Matthew 23:1-12

Matthew 23:1-12

“What Do They See?”

November 1, 2009

Read Scripture

I am sure most of you were aware that last night was Halloween — a night we usually associate with ghosts and goblins — with trick or treaters and witches and vampires – and maybe churches might have carnivals or festivals – but we usually associate Halloween with things that are not “churchy”.

So – if yesterday was Halloween – what does that make today?

The day after Halloween for sure – but it is really a special day in the Church year.

Last night was the night for ghosts and goblins — trick or treaters and witches and vampires – but today is the day for saints.

Yea — that’s right — saints.

Today is All Saints Day.

And without All Saints Day there would be no Halloween.

You see — it all began when the church instituted the day of November 1 as the Feast Day Of All Saints.  This was a day to honor all the saints who did not have their own Feast Days — and it became a day to remember and lift up prayers for friends and family who had died.  In keeping with the tradition of remembering departed friends and loved ones, people used November 1 as a good day to visit the graves and possibly put flowers on graves.

Well — people being like they are — some decided that if saints – or Godly people — could have their day — then not so saintly or not so Godly things should have theirs, also.  And if All Saints Day was going to be a time to visit the graves of loved ones, then the other graves needed some attention also. The tradition began of making the night before November 1 — All Saints Day Eve –  All Hallowed’s Eve — a night for the opposite of All Saints Day – with mischievous things in cemeteries instead of Godly things.   And — people being as they are — the All Hallowed’s Eve — or Halloween — focus soon became more important than the All Saints Day focus.

Maybe we need to recapture that All Saints Day focus.

When you think of a Saint — what do you think of?

Someone who is so good that no one can ever be as good as they are?

Someone we all want to be like — but can’t ever do it?

Someone who prays for hours every day?

What do you think of when you hear the word “Saint”?

Someone that you are not?

The pianist at a Church I used to serve and I were discussing plans for the Church music around this time of year when I mentioned that the first Sunday in November was All Saints Day.  She laughed and said:

“That’s not a day for me – I’m no saint!”

Is that what you think of when you think of “saint” – and All Saints Day?

I want to offer you a thought on this All Saints Day.

A Saint is a person who tries to serve God in the very best way they can.

Not perfect.

Not constantly praying.

Just doing the best they can.

And maybe that’s something we all can strive to be.

A young girl was visiting a church one Sunday and was impressed with the stained glass windows of the Saints that were along the walls of the church.  The windows were particularly beautiful that day as the sun shone brightly through them — making their colors brilliant.  She asked about who these people were in these beautiful windows — and was told these were some of the Saints of the church. That morning in Sunday School she was asked if she knew what a Saint was.  Thinking back on the bright, colorful windows that had impressed her so — and the fact that she was told these were of the Saints –  she replied:

“A Saint is someone who lets the light shine through.”

Maybe not a dictionary definition of a saint, but a good one none the less — someone who lets God’s light shine through them.

Do you do that?

Do you let the light of God shine through you?

Do people see the light of God shining through you when they look at you – or is it something  else they see – something not very Godly – something that seems to shine through when you least expect it or when you are trying to hide it?

You may be familiar with the story of the Emperors New Clothes by Hans Christian Anderson.  The emperor thought that he was important — and ordered that a special suit of clothes be made for him that would match his importance.  The tailor, however, saw through the emperor’s self-importance — and made it possible for everyone to see the emperor as he really was!  He presented the “new clothes” to the emperor — but actually there were no clothes at all.  The emperor was too proud to ask the tailor why there were no clothes — and he paraded around town thinking that he was so grand in his new clothes — not stopping to think that people were seeing that he actually had no clothes at all — and that what they were seeing him as he really was — naked — not as important as he thought he was — not as important as he wanted others to think he was.

That’s the thing about self-importance — isn’t it?  It usually leads to the revealing of no importance at all.

It is a truth that — sooner of later — people will be able to see through what you do and see why it is that you do it.  Many times you are like a window — people can see through you to see your true motives — why you do what you do — regardless of how well you try to hide our motives or why we do things.

When people look through your window —

when they look past what you do to why you do it —

What do they see?

When they look past your actions and see your true motives — what do they see?

What do they see?

What do they see?

Do they see a false self-importance and pride — like the emperor — or are they able to see God’s love and compassion that gives your life meaning and that inspires you to live as you do?

Do they see your true self — like the emperor — or do they see the light of God — like the stain glass windows that impressed the girl on her first visit to the church?

People can see your motives — they can see what motivates us to do what we do.  What do they see when they look through your “window”?

In our scripture passage for today, Jesus has just been in a heated debate with some of the Scribes and the Pharisees.  Now He wants to warn His disciples against becoming like some of them were.

They loved to force people into obeying the minutest parts of the law — but when it came to their own obedience to them — well, that was a different story all together.

They loved to be considered pious and religious — showing off how pious they were with their large phylacteries — pouches that devout Jews used to strap parts of scripture to their bodies so they could carry it with them — and long fringes on their prayer shawls — so people could see just how pious and holy they were to have such large phylacteries and long prayer shawls — but actually it was all for show.  And they loved to be treated with honor – but again – it was all for show.

Now — not all Scribes and Pharisees were like this — but some were.  They did what they did — they lived as they lived — for show — not out of a real commitment to God.  And many — including Jesus — saw through their actions to their attitudes.  Their piety was something like the emperors new clothes — there was nothing to it at all.  Their “window” showed false purpose — no real sense of love for God or others — but only for themselves.

Before we are too quick to condemn these folks — we can’t afford to say: “How terrible these people were!”  without looking at ourselves. You know the problem with pointing fingers at others is that when you do it you have several fingers pointing back at you!

So — what do others see in you when you do all the “good” and “right” things that you do?  You are like a window – and you reflect what is in you to the world.  Are you a window of love for self — bringing attention to yourself — or a window that let God’s love and compassion shines through you?

This is a hard question — but we all need to consdier.

Do you do what you do to truly be a servant of God — and to bring glory to God — and to bring God’s love into the world — or to bring glory to yourself?

For example — when you come to Church — do you come to truly worship God or to be seen by others?

Or — why do you reach out to others — to show God’s love and compassion or to bring credit to yourself?

These are hard questions — but questions that need to be answered.

You can be a window of self-service — reflecting your own will to the world — or you can be a window of God’s love and compassion — reflecting God and God’s will to the world.

The attitude you have when you do things is important.

Is your attitude one of serving Christ – and showing Christ to others – or is it one of serving yourself and making yourself look good?

When others look at you — what you do and why you do it —

What do they see?

What do they see?

Jesus calls you to be a window of God’s love and compassion — to reflect God’s love that is in you to the world.

Jesus calls you to show His love to the world because you are committed to Him — not because you want others to see how “good” or “holy” you are.

Jesus wants you to be a window of God’s compassion and love.

Jesus wants you to reflect God’s love and compassion to the world.

Let it be God’s love and compassion others see when they look at you.

