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.