How do I get to Myrtle Beach?” and you respond: “Well, get in your car” – then walked off. That might be good advice – but it is inadequate. You also need to tell them which direction to go – where to turn – etc.

The beginning of evangelism is the information about Jesus Christ, how to get into Him and to Him; but there is much more. Evangelism also needs to be persuading a person to be a disciple of Jesus Christ.

“Go and make disciples” Jesus says.

Go – and be evangelists. Tell the good news of Christ.

Friends – if we here at Hopewell are going to be the Church God intends for us to be we are going to have to be committed to going into the world – the community — and beyond and make disciples for Christ – telling those who don’t know about God’s love – telling the good news of Jesus – and that means being committed to evangelism .

We need a great commitment to evangelism.

A great commitment to evangelism makes for a great Church.

We need a great commitment to telling others about Christ – and a great commitment to telling them how to be followers – or disciples – of Christ.

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations — baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you.” Jesus says.

So, a disciple is someone who has been taught to obey all that Christ commands. Now – it’s important to realize that a disciple isn’t someone who does all that Christ commands, because it may take a lifetime to learn all the things that He’s going to command us and no one will ever perfectly do God’s will – but a disciple is someone who has made the commitment: “Whatever Jesus says I promise in advance that I will try to do.” This means convincing someone to be the kind of a follower of Jesus Christ who will try to do all that Jesus tells us to do.

Having a great commitment to evangelism – a great commitment to being evangelists — is something like being a salesperson. A salesperson is not only the one who shows the product, but the one who closes the sale – who gets the signature on the contract — the down payment – and makes sure that the delivery is made. A person with a great commitment to evangelism is one who talks about Jesus and the Good News of Jesus Christ — but also closes the sale, persuades the person to take delivery of Jesus Christ into their life, who makes a commitment to obey Jesus Christ as Lord. To truly be a Church that is committed to evangelism we have to be committed to telling the Good News of what God has done for us in Jesus Christ – and committed to helping others become followers of Christ.

Friends – if we here at Hopewell are going to be the Church God intends for us to be we are going to have to be committed to going into the world – the community and beyond and make disciples for Christ – telling those who don’t know about God’s love — and that means being committed to evangelism .

We need a great commitment to evangelism.

A great commitment to evangelism makes for a great Church.

There are many countries around the world where it’s okay to be a Christian, but you can’t be about the work of evangelism – persuading someone else to become a Christian. In fact, in some countries it’s against the law.

I read some time ago about two men from the Republic of the Philippines who were in a Middle Eastern nation, in a private home, and they were persuading people to become Christians. The religious police arrived, raided the house, and arrested them. They were convicted and sentenced to death. So there are countries which say, “Sure, we have religious freedom to be whatever you want to be, but you cannot evangelize. You cannot persuade someone else.”

In the People’s Republic of China, the largest nation in the world – - a billion people strong – there is a church that is sanctioned by the government where Christians are allowed to worship. It is called the T-Self Church. It’s in a beautiful old building, built around the turn of the last century. They have beautiful worship and good fellowship. This is the only place the government allows Christians to worship and there are over 50 million Christians in China — so you would think that there would be many people worshipping at this Church. But this is not the case. You see — the government does not allow them to evangelize. The government tells them – in effect — “You can do your thing as long as your thing doesn’t include persuading somebody else.” About 50 million Christians in the People’s Republic of China have chosen not to be part of the T-Self Church, and they meet in house churches, against government orders, because they’re convinced you can’t be a Christian unless you evangelize. They say that the two go together; and if you don’t evangelize, you’re not a Christian. They would say that those who are in the T-Self church are really not Christians, as far as the New Testament definition is concerned.

If we are going to be the Church God intends for us to be we are going to have to be committed to going into the world – the community and beyond and make disciples for Christ – telling those who don’t know about God’s love — and that means being committed to evangelism .

We need a great commitment to evangelism.

A great commitment to evangelism makes for a great Church.

Many Christians do not have a commitment to evangelism. Many have the feeling:

“You believe what you believe; I believe what I believe. We’re all okay. Let’s just leave each other alone. It’s a private thing. You don’t mess with somebody else’s religion.”

But – if we are going to be the people God calls us to be – if we are going to be the Church God wills for us to be – if Hopewell Presbyterian Church is going to be the Church God wills for us to be – then you are going to have to value evangelism – we are going to have to value evangelism – telling others about Jesus — and making disciples for Jesus. We are going to have to be committed to evangelism.