When others look at you and what you do – - what do they see?

Let it be God’s love and compassion — and not your own pious self-importance and pride.

But – here’s another question — how can you reflect God’s love and compassion — and not your own self-importance and pride — to the world?

It takes developing your relationship with God through worship — prayer — fellowship — and service — and letting that relationship change your life.

Let God change you to such an extent that God’s compassion shines through you — and you are truly a “window” of God’s compassion to the world.  Let God guide you into true service to God and others.  Let God develop such a relationship with you that God can truly be seen through what you do — and God’s compassion can truly shine through you.  Let it be God’s love and compassion others see when they look at you — not your own will or your own self-importance.

Ask yourself – every day –

“How are Jesus and I doing – right now?”

“What is my relationship with Christ like?”

“Am I showing Christ to others?”

“Is Christ shining though me?”

Be a window of God’s compassion.

During World War II the town of Coventry, England was leveled by German bombers.  The centuries-old Cathedral was destroyed.  Some years later, a new Cathedral was built around the ruins of the old.  A remarkable statement is made in the hallway that leads to the courtyard where the ruins of the old Cathedral now lie.  On one end of the hallway is a giant tapestry the size of a Tennis Court of Christ ruling the universe.  On the other end of the hallway the entire wall is clear glass — with pictures of the Saints etched into the glass.  On the other side of this glass wall is the courtyard with the ruins of the bombed Cathedral.  The Tapestry of Christ shines through the Saints etched into the glass into the bombed-out ruins of the original Coventry Cathedral.

What a powerful statement indeed.

When others see your true motives –

What do they see?

What do they see?

As Christians, we are to let Christ shine through us to the world — so others can see Christ — just as the tapestry of Christ in Coventry Cathedral shines through the Saints etched into the glass wall to the ruins of what the world has done to the old Cathedral.

You can be so formed in Christ that — like the Saints etched into that glass wall – you reflect Christ to those in need and hurting in the Church and the community. You can be a “window” of the compassion of Christ – letting the love of Christ shine through what you say and what you do.

When others see you —

What do they see?

What do they see?

Let others see God shining in what you say and what you do — like the stain glass windows of the Saints that impressed the young girl as the light shone through them — or the glass wall at Coventry — and not your own sense of self importance or false piety — like some of the Pharisees — or the Emperor with the new clothes.

If you truly let God work in your life, we can reflect His love and compassion to the world — so that is what others see when they see what we do.

Let’s all strive to be saints – folks who let God’s light shine through.

Folks who may not be perfect – but who strive to show God to the world in the best way they can.

I believe that is what it means to be a saint.

Happy All Saints Day. Amen.

Matthew 6:1-18

Matthew 6:1-18

Why Do It?

Part 5 (Final) in “touch Jesus” series

October 11 2009

We are in the midst of a busy fall season here at Hopewell – and are “doing” many things!

This is truly an exciting time to be part of Hopewell Presbyterian!

But – even though we have a lot to celebrate and are doing a lot of things – we are also looking at ways that we can grow – spiritually.   As we get involved in and get excited about doing more things we are also growing in our relationship with God.

Our new prayer groups are giving us excellent opportunities to grow in our faith – and the adult study on Wednesday nights of Richard Fosters book Celebration of Discipline gives us an opportunity to explore some of the ways we can grow in our relationship with Christ.

On Sundays we are looking at “touching Jesus” – coming into contact with Jesus – and letting Jesus change our lives.  We’re looking at different ways we can “touch Jesus” – let Jesus touch us – and let Jesus change our lives.  We have seen the need to “touch Jesus” by looking at the story of a woman who reached out from a crowd of folks and touched Jesus – and had her life changed by Him –we have looked at the Lord’s Prayer and how we can touch Jesus when we pray – we have looked at how we can follow and listen to Jesus – and how we touch Jesus when we serve Him and others.

We’re concluding this series today – and I want us to look at why we serve Jesus and others – or why we pray – or why we might follow some of the other spiritual disciplines we’ve been looking  at on Wednesday nights – such as fasting.  We put ourselves in a position where we can touch Jesus and let Him touch us – change our lives – and make a difference through us when we pray serve,  and do some of these other disciplines we have looked at the past few Sundays –  but our reasons for doing these things must be sincere.

We need to look at why we do these things.

Our question for today is:  Why Do It?

Listen to how Jesus called His followers to do these things – but for the right reasons – as we look at Matthew 6:1-18. (Read Scripture)

Why do it?

Why give to others –

Why pray –

Why do other things that are parts of the “spiritual disciplines” – such as fasting?

Do we do these things so we will be spiritual people?

Richard Foster writes that practicing the spiritual disciplines does not make us spiritual people.  Practicing the spiritual disciplines does, however, put us in a position where God can touch us – change us – and make a difference in our lives.  In other words, it is not the disciplines themselves that make us spiritual people – the disciplines put us in a position where God where work in our lives – and God can make us more spiritual.

In our passage for today, Jesus is asking us –

Why do it?

Why serve others – pray – or do some of the other spiritual disciplines?

Jesus seems to be saying that our spirituality – the things we do because we are thankful for what God has done for us – need to be done quietly, without great fanfare, without drawing undo attention to us — but giving the glory to God.

Why do it?

Why give to others – pray – or do some ot the other disciplines that make the Christians life?

Jesus seems to be saying that we do these things to give glory to God – and so God can work in our lives and through us. We don’t do them to bring credit to ourselves or make ourselves look good – or spiritual – or holy.

So – why do it?

There are 3 things that we can do as Christians – 3 of the spiritual disciplines — that Jesus discusses in this passage – 3 things that God wants us to do — but He wants us to do them without fanfare and without congratulating ourselves.

Let’s take a closer look at each one so we can have a better understanding of why Jesus wants us to do these things.

First – we have giving to others in verses 1-4:

1“Be careful not to do your ‘acts of righteousness’ before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.

2″So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 3But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Jesus is talking about giving to the poor and needy.

Why do it?

For the first century Jew, charitable giving and righteousness were one and the same. In fact, the same Hebrew word was is used for both almsgiving and righteousness. To be generous was to be righteous — to be righteous was to be generous. However, it became the habit of some to publicize their giving – and therefore their righteousness.

They were doing it so others could see how righteous they were – and give them praise.

For example — in ancient days in the Eastern world, water was so scarce that it had to be bought. When a man wanted to do good and be seen as being righteous he would purchase water and tell the water carrier to give a drink to all who were thirsty. The water carrier would cry out, “All who are thirsty, come and drink.” As the poor came to receive water, the man who had purchased the water would stand near by and say, “Bless me, who gave you this drink.” Today, thousands of years later, some people are no less subtle in their generosity. When some of the super-rich decide to let go of some of their fortune, they often announce it with press releases and media interviews. And drawing attention to what we give for others is not limited to the very rich.

Why do it?

Jesus is telling us that the purpose of giving is not to build up ourselves, but to serve God – and serve them. Listen again to His words…

(v. 2) So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogue and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.

Have you ever received public recognition for your generosity? It feels good, there’s no question about it. It feels good to hear someone say, “Without you, this never would have been possible.” There is an emotional reward for conspicuous generosity. But, Jesus says there is an even greater reward for those who give quietly.

(v. 3) When you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Why do it?

Here are three principles of giving that we need to keep in mind.

First — you’re never too poor to give.

If you’re struggling to get by, and you give to God’s work, or you give to someone who is struggling more than you, other people might not notice, but God will—and he will bless your generosity. You may not have much, but you have something to give.

Second — giving is to be sacrificial.

There’s no set amount that people have to give in order to be spiritual. In Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis wrote that the safest rule for giving is to give more than we can spare.  If our lifestyle is identical to others in our same income level, we are probably giving too little.

Lewis wrote:

“If our charities do not at all pinch or hamper us, I should say they are too small. There ought to be things we should like to do and cannot do because our charitable expenditure excludes them.”

Another way this rule has been expressed is “Give until it hurts.” The problem, however, is that, when it comes to giving, some people have a very low threshold for pain!

The third principle for giving is: giving is to be self-determined .

I read about a woman who told her pastor:

“I think it’s wrong for someone to live in a $200,000 home. A $100,000 should be sufficient, and the rest could be given to the poor.” Her pastor found that to be an interesting observation, because, based on the neighborhood she lived in, he knew that she probably paid $100,000 for her home. In other words, she seemed to be saying, “Every one who lives better than I do should come down to my level and give away the rest.” But then, those who live in $50,000 homes could say the same about her standard of living. And those who can’t afford to buy a home could say the same thing about the others. The point is this: instead of worrying about how much those who are more affluent than you give, you need to focus on how much you yourself give. There will always be people who are richer than you, but give less than you. Don’t worry about them, just worry about yourself. The Apostle Paul said…

Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. (2 Corinthians 9:7)

Giving is a private matter. It’s not for others to judge you or reward you – and it’s not up to you to judge or reward others. It’s between you and God. It’s between them and God.

So – the first discipline Jesus addresses is giving – which we are never too poor to do, should be sacrificially, and is a matter between us and God.

Why do it?

The second spiritual discipline Jesus addresses is prayer.

Jesus said:

(v. 5) And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corner to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.

Imagine that you were in a crowded room – maybe in a meeting — when, at a set time, someone drops to his knees and begins praying out loud. This is uncommon today, but in the first century, it wasn’t unusual at all. The Jews had a high standard for ritualized for prayer, and they took it very seriously. In the process, however, many of them missed the point of prayer. The purpose of prayer is not to impress others with your own spirituality; the purpose of prayer is to connect with God. Instead of being a private act of worship, prayer became a public demonstration of piety. Prayer became, in many ways, a performance.

Why pray?

Why do it?

The attitude Jesus warns against has spilled over into the church today. Some people feel awkward about praying out loud, because they feel like their prayers should be profound and eloquent – and they feel they can’t pray profoundly enough or eloquently enough. I read about something that happened to a new Christian who went out to eat with some of his Church friends.  He was asked to bless the meal, and being a new Christian and new to the group, he thought he needed to impress them with his profound spirituality, so he prayed, and he prayed, and he prayed. He thanked God for the flowers and the trees. He thanked God for the missionaries. He thanked God for Noah. He thanked God for everything…almost. When he finally said, “Amen,” one of his new friends added in  “P.S. Lord, bless the food.” He had waxed eloquent about everything except the one thing he was asked to pray about— the meal, and in the process did not impress any of his new friends — but he probably amused them. He was probably not asked to ask the blessing again.

So – why do it?

Jesus is saying that prayer is not about being eloquent, but it’s about sharing privately with God what is in your heart.

(v. 6) But when you pray, go into your room, close the door, and pray to your father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Jesus goes on to say…

(v. 7) And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

Prayer is a private matter. If the only time you pray is at church, then you’re missing out on the real purpose of prayer. We pray to connect with God – to speak to God – and have God speak to us.  We pray so God can touch us – make a difference in our lives – and strengthen us to make difference for God in the world.

In verses 9-13 Jesus teaches a “model” prayer — what we refer to as the “Lord’s Prayer.” The power of this prayer is not in the words themselves, but in the attitude of the heart that it conveys. This is not a complex prayer, because prayer is not a complex matter. I once attended a weekend seminar that featured hours of teaching on the Lord’s Prayer. While there, it occurred to me that Jesus didn’t take an entire weekend to teach this prayer to his followers; He taught it to them in just a few minutes. You don’t have to go to seminary to learn to pray. No matter who you are or where you are in your spiritual life, you can pray to God.

The Lord’s Prayer teaches us how to pray. Here is a five step process Jesus gives us:

• Begin with Praise and Adoration . “Hallowed be thy name.” Jesus prays.

• Pray for God’s will in your life, and throughout the world .  Jesus prayed: “Thy kingdom come; thy will be done.”

• Pray for your needs and the needs of others. Jesus prayed: “Give us this day our daily bread.”

• Pray for forgiveness of your sins, and the ability to forgive others. “Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors” Jesus prayed.

• Pray for strength to live a holy life. Jesus prayed: “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”

So – that’s some suggestions on how to do it.

But – why do it?

Prayer is not a performance. Don’t pray to try to impress God or others with your lofty words – pray so God can touch you – make a difference in your life – and through you make a difference in the lives of others.

Why do it?

Why do the spiritual disciplines?

Jesus says we give and pray so that God can change us and use us for His will in the world.

But what about that third discipline Jesus talks about?

What about fasting?

We don’t talk a lot about fasting – do we?  We might not — but it is clear that Jesus expected His disciples to do it –  and us to do it. He said, “When you fast…” – not “If you fast..” But again, as with prayer and giving, the purpose of fasting is not to draw attention to yourself  or to impress others. The purpose of fasting is to bring you closer to God – and put you in a position where God can touch you – make a difference in your life – and through you make a difference in the  lives of others.

So – why fast?

Why do it?

Jesus says:

(v. 16) When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.

Jesus goes on to say,

(v. 17-18) But when you fast, put oil on your head, and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Fasting has it’s benefits:

• Fasting teaches self-discipline.

I don’t think I have to convince you that we have a tendency to indulge ourselves with food. Fasting prevents us from becoming slaves to our appetites. It teaches us that – contrary to what we might think — we are not powerless over pizza – or any other food. Fating can help us remember that there are more important things in life than the next meal.

• Fasting proves that we mean business .

In the Old Testament, fasting often accompanied repentance. When David repented of the sin of adultery he had committed with Bethsheba, he demonstrated his repentance through fasting. When Daniel was praying for the forgiveness of the people of Israel, he demonstrated the sincerity of his prayer by fasting. When the people of Ninevah heard Jonah’s preaching, they demonstrated their repentance by fasting. Fasting is an act of sacrifice that says, “Lord, I’m serious about this. I mean business.”

• Fasting helps us straighten out our priorities .