We can be like the T-Self Church in China – have good services in a beautiful, old, historic building – but not reaching out into the community to tell others about Christ — and not really be the Church God calls us to be – and not grow – - or we can be a Church that is committed to evangelism – committed to proclaiming the gospel Jesus Christ to the community and the world — committed to what God wills for this Church to be doing.

To truly be a Church is to truly value evangelism – to truly value — and truly be involved in — the work of telling others about Christ. In fact, to truly be a Christian is to truly value the work of evangelism – to truly value — and truly be involved in — the work of telling others about Christ.

There are a lot of reasons for this – but let’s look at a couple of them.

The first reason we need to truly value evangelism — the first reason we need to truly value telling others about salvation through Jesus Christ — – is because God truly values it.

A Christian is someone who adopts God’s values. As Christian individuals – and as a Church – we are to adopt the values of God. God has set a high value on evangelism. He gave His Son’s life for this good news. He has ordered us to make disciples. You can’t read the Bible and come to any other conclusion but that this is a big deal to God — that God counts evangelism to be really important. And what is important to God is important to somebody who’s a Christian. What is important to God is important to the Church. If for no other reason, we would say we value evangelism – we value telling others about salvation through Jesus Christ — because God values it.

But there are other reasons.

Another reason we value evangelism – telling others about salvation through Jesus Christ — is because we’ve been evangelized — we have had the gospel proclaimed to us. Somewhere, from someone, we heard about Jesus Christ – and discovered for ourselves that receiving Jesus Christ changes life! Out of that experience, we can to persuade others.

Marketing — or advertising – are good things, but are ultimately not as powerful in persuading people to try a product as those who are already “sold” on the product telling others about it.

Some years ago my Dad – at that point a retired lawyer – asked me: “Have you read John Grisham’s new book?” I said, “I’ve never heard of John Grisham.” “Well, you ought to read his book called The Firm.” I had never heard of it. I had never seen it reviewed. So I went out and bought it to keep Dad happy; at least I could tell him I bought it. I started to read it, and I read it straight through. I then read another of his novels — A Time To Kill. I then read any book by John Grisham I could get my hands on . John Grisham has written many books – and at one time the paperback best seller in the United States was by John Grisham, — as well as the hardcover best seller. That has never happened before in history, and it’s not because of advertising, not because of the publisher’s clever marketing plan, but because somebody liked the book. I guess a lot of people liked the book and told other people, until millions of these books have been sold. I know I fell in love with John Grisham’s books because Dad loved them – and told me about them.

As, Christians, we are to be people who like Jesus. Wee are to be people who have experienced Him, and then tell somebody else about it. It doesn’t take a newspaper ad. It doesn’t take a review in a magazine. Evangelism is people who like Jesus and have experienced him telling other people — until it has spread to thousands and millions and tens of millions and hundreds of million and more.

A third reason for valuing – and being involved in — evangelism – a third reason we value and need to be involved in telling others about salvation through Jesus Christ – is that, as Christians, we value other people. We don’t want them to be ignorant of God. We don’t want them to be isolated from God. We don’t want them to be lost. We don’t want to live or die not knowing about salvation through Christ.

Rick Warren makes the point that churches that are not committed to – and involved in – evangelism – not committed to – and involved in – telling folks in their community about salvation through Christ – are – in essence – telling the community “You can go to hell!”. In other words, if we don’t tell them how they can get to heaven – we are condemning them to hell. Some years back there was a Christian T- Shirt that read: “Friends don’t let friends go to hell.” You may not want to wear that to work tomorrow morning, but you get the idea. When you care about other people, you value evangelism. You value telling them about salvation through Jesus Christ. You value their knowing about Jesus Christ.

If we are going to be the Church God intends for us to be we are going to have to be committed to going into the world – the community and beyond and make disciples for Christ – telling those who don’t know about God’s love — and that means being committed to evangelism .

We need a great commitment to evangelism.

A great commitment to evangelism makes for a great Church.

So – how about it?

How great is our commitment to evangelism – to telling others about what we have experience in Christ – and what they can experience also?

How committed are we to going out and telling others about Christ?

How committed are you to going our and telling others about Christ?

Maybe you don’t know how to do it.

Let me give you three words on how to do evangelism – on how to tell others about Christ.

Pray – Go – and Tell.

Pray.