When we experience hunger, we become more compassionate toward those who are hungry.

In the Bible, fasting is always linked with prayer. The purpose of fasting is not to hear our stomach growl, it is to give us an opportunity to draw closer to God – an opportunity for us to put ourselves in a position where God can touch us – change us – and work in our lives.

So – why do it?

Why give?

Why pray?

Why fast?

Three times in this passage, Jesus says that if you do your “spiritual things” to impress people, “you have your reward in full.” The purpose of spiritual discipline is not impress the public – or even to impress God.  The purpose is to become closer to God. The purpose is to put ourselves in a position where God can work in our lives.

Giving, praying, and – yes –even fasting — are not things to make a big deal about – they are not to be performances — but they are to be responses to God for all that God has done for you – and ways to let Jesus touch you and change your life so you can touch others with His love.

We don’t have to broadcast every good thing we do. We don’t have to send God our latest press release. When we offer our service to Him, without any motive of public recognition, He sees us, and He touches us and changes us.

So – why do it?

So we can be changed by God – and be the people God has called us to be.

That’s why we do it. Amen.

Matthew 6:5-15

Matthew 6:5-15

Touch Jesus – Pray

September 20, 2009

Part 2 of “Touch Jesus” series

We have begun our new fall schedule here at Hopewell with new youth activities on Sunday nights,  new Wednesday night fellowship times and classes, prayer groups, and so many other activities and programs.  We are reaching a lot of people – and doing a lot of things – and many things we are considering doing to touch others with God’s love are still in the planning process and not ready to be done yet.

This is truly an exciting time to be part of Hopewell Presbyterian!

But – here’s something we have to ask ourselves –

Even though we have a lot to celebrate and are doing a lot of things — how are we doing – spiritually?

As we get involved in and get excited about doing more things it’s easy for us forget about the spiritual aspects of our lives.

The truth is that if we are going to grow as a Church – if we are going to grow as Christians – we are going to have to not just be busy “doing things” – we are going to have to grow spiritually also.

We are going to have to grow in our relationship with God.

Don’t get me wrong – “doing things” is not bad – in fact it is good – and we have to do things to be the Church God wants us to be – but if all we are doing is “doing things” – and if we are not growing in our relationship with God – then we are not really being the Church God wants us to be.

Too many times we get so excited about “doing things” and “looking for something else to be doing” that we forget about growing –we forget about growing in our relationships with God.

This fall we are not only going to be “doing things” here at Hopewell – even though we certainly will be doing a lot of things — we are also going to have opportunities for us to grow in our faith as well.  Our new prayer groups that are beginning to meet are excellent opportunities for us to grow in our faith – and the adult study on Wednesday nights of Richard Fosters book Celebration of Discipline gives us an opportunity to explore some of the ways we can grow in our relationship with Christ.

So – we are not only “doing things” – we are also learning about how to grow spiritually – and taking opportunities to practice the discipline of prayer that will help us grow spiritually.

“Doing things” is important – but only if we are also doing the things that help us grow as God’s people.

Last Sunday we began looking at “touching Jesus” – coming into contact with Jesus – and letting Jesus change our lives.  We’re looking at different ways we can “touch Jesus” – let Jesus touch us – and let Jesus change our lives.  Last Sunday we began by looking at the story of a woman who reached out from a crowd of folks and touched Jesus – and had her life changed by Him – and we looked at whether we were “crowding Jesus” or “touching Jesus”.

Today I want us to look at one of the ways we can “touch Jesus” – reach out to Him – and let Him touch us and change our lives.  One of the ways we can do this is through prayer.

Listen to what Jesus teaches about prayer as we look at Matthew 6:5-15:

Read Scripture

My truck had a dead battery the other day.

I’ve already made a note to myself that the next time I buy a used vehicle – especially from my brother in law – I need to make sure the battery is good!

Well – I knew what I had to do – I had to get out the jumper cables – jump start the battery – and take it to town to get a new battery.

I was hoping that when I went to the store that morning in Sally’s car and explained that mine had a dead battery and I was going to have to “jump it off” that someone would volunteer to help.

No such luck.

I was going to have to do it.

When I got back from the store I pulled Sally’s Explorer up to the tuck – and pulled to lever to raise the hood.

Now – I know that you have to pull a lever on the inside of a vehicle to raise the hood – then pull a lever under the hood to get it up the rest of the way.

I know that much about cars.

The problem was that I couldn’t figure out how to pull the lever under the hood of the Explorer.

What was I going to do?

I did what some men would never do – called Sally on my cell phone (she was in the house and I was out in the yard) – and asked her to come and help me.

When she took over, she couldn’t figure out how to get the hood up either.

So what did we do?

Again – what some men would never do – we got out the manual and read how to raise the hood.  It turned out that on most cars you push up on the lever under the hood – on the Explorer you push the lever to the left.  Once we did that, the hood went up nicely.

So – we got the hoods on the Explorer and my truck raised – put the jumper cables on the batteries – red to red and black to black (I know that much about it!) — cranked the Explorer – then cranked the truck.  I then drove it to town – got a new battery – and – as they say – I was “good to go”.

It took some instruction – it took reading the manual – for me to figure out how to get the hood up on the Explorer.

Now I know.

The point I’m making is this:

Sometimes we have to have some instructions before we can figure out how to do something.

You can probably think of situations where you needed some instructions on how to do something – but once you got the instructions you could figure it out. A little instruction can make a huge difference. Even if we have a lot to learn, just knowing where to begin can be a big help.

In our text this morning, Jesus gives us some instructions about prayer.

Prayer is one of the ways we touch Jesus – let Jesus touch us – and let Jesus change our lives.
Prayer is one of the spiritual disciplines we need to incorporate into our lives if we are going to grow in our faith – grow in our relationship with God – and put ourselves in a position where God can change us.

We touch Jesus as we pray.

But – here’s a question – how do we pray?

How are we supposed to pray?

I don’t know about you, but I still feel like a kindergartner when it comes to prayer.

I still feel I have so much to learn.

But I don’t draw back from prayer because I at least know where to begin.

In Matthew 6 Jesus gives us some fundamental and important instructions on prayer.

We all want our prayers to count.

We want to pray effectively.

Here we find the essential basics for that to happen.

Here we find some instructions on how to touch Jesus through prayer.

“And when you pray…” Jesus begins –

“when you pray” –

What should we do when we pray?

What should we keep in mind?

How should we begin and what should our attitude be?

Jesus’ first point is:

1. Be Sincere!

Don’t be like the hypocrites.

They pray out of the wrong motive.

They pray to be seen by others.

They are missing the most essential dynamic of prayer – prayer is a conversation with God, not a show. The word Matthew uses for hypocrite is the same word used in Greek for actor, showman.

Jesus is saying –when you pray — don’t put on a show — just talk with God.

Hypocrisy is something we all face. It’s a danger because we have made a public statement that we are followers of Jesus — but we are tempted to not truly follow Christ – but keep up the appearance that we are doing so. The temptation is to continue to go through the outward form of religion hoping no one will notice the change that’s occurred in our hearts.

Am I in secret the same way that I am in public?

Our true spiritual condition is reflected in what we do when nobody is looking. When we are in a state of trying to decide between two opinions — on the one hand wanting to serve the Lord — and on the other hand wanting to have our own way — it is hard not to be hypocritical.

Actually the solution is quite simple.

The solution is to follow God – reach out to God – and touch God.
That doesn’t mean we won’t have struggles – but there is a lot of difference between a person who is trying to do the right thing and having some difficulties in the process and a person who has resolutely chosen to do the wrong thing and tries to justify it.

Failure doesn’t make you a hypocrite — pretense and insincerity does.

The key to Matthew 6:5 is the Greek word, hopoos. The word means – purpose. The purpose of those being hypocrites is “to be seen of men”. It’s not public prayer that Jesus is condemning. It’s praying out of a motive “to be seen of men” that Jesus is condemning.

When you pray – Jesus says – be sincere.

Be real, be sincere, come to God to talk to God – let God talk to you – let God touch you – and let God change your life.

Don’t think you’re going to somehow manipulate God by saying just the right words or saying so many words that He finally wears down and gives you what you want.

In verse 7 Jesus says:

“when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.”

Prayer is about a relationship between you and God.

You’re simply coming to God and talking with Him about what’s going on in your life.

It is a complete misunderstanding to think that you can say some magical formula enough times and your prayer will be heard. That’s the mentality the pagans had.

Jesus said, “Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him” (Matt 6:8).

Prayer is not informing God of what we need. Prayer is discussing what we feel we need with Him — and the conversation should be two way. We talk to God– but we also listen to what He has to say to us.

Pray sincerely.

Touch Jesus – pray.

The first point Jesus makes about prayer is to be sincere.

The next point is –

2. Be Personal!

Now we come to what we call “The Lord’s Prayer”.

In this prayer we have several major requests – which can be broken down into two categories.    The first two requests are about God – and the last three requests are about us. The pronoun “your” dominates in the first two. The pronouns “us” and “our” dominate in the last three.

Notice the priority of the requests.

What is usually on our mind most when we come to God?

We’re usually thinking about what we need God to do for us.

If we were designing this prayer, most of us would begin in the middle of it — “Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts…”

In other words — take care of me God.

That’s a valid part of prayer – but it is not the first priority of prayer.

Where do we begin when praying?

We begin with God.

Touch Jesus
Let Jesus touch you.

Pray

Prayer needs to be made in the context of a wonderful relationship we can have with God — not a mechanical parroting of words or a ritualistic religious exercise.  Prayer needs to be made in the context of a conversation.

Jesus tells us to begin our prayers as if we were having a conversation with a person:

Begin here – Jesus says – begin by saying: “Our Father”.
That’s very personal.

That is the most important part of prayer.

Too many conferences on prayer tell you how to “name it and claim it” – how to “rebuke the devil and praise God” and do this and do that. But – the thing is — God is not fooled by good technique. The foundation for prayer is a relationship with God.

It’s amazing how life begins to come into perspective with those two words. There may not be money to pay the rent. There may be health problems — relationship problems — money problems — but we can — by the grace of God – reach out and touch Jesus and have our lives changed by Him when we pray – and we can begin with those two words, “Our Father.”

It is that relationship that gives us the boldness to even come to God. It is that relationship that gives us confidence to make our requests known to Him. It is that relationship that provides us the assurance that the prayer will make a difference.

Our faith rests upon our relationship with God as our heavenly Father – and our prayers need to begin with that relationship. In prayer, we ask things of God believing we will receive what He wills for us because He is our Father and His heart is filled with love toward us.

Touch Jesus
Let Jesus touch you.

Pray

Let your prayer be sincere and personal.

Thirdly – Jesus teaches us to:

3. Be Respectful!

That may initially seem contradictory to being personal — but it isn’t.

There is a beautiful balance taught in Scripture concerning our relationship with God.  On the one hand, we have full acceptance and favor through Christ with the Eternal God. That is a great source of comfort and assurance. On the other hand, we never forget just how awesome our Father God is. He is our Father “in heaven”.

Even earthly fathers are to be respected. How much more our heavenly Father.

We need to enjoy the comfort of knowing the grace of God and our Father’s love toward us and at the same time honor Him for who He is.

“Hallowed be your name” – Jesus teaches us to pray.

It’s our prayer that God would receive the glory and honor due Him. When we pray the words  “Hallowed be your name” we are considering the greatness of God Almighty.  He is the Lord of heaven and earth. This is the time to set your heart on His glory. This is where true worship begins.

Do you see how Jesus is teaching us the right attitude in prayer?

Before we ever make one petition concerning our needs, we get our hearts right toward God. We get our priorities right before Him as well. When we say “Hallowed be your name.” we are saying — up front –

“I don’t want any prayer answered that doesn’t glorify You. Your glory is far more important to me than my person comfort. Your honor is much more important than my promotion.”

Our attitude toward God and His place in our lives has much more to do with the effectiveness of our prayers than the techniques we may learn. So far we have seen that Jesus is teaching us to be sincere, be personal, be reverent — and now we come to another point of instruction.

4. Be Submissive

Jesus teaches us to pray:

“Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”

How is God’s will done in heaven?

It is done in perfect obedience.

That’s how it should be done on earth also.
The kingdom of God has to do with the rulership of the King. We are again saying up front, before any petition is made for our own needs –

“I am committed to Your will, God, even if it runs counter to what I think I want you to do.”

It is recognition of God’s wisdom, God’s sovereignty, and God’s right to rule – our lives and  everything else.

We long for the day when Jesus will return in His glorified body and put down all opposition on the earth even as it is now in heaven. We pray for the final eschatological rule of God when righteousness is uncontested and every knee bows. But in the mean time we apply that to our current situation as well. We want God’s will in everything now because there is absolutely nothing better for us than His will.

The key to effectual prayer has to do with attitudes of heart — attitudes of sincerity and personal intimacy with God — attitudes of respect and submission to the authority of God.

These are some of Jesus’ instructions about prayer.

Prayer is one of the ways we touch Jesus – let Jesus touch us – and let Jesus change our lives.
Prayer is one of the spiritual disciplines we need to incorporate into our lives if we are going to grow in our faith – grow in our relationship with God – and put ourselves in a position where God can change us.

Indeed – let’s learn to touch Jesus.

Let’s learn to pray. Amen

Matthew 7:7-12

Matthew 7:7-12

“Keep On Praying”

August 16 2009

7^th in “You’ve Got Questions – God Has Answers” Series

Life is filled with things that bother us and that are problems for us – questions we might wish we had answers for.  These things can range from how to deal with the economy and the way it affects our daily living to how to be a Christian parent to how to deal with “difficult people” to how to deal with emotions such as anger to how to keep from saying things that we know are not things God would have us be saying to how to respond when things are moving a lot slower that we would like for them to to how to deal with feelings of loneliness and the questions of how we can be sure of God’s love to questions about God hears our prayers.

The Bible is our guide to living life in God’s ways – and contains God’s answers to our questions in life. Paul wrote to Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:16-17 that:

^“16All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, ¹⁷so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

This summer we’re looking at some of the issues and questions we may face in our lives – and how God would have us deal with them.  Today we are looking at an issue that most of us face from time to time – the issue of God’s answering our prayers.  Sometimes it may seem that God is not listening to us – but despite how it feels – God says to us:

Keep on praying!

Prayer is a vital part of our lives as Christians – we know that God wants us to pray – but – how do we know when to keep praying – and when to give up?  We might believe that God wants us to pray – then find ourselves in specific situations where our prayers don’t seem to do a bit of good.

There may be times when we all may wonder:

Should I keep on praying?

Jesus addresses this in Matthew 7:7-12.  Listen to what Jesus says about the fact that God answers prayers.  Read Scripture

You know — there is nothing that reveals more about how you feel about God than your prayer life. How you approach God and what you’re willing to ask for reveals how you view God.

When we ask people for things we tend to frame our requests with what we know about them in mind.  For example, if  a child knows their father loves and cares for them they may not fear to calmly ask him for things – having the assurance that the father has greater wisdom and experience than they and would not give them anything that would be harmful to them. However, a child with extravagant but uncaring father might arrogantly lay down their demand — knowing their every desire will be met. On the other hand, a child with the stingy, ill-tempered, or abusive father might not dare to ask for anything — fearing it would bring on another emotional explosion from the father.

This is also true spiritually.

When we pray we make our prayers with our understanding of God in mind. I think sometimes our view of God can be influenced by the kind of earthly father we have had. An individual that believes God is arbitrary will be fearful and on guard. The individual who believes that God is vengeful will be fearful. But the individual who believes that God is gracious will come boldly.

Jesus gives us some guidelines about how to come to God in prayer. Listen again to what He says in verses 7-11:

⁷“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be      opened to you. ⁸For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who  knocks, the door will be opened.

⁹“Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? ¹⁰Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? ¹¹If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!

All three verbs in verse seven, Ask, Seek, Knock are commands. These are not only commands to do these things – to ask – seek – and knock – but they are also commands to not stop doing these things!  We are told to ask and keep on asking, — to seek and keep on seeking – to knock and keep on knocking. In fact, the words: ask, seek and knock seem to suggest an ever increasing intensity in prayer.

1.Asking. There are some things that we must ask for.

2.Seeking. Seeking is a deeper level of  prayer than just asking. Sometimes we may not know exactly what to pray for and we many need to first seek God’s will before we know what to pray for. But God has made provision for us even in such times.  In Romans 8:26-27 Paul writes:

²⁶In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what  we      ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. ²⁷And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.

3. Knocking. The knocking here illustrates seeking entrance, or desiring fellowship.

Keep on asking – keep on seeking – keep on knocking – keep on praying.

Keep on praying!

Within this command to pray I think we can see four general principles about prayer.

1. 1. We are expected to ask for the things God has promised.

“ask and it shall be given.”  Jesus says.

This same principle is stated in the negative in James 4:2

“… you do not have because you do not ask.”

I’m afraid this principle describes many of us. It has bee said that we do not live in a praying age – and that is true.  We live in an age of hustle and bustle, where we depend on our own efforts and determination and have too much confidence in ourselves and our own power to achieve things.  We believe too strongly in our ability to organize and get things done — and if we can’t get things done we believe that we have the technology to help us figure out how to get things done – or do things for us.  We believe too much in our own abilities  and our own achievements.  We don’t think to ask God for anything – because we think we have – or can get – or can create – anything we need.  But Jesus makes it clear – we are expected to ask for the things God has promised – and if we do so will be blessed in ways we never imagined.

Too many times we don’t accomplish things for God because we don’t ask God to help us accomplish things for Him! W need to ask God for the things He has promised – the ability to reach others for His glory – the ability to do His will – instead of just sit in idle mode and wonder why we can’t seem to get things done for God!

James is right – we don’t have because we don’t ask.

Jesus is right – if we ask it will be given.

If we ask – God will richly bless us with abilities to serve Him and grow into the people He wants us to be.

But – we have to ask.

That’s the first principle we need to understand about prayer.  We are expected to ask for the things God has promised us.

Keep on praying!

Keep on praying!

The second principle is:

1. 2. God hears and answers every prayer.

In verse 8 Jesus says:

“For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will     be opened.”

There are two certainties when we pray. One is that God hears every prayer.  The other certainty is that God always answers. This verse says for ‘everyone who asks receives,” Maybe you’re wondering if you heard that right – but yes – it says that everyone receives! But here’s a problem — we have the misconception that the only possible answer to prayer is yes. There are two other possibilities. God can say, No or he can say, Not Yet.

However God answers, God hears and answers every prayer  – so keep on praying!

Keep on praying!

This leads to the third principle about prayer:

1. 3. Sometimes God gives us what we need — and not what we ask for.

In verses 9-11 Jesus says:
“Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?     (10) Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? (11) If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!”

Even earthly fathers give good things to their children. We wouldn’t give a child a red-hot chili pepper just because they ask for it. Well – some might think it would be funny – but not many!

I did hear of a father who got their child to hold on to a spark plug of a lawn mower so he could see if it was firing. It was firing alright —  it knocked the fire right out of child.

Generally speaking, though, we do not give things to our children that we know will really harm them. And if this true of us — how much more true it must be of God!

I’ve heard it put this way: “If we ask for God for good things, He grants them —  if we ask for thins which are not good (either not good in themselves, or not good for us or for others, directly or indirectly, immediately or ultimately) He denies them — and many times only He knows the difference.”

Maybe you’ve heard this saying:

“I asked for strength that I might achieve; he made me weak that I might obey.                                I asked for health that I might do great things: he gave grace that I might do better things.    I asked for riches that I might be happy; he did not give them so that I might be wise.            I asked for power that I might have the praise of men; I was given weakness that I might feel a need of God.                                                                                                                                     I asked for all things that I might enjoy life;                                                                                                      I was given life, that I might enjoy all things.                                                                                                    I received very few of the things I asked for; but I received the things I had hoped for.”

Yea — sometimes God gives us what we need and not what we ask for…

Keep on praying!

Keep on praying!

So – we have 3 principles about prayer:

We are expected to ask for the things God has promised

God hears and answers every prayer.

Sometimes God gives us what we need — and not what we ask for

Here’s a fourth principle about prayer we need to remember:

1. 4. No prayer is ever wasted.

The underlying principle behind the significance of persistent prayer has to be the truth that no prayer is ever wasted effort. Howard Hendricks a professor at Dallas Theological Seminary, relates this story about how now prayer is ever wasted. Dr Hendricks writes:

“The phone rang and I greeted a young pastor friend from Arlington, Virginia. “What are you doing?” he asked. “Studying,” I replied. “Nothing special.” “Are you sitting down?” “Yes, why?” “Your father just trusted Christ this evening.” “He what? You’ve got to be kidding!” I blurted out. Such an inappropriate response grew out of long detours in our father-son journey. Ever since I received Christ as a boy my concern has been for the salvation of my family and loved ones. On repeated occasions I had broached the subject of the gospel with dad, but his response was less than excited.
My father has always been a very important person to me. Not that I approved of everything he said or did or that I imitated him consciously in any way. We weren’t really close friends, either. But he was important in my life because of the indirect impact he made upon me.
Dad was a military man. He had seen action around the world. During the periods when he was embroiled in battle, I would become very sensitive to his spiritual need. I and my family prayed for him, but at times I’m afraid my faith sputtered. His response was always the same: Son, don’t worry about me. I’ll work it out with God (as if God could be manipulated like a Pentagon official). God brought a man into my life, a man with a passion for men. His name was Butch Hardman. One day before we knew each other Butch was boarding a plane in Detroit when a friend handed him a cassette tape. “Ever hear Hendricks? Here’s a tape you should listen to.” On that tape I related my father’s spiritual need. Butch listened and something about the anecdote reminded him of his own father with whom he had shared Christ shortly before he died. He began to pray for this unknown man, George Hendricks.
Some months later Butch attended a pastors’ conference in Philadelphia where I was the speaker. He shook my hand afterward. That was the only time our paths crossed before a remarkable incident in Arlington.
Butch was driving the church bus down the street, having discharged all his passengers. He saw a man standing on the corner who reminded him uncannily of Howard Hendricks. Could it possibly be…? He backed up the bus, stopped, got off, and went over to the man. “Are you by any chance Howard Hendricks’ father?” It is easy to imagine the startled response. “Er-ah (I can envision my father’s critical once-over with his steely blue eyes) yeah—you a student of my son?”
“No, I’m not, but he sure has helped me. Got time for a cup of coffee?”
That encounter began a friendship, skillfully engineered by the Spirit of God. Butch undoubtedly sensed dad’s hesitancy when he discovered he had met a preacher. For a long time Butch did not invite him to attend his church. He simply suggested that dad drop by the office for coffee. Patiently he endured dad’s cigars and his endless repertoire of war stories. Before long he also learned that dad had been diagnosed as having a terminal throat cancer.
Months later Butch was at his bedside. “Mr. Hendricks, I’ll be leaving shortly for a Holy Land trip. Instead of my listening to you tonight, would you let me tell you a story?”
Butch had earned his hearing and he began simply to relate the interview of Jesus Christ with Nicodemus as recorded by the Apostle John. At the conclusion dad accepted Butch’s invitation to receive Jesus Christ as his own personal Savior. Then dad got up out of bed, stood, and saluted with a smile. “Now I’m under a new Commander-in-Chief!” That night Butch called Dallas.
The last time I saw dad alive I could not believe he was the same man I had known. His frame was wasted, but his spirit was more virile than I had ever known.
In accordance with dad’s specific provision in his will, Butch Hardman conducted the crisp military funeral in Arlington cemetery where the gospel of Jesus Christ was presented to the small group of family and military attendants. As the guns saluted their final farewell, I knew God had vindicated forty-two years of prayer.
[Howard & Jeanne Hendricks. FootPrints. (Multnomah Press, 1981) pp. 16-19 –

You see — no prayer is ever wasted

Keep on praying!

If  you think you’re not doing what you should for God – keep on asking – keep on seeking – keep on knocking – keep on praying. We are expected to pray for the things God has promised.

If  you wonder if God hears your prayers –  keep on asking – keep on seeking – keep on knocking – keep on praying. God hears and answers every prayer.

If you’re not sure God has given you what you’ve asked for — keep on asking – keep on seeking – keep on knocking – keep on praying – for sometimes God gives us what we need and not what we ask for.

If you feel your prayers are a waste of time — keep on asking – keep on seeking – keep on knocking – keep on praying – for no prayer is ever wasted.

Here’s the truth, friends – we may experience “dry spells” in our prayer lives – but God wants us to keep on asking – keep on seeking – and keep on knocking –

God wants us to on keep praying!

Amen

Matthew 7:24-27

Matthew 7:24-27

Recession Or Depression?

June 7, 2009

Part 1 of “You’ve Got Questions – God’s Got Answers” series

This summer we are going to look at some of the things that we find to be problems or that we have questions about in our everyday lives –– and how we can find God’s answers to these problems and questions.

Life is filled with things that bother us and that are problems for us – things we might wish we had answers for.  These things can range from how to deal with the economy and the way if affects our daily living to how to be a Christian parent to how to deal with “difficult people” to how to deal with emotions such as anger.

I believe that the Bible is our guide to living life in God’s ways – and contains God’s answers to our questions in life.

Paul wrote to Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:16-17 that:

^“16All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, ¹⁷so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

This summer we’re going to look at some of the issues and questions we may face in our lives – and how God would have us deal with them.

Let’s start today with an issue that we are all having to face – how to deal with the economy.

The economic recession our country is currently in is affecting every one of us.

The question for us is – how does God want us to deal with the economy?

What answer does God have for us as we struggle with bills to pay – some of us on a fixed income and others trying stretch our income as far as we can?

The recession can be depressing.

Here’s the question I want us to look at today:

Is the recession going to be a time of depression for us – or does God have a way for us to deal with tough economic times?

Jesus’ words from Matthew 7:24-27 might help us as we try to deal with the economy. Listen to what Jesus said:

Read Scripture

In hard economic times like these, many people show where they put their trust, what really brings them happiness, and what really brings them joy. Tough times expose the foundations that many people have built their lives on, and shows what really is their source of comfort, happiness, and security.

For many, the recession has exposed the “sub par materials”,  so to speak, that they used in constructing their lives. They may have not been prepared for the fierce economic storms that are now raging in our country – and in their lives. Many  people seem depressed — stressed out — and just plain worried.

And – of course — they may have every right to feel the way they feel.

The recession can be depressing.

Jesus’ parable I just read would have been one that people would have understood in His day — and it is one that in our day, here in Florence, here in Claussen, that people can relate to as well. We all know how tough the economy is – we all know what it means to try to stretch our budgets as far as we can.  And when it comes to building houses, all you have to do is drive around Clauseen – you don’t have to go far – and you will see houses being built – houses being bought, and houses being sold.

The question is – how are we going to pay for everything – everything we have to pay for – homes, cars, gas, food,  and everything else we have to pay for – with the economy like it is?

When  Jesus was telling this parable, He talked about 2 folks building houses, but He was not only talking about brick, wood, and mortar; — He was referring to the foundation of our personal lives.

Tough economic times have a way of exposing what the foundation is for your personal life.

This parable ends the “Sermon on the Mount”– one of the greatest teachings ever. For 3 chapters of Matthew Jesus had told everything we need to know about living life in God’s ways.  Now He finishes His sermon by asking:

“What foundation are you laying, or have you laid for yourselves, that you are going to build on?”

“What materials are you using?”

“As you’re building your life, do you have anyone who is a little smarter than you, anyone who can see things you don’t see, who can help that you can make sure that your life will make it through the hard times?”

In the “Sermon on the Mount” Jesus talked about relationships, marriage and family, finances, about integrity and character. He covered everything you would ever want someone to cover about how to live your life and He used this little parable to “tie together” what He had said.

A way of paraphrasing this parable would be:

“Therefore, if anyone who hears what I have just said obeys what I just said, he will be a wise builder. And the person who doesn’t is a foolish builder.”

It’s like He’s saying:

“Listen, all of us are builders. We are building our personal lives, and many of us are responsible for some little lives, too. When you build your personal life, be a wise builder, not a foolish builder.”

I believe that we can use Jesus’ principles – and learn how to keep “up” in a “down” economy.

How can we “keep up the faith” even though the economy is going down?           How can we keep up our faith, our attitude, our joy when the economy is heading down?

We have to understand that our joy is not based on the things that we have, the things that we can purchase, or the places we can go – but that’s easier said than done – isn’t it?

How can you keep the recession from leading you  to depression — and continue having the quality of inner life that all of us seek after?

How can you continue to have faith and trust in God — no matter what the torrent of financial insecurities in your life may be — no matter what storms may hit your life?

How can you keep the recession from leading you into depression?

Well — first of all – you need to wise up and start with a solid foundation.

Jesus was very clear in this passage we’re looking at today that the first thing you have to do to keep recession from leading you to depression is wise up and start with a solid foundation.

Now, every builder will tell you the most important aspect of building a house is its foundation. You must pick a great location and have a solid foundation.

The same is true in your life.

Some of you already know that to be true because things are beginning to shake just a little bit, and you’re wondering if it’s too late to wise up.

It’s not too late.

You can still begin again – and get a fresh start.

But – you may need to start building your life over again.

The key is this: wise up and start with a solid foundation.

Jesus says in this parable before us that the best foundation for your life is the Rock.

Throughout the New Testament, the solid  Rock shown to be the testimony and truth of Jesus Christ. As a matter of fact, in Matthew 16, Jesus has his core disciples around Him – and the people in the community had begun to wonder and ask, “Who is Jesus?”

Jesus asked his disciples,

“Who are people saying I am?” because people had all kinds of different ideas.

Peter answered

“You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”(Matthew 16:16)

And in verse 18, Jesus looks at Peter and says:

“on this rock I will build my church.” ((Matthew 16:18)

“The Rock” is the testimony and truth of Jesus Christ. It was good for Jesus, it was good for Him to build His church on, and it’s good for you to build your life on.

Now some of you may be saying,

“Bill – what does my building my life upon the Rock – upon my faith in Christ — have to do with my lack of spending capital — or with my loss of job –  or the fact that I may not have medical insurance in a few months?”

“What does this have to do with anything about that? I thought this was going to be a sermon on how to keep from being depressed in the recession.”

Well, it goes back to the storms of life – like the recession — exposing what’s really important to us. Many people – maybe some here today — have had their lives exposed by hard times – and have been exposed for not having a true faith and real meaning in their lives, not understanding what is most important, not understanding what their highest values should be.

Maybe you’re one of those.

Worried about how your life looks on the outside – without concern for what’s on the inside – or the foundation – of your life.

To keep the recession from leading you to depression – in fact, to live the life God wants you to live and find the victory God wants you to have in life, you have to start with the right foundation – and that foundation is faith in Christ.

Too many folks have all kinds of time to do the things they want to do – but very little time for the things God wants them to do. That’s not the foundation God wants you to have for your life – and when troubles come – your life will crumble. Make sure you have the right foundation for your life. Make sure you have time for prayer, for reading God’s word, for Church activities and worship. Make sure the foundation of your life is where it should be. Having Jesus as the foundation for your life will help you keep from experiencing “recession depression”.

You see – if your life is built on a foundation that is not Christ – then what happens when you lose your job — or your retirement income dwindles?

What happens when the economy goes down and the storms of life and the things that made you feel good about yourself are washed away?

What happens then?

These things are storms, and they are real. They will hurt, they’ll cause some pain. But will they crush you? Should they crush your faith? Should you suffer from “recession depression”? Not if you have a firm foundation, not if you understand who Christ is and have invested your life in Him instead of other things.

You can have the peace of Christ — even when the recession and storms of life are raging.  You can be confident that you have built your life on the right foundation – if you have built your life on Christ.

Listen, friends — I know some of   you have lost jobs and others might still lose their jobs. I know that many of you are struggling with finances. I know that some of you are not getting the retirement income you thought you would, or your income is not stretching as far as you thought it would. I understand. We are all there, but these are some principles, some things that you can build your life on, so no matter what storm hits, you have Christ – and the recession – or whatever else – does not have to depress you. You can know that our foundation is secure.

So — how can we “keep up the faith” even though the economy is going down?

How can we keep up our faith, our attitude, our joy when the economy is heading down?

We have to understand that our joy is not based on the things that we have, the things that we can purchase, or the places we can go.

How can you continue to have faith and trust in God — no matter what the torrent of financial insecurities in your life may be — no matter what storms may hit your life?

How can you keep the recession from leading you into depression?

First of all – you need to wise up and start with a solid foundation – that foundation being Christ.

Here are some practical ways to do this:

1. 1. Get involved in Church.

If you want the solid foundation of Christ in your life – get involved in a church. Take time for God’s things – reading the Bible – studying with God’s people  — worship – fellowship. Getting involved in a church is your first step in building your foundation on Christ – and your first step to keep yourself from recession  depression.

2. Help each other.

We’re all in this financial crisis together.  Find ways to reach out to each other.  If someone has a need, find a way to meet that need.

3. Help others.

Help those in need. You can do this by donation money (if you have it to donate) or food — or by giving clothes you don’t wear any more to thrift stores like GoodWill – Salvation Army – or Mission Mart.

So – the first step to keeping “up” in a “down” economy – or keeping the recession from leading you to depression – is wise up and start with a solid foundation – that being Christ.

The second step is — you have to build with the best materials.

Build with the best materials.

What are the best materials, the best things you can build your life with on the solid rock foundation?

Your relationship with your family is one of these things.  The building materials of integrity and character and trust are other things. Materials of faith, family values, and care, the things that Jesus talked about — these are the things you should build your life with – and the things that will withstand any downturn in your personal finances. These are things that money cannot buy –so money – and the economy going down — doesn’t change them.

These are some of the materials you need so the recession won’t lead you to depression.

It’s a good thing to have a solid foundation, but too many people receive Christ, begin to build their life on Christ, and then use cheap materials. They don’t have integrity, care, and authenticity. Then when the storms come, it devastates them, leaves them with just a slab.

To live the life Christ wants you to live, to keep the recession from leading you to depression, you need to make sure that you  build your life on the firm foundation of Christ — and then — on that