Pray for those who are not Christians.

Try this — pick three people whom you think are not Christians and pray for them every day. Pray that they become Christians, but also pray for their families, for their jobs, for finance and health and cars and house and apartment or whatever the issues of their lives may be. Pray for them.

There was a fascinating study based in Los Angeles County, California, where thousands of people committed to praying for others within Los Angeles County. During that period thousands came to know Christ – and crime rate dropped over 50 percent.

What if we here at Hopewell were each to decide to privately to pray for three other people in our community?

Pray is the first word.

The second is go.

Go into the community with the good news of Jesus Christ. Go into the community and share what you have experienced about Christ. Go into the community and make disciples for Christ.

Pray – go – and thirdly – tell.

Tell others about what you have experienced in Christ – and what they can experience in Christ.

Salvation through Christ may be the best kept secret in the world.

Don’t be a the secret – keeper — be a Christ sharer. Be someone who tells others about Christ.

If we are going to be the Church God intends for us to be we are going to have to be committed to going into the world – the community and beyond and make disciples for Christ – telling those who don’t know about God’s love — and that means being committed to evangelism .

We need a great commitment to evangelism.

A great commitment to evangelism makes for a great Church.

There are lots of ways to do this. We can find them all over the place if we’re looking for them, and we can plan ahead, think it through and say:

hey – here is a way that I could connect with somebody else in beginning the process of evangelism, of persuading them to become disciples of Jesus Christ

Being committed to evangelism is looking for as many ideas and opportunities as possible to tell others about Christ.

A great commitment to the Great Commandment and the Great Commission makes for a great Church.

Next week we’ll look at another aspect of this – but for today remember that a great commitment to evangelism – to telling others about salvation through Jesus Christ – makes for a great Church. Remember to pray – to go – and tell others about Christ.

O – and there are three more words about evangelism I want you do remember – it doesn’t matter how you tell others about Christ –

Just do it. Just do it.

A great commitment to evangelism makes for a great Church. Amen.

Matthew 22:34-40, Matthew 28:16-20, Luke 16:19-31

Matthew 22:34-40

Matthew 28:16-20

Luke 16:19-31

February 1, 2009

“A Great Commitment To Ministry”

Part 3 of The Purpose Driven Church series

Read Scripture

A great commitment to the Great Commandment and the Great

Commission makes for a great Church.

That’s what Rick Warren – in his book The Purpose Driven Church – gives as a purpose statement for a great church.

A great commitment to the Great Commandment and the Great Commission makes for a great Church.

If we are going to be the Church God wants us to be, we are going to have to have a vision for what we can do for God’s glory in the community and the world. We’ll have an exciting opportunity to begin the Acts 16:5 Initiative – where consultants from the Vital Churches Institute will be working with churches in New Harmony Presbytery – later this year – but as we wait for that opportunity we are going to look at what God may be calling us to do as a Church by studying Rick Warren’s The Purpose Driven Church on Wednesday nights and my preaching on topics from the book on Sundays.

The thing we need to remember is that as a Church, we can’t do everything.

Not every Church can do everything.

No one Church can do everything.

But – every Church can do some things.

There are things we can do.

There are things we should do.

In fact — there are things we must do if we are going to be the Church God would have us to be.

Every Church can’t do everything – but every Church can do some things.

We can’t do everything – but we can do some things.

So – what are we supposed to be doing?

What are the things we can do – should do – indeed must do – to be the Church God intends for us to be – and to do God’s work and will in the community and in the world?

What are the things that should define who we should be?

What are the things that we should be focused on as a Church – and that we should do and do well?

What are the things that we should talk about when we talk about Hopewell to others:

“At Hopewell we ….”

What are the things others should talk about when they talk about Hopewell:

“At Hopewell they …”

What are the things that should be our focus – our purpose – that we should use to define ourselves — and that others should use to define us?

What is our purpose as a Church?

Rick Warren writes that

A great commitment to the Great Commandment and the Great Commission makes for a great Church.

A great commitment to the Great Commandment and the Great Commission makes for a great Church.

A great commitment to loving God with all our heart, soul, and mind and loving others as ourselves – that’s what we find in Matthew 23 with the Great Commandment –

And a great commitment to going and making disciples for Christ – that’s what we find in Matthew 28 with the Great Commission –

Makes for a great church!

A great commitment to the Great Commandment and the Great Commission makes for a great Church.

I really like that statement. I believe that it encompasses the things that are most important for us to be doing as a Church – and keeps our focus on God – on others – and on making disciples.

A great commitment to the Great Commandment and the Great Commission makes for a great Church.

But – we can’t just have nifty little sayings such as this one and expect to truly be the Church God wants us to be. It takes much more than just words to do God’s work in the community and the world – it takes commitment – and it takes action.

If we are going to say that loving God with all our hearts, souls, and minds — loving others as ourselves – - and going into the community and the world to make disciples for Christ – is our purpose as a Church – then we have to be focused on these things – and focused on how we can do these things and put actions behind these words. We have to be focused – and committed – to truly being people and a Church that loves God – loves others – and makes disciples.

In his book Warren gives 5 things that a church needs to focus on to truly live out it’s purpose of loving God – loving others – and making disciples. These things are:

Worship

Ministry

Evangelism

Fellowship

Discipleship

Warren ties Worship and Ministry to the Great Commandment – loving God with all our heart, soul, and mind and loving others as yourself — and ties Evangelism, Fellowship, and Discipleship to the Great Commandment – going and making disciples, baptizing, and teaching.

A great commitment to the Great Commandment and the Great Commission makes for a great Church.

Last week we looked at worship – and how loving God with all our heart, soul, and mind leads us to have a heart for worship – and how we need a commitment to worship.

Today we are going to look at ministry – and how loving our neighbor as ourselves leads us to a great commitment to ministry.

A great commitment to the Great Commandment and the Great Commission makes for a great Church.

A great commitment to ministry makes for a great Church.

If we here at Hopewell are going to be the Church God intends for us to be we are going to have to be committed to loving others as much as we love ourselves – and that means being committed to ministry .

A great commitment to ministry makes for a great Church.

One of my favorite songs in contemporary Christian music is the song “If We Are The Body” by the group Casting Crowns. It gives various situations where people are in need – but Christians do not reach out to them.

The chorus has the words:

But if we are the body
why aren’t his arms reaching
why aren’t his hands healing
why aren’t his words teaching
if we are the body
why aren’t his feet going
why is his love not showing them there is a way
there is a way

To me, this song voices what Jesus taught – and what Warren writes about a great Church needing a great commitment to ministry. \

If we here at Hopewell are going to be the Church God intends for us to be, we are going to have to be committed to loving others as much as we love ourselves – committed to being the body of Christ reaching out into the community and the world — committed to ministry .

A great commitment to ministry makes for a great Church.

In the story Jesus tells in our passage from Luke He seems to infer that people who are not committed to loving others and reaching out to others with His love are in trouble.

That’s the clear implication of the story about the rich man and Lazarus.

We’re in trouble if we don’t see and respond to the needs of the people in our community and the world .

If we here at Hopewell are going to be the Church God intends for us to be, we are going to have to be committed to loving others as much as we love ourselves – committed to being the body of Christ reaching out into the community and the world – committed to ministry .

A great commitment to ministry makes for a great Church.

You know – there is a great need in the world – indeed in our own community – for Churches who are committed to ministry – indeed for people who are committed to ministry.

Contemporary Lazarus figures are everywhere – men, women, and children of every description who do not have what they need to get by and survive from day to day. And – the thing is – I believe that it is going to get much worse before it gets better. With an insecure economy already, and news this week from the Paper Mill making things look a whole lot worse, I believe that more and more people are going to have more and more needs. Just looking at the 40 or so employees at the Paper Mill is not enough – you also have to consider folks who cut the wood, drive the trucks, and do all the things that keep the Paper Mill operating – and then you have the businesses that depend on employees of the Paper Mill and those who support the work of the Paper Mill. Yes – there are contemporary Lazarus figures everywhere – and we will probably see more and more of them. I used to see people in need every day when I lived in North Carolina and was the director of the Reidsville Outreach Center — but I see them now also as I drive through Florence – even as I drive through Claussen. But you see them also – or at least you can if you’ll only look and don’t turn the other way and avoid them.

Unfortunately — even today even in America – even in Florence – Lazarus – or those like him – lives!

And – again unfortunately – part of the reason there are still many who are like Lazarus – is that there are still many who are like the rich man – who have enough to help Lazarus and then some – but refuse to see the need and refuse to help.

If we here at Hopewell are going to be the Church God intends for us to be, we are going to have to be committed to loving others as much as we love ourselves – committed to being the body of Christ reaching out into the community and the world – committed to ministry .

A great commitment to ministry makes for a great Church.

Lazarus still lives in the lives of the poor –

The rich man still lives in the lives of those who have the ability to help the Lazarus’ of the world – but refuse to do so.

If we here at Hopewell are going to be the Church God intends for us to be, we are going to have to be committed to loving others as much as we love ourselves – committed to being the body of Christ reaching out into the community and the world – committed to ministry .

A great commitment to ministry makes for a great Church.

You see – those of us who can help the poor – Jesus says – have a duty to do so – a duty to employ whatever resources we have to help those in need. Blow that responsibility off, says Jesus, and there will be – as they say — hell to pay.

This parable of Jesus has a strong message.

Hopefully it is a message that will make us all sit up and take note.

Jesus begins the parable of the rich man and Lazarus by highlighting in graphic detail the gap that exists between the two – the rich man lives in sumptuous affluence — while just outside the gates the poor man sits, dogs licking the sores on his body.

The rich man goes to bed each night having had his fill of food – while the poor man goes to bed hungry.

The rich man – with all his affluence — does nothing at all to help Lazarus – in all his poverty.

Well – that’s not the end of the story – is it?

The poor man dies and is carried to Abraham’s side, a metaphor for heaven or the eternal home of the righteous.

Then, some time later, the rich man dies.

He does not go to Abraham – but if he were playing Monopoly he would draw a card that would read

Go Straight To Hell.

Do Not Pass Go.

Do Not Collect 200 Dollars.

Yes – he goes straight to hell – and in hell he suffers terribly.

On the distant horizon, however, he sees the beggar Lazarus enjoying the bliss of heaven — and he calls out to Abraham — pleading for him to send Lazarus on a mission of mercy to cool his burning thirst.

Abraham then says to the rich man something like:

“You had your chance in life and you blew it.

Now you have to pay for your cruel and selfish neglect.

And it’s not only you.

Your ignorant and insensitive brothers,

who are still living, are currently in harm’s way

in the same regard. Moses and the prophets made it clear

what their duty is, but they’re hardened to their

counsel just like you were. Forget trying to warn them.

It won’t do any good.”

Wow.

A story like this should give most of us pause because the truth of the matter is, in terms of relative affluence, we’re in the position the rich man was in his life – but do not want to be in the position the rich man was in his death.

If we here at Hopewell are going to be the Church God intends for us to be, we are going to have to be committed to loving others as much as we love ourselves – committed to being the body of Christ reaching out into the community and the world – committed to ministry .

A great commitment to ministry makes for a great Church.

I believe we all need to sit up and pay careful attention to what Jesus is telling us here.

Part of our job – as God’s people – is love others as much as we love ourselves – and reach out to others in need with the love of God in what we call ministry – specific actions of love and grace. Part of our job is to be the body of Christ in the world – sharing His love with all people – but particularly those in need.

A great commitment to ministry makes for a great Church.

Most of us understand full well what we’re being told in this parable of Jesus. We understand that – although we are not rich – we also are not poor. We may not feel that we live like the rich man in Jesus’ story, but we truly do not live like Lazarus, either.

We have the ability to reach out to others with God’s love and be involved in acts of kindness and ministry.

The question is – do we?

If we here at Hopewell are going to be the Church God intends for us to be, we are going to have to be committed to loving others as much as we love ourselves – committed to being the body of Christ reaching out into the community and the world – committed to ministry .

A great commitment to ministry makes for a great Church.

Henri Nouwen was a great religious writer who died several years ago. In one of his essays – “Seeds of Hope” – he wrote:

“Our lives as we live them seem like lives that anticipate questions

that will never be asked. It seems as if we are getting ourselves ready

for the question “How much did you earn in your lifetime’? or “How

many friends did you make”? or “How much progress did you make

in your career” ? or “How much influence did you have on people”?

Were any of these the question Christ will ask us, many of us could

approach the judgement throne with confidence.

But we are not going to hear these questions.

The question we are all going to face is the question we are the least

prepared for:

“What have you done for the least of mine”?

As long as there are those who are in need – there will be that question:

“What have you done for the least of mine”?

That’s the question the rich man in Jesus’ story could not answer in a suitable way – for the truth was he had done nothing.

How would you be able to answer that question?

I don’t believe the question God is going to ask us is going to be:

“How much did you earn in your lifetime’?

I don’t believe the question God is going to ask us is going to be:

“How many friends did you make”?

I don’t believe the question God is going to ask us is going to be:

“How much progress did you make in your career” ?

I don’t believe the question God is going to ask us is going to be:

“How much influence did you have on people”?

I believe the question Jesus is going to ask us is going to be:

“What have you done for the least of mine”?

“What have you done for the least of mine”?

“What did you do to love others as much as you loved yourselves?”

“In what ways did you reach out to others with my love?”

These are the questions we as individuals will have to answer.

“In what ways did you do show my love to others?”

As a Church, God is not asking us at Hopewell how big our building is – or how historic it is – or well we keep up the grounds or the cemetery – or how many times we do things together. All these things are important and we’ll talk about them later in this series – but – after loving God with all our hearts, minds, and souls – the second most important thing we must do is love others – and show God’s love to others.

That’s why – if we are going to be the individuals and the Church God is calling us to be — we are going to have to be committed to loving others as much as we love ourselves – and that means being committed to ministry .

A great commitment to ministry makes for a great Church.

So – how would we answer God’s question?

What have we done to help the poor – the needy –the hungry – the homeless?

What have we done?

“What have you done for the least of mine”?

That is the question.

What have we done to love others as much as we love ourselves – ajnd reach out to others with God’s love?

What is our answer?

What have we done?

Have we tried to help – or do we just turn your heads and look away?

Have we tried to do something – or have we not done anything?

This is one of those situations where there is very little grey area – no room for sitting on the fence – no “maybe’s”

We have either tried to help those in need – or we haven’t – it’s just that simple!

If we are going to be the individuals and the Church God is calling us to be — we are going to have to be committed to loving others as much as we love ourselves – a great commitment to being the hands and feet of Christ in the world — and that means being committed to ministry .

A great commitment to ministry makes for a great Church.

What have we done to show God’s love to those in need in our community and the world?

That’s the question.

What is our answer?

What have we done?

We know the problems of those in our community.

We also know the solution – get out there and do something – give of what we have for someone else who does not have –make contributions of money and food to organizations that are helping those in need – volunteer our time to organizations that are helping those in need – be willing to help those you can help. Don’t sit back and wait to be asked to help – be committed to helping when you see the need!

We know how to love others as much as we love ourselves and to be committed to ministry – to reaching out to others with the love of God.

So – what have we done?:

If we know the problem – and we know the solution – but don’t do anything – then we are a part of the problem.

We have a choice here.

We can be a part of the problem –

We can talk about how bad it is that people are poor or in need –

We can talk about how bad it is people are homeless –

but not do a thing about it.

not love others as much as we love ourselves

not reach out with God’s love to those in need

not have a great commitment to ministry.

Or –

We can be a part of the solution –

reaching out to others with what God has blessed us with –

showing God’s love to those who need to see it –

using what God has blessed us with to be a blessing to others.

loving God and loving others

loving others as much as we love ourselves

reaching out with God’s love to those in need

having a great commitment to ministry.

It’s our choice.

We can be a part of the problem – or a part of the solution.

As we consider this choice, we need to remember God’s question:

“What have you done for the least of mine”?

Today is an exciting at Hopewell.

We have ordained Wendy Bryant to the office of Elder and installed her – along with Jean McPherson and Mary Baker – onto the Session. We have an opportunity to commit to new things – to new ministries – to new ways to love God and love others.

Will we?

Will you?

Today is also Super Bowl Sunday.

As much as I love sports, I must admit that the Super Bowl is an example of American excess.

But – we have an opportunity today to reach out to those in need in our very community by contributing to the Souper Bowl of Caring as we leave worship today. The young people are going to be at the doors with bowls collecting an offering – an offering that will go to The House of Hope – a great organization that does great things for the poor and homeless in our area.

Rick Warren writes that:

A great commitment to the Great Commandment and the Great Commission makes for a great Church.

Part of the Great Commandment is loving God with all our heart, soul, and mind – having a great commitment to worship.

The other part is loving others as we love ourselves – having a great commitment to ministry – a great commitment to being the body of Christn reaching out to the world.

As we go through this series we’ll look at the great commitment to the Great Commission and how that works itself out in our commitments to evangelism, fellowship, and discipleship – but for today – let’s remember that we need to have a great commitment to loving others as much as we love ourselves – and a great commitment to ministry.

A great commitment to ministry makes for a great Church. Amen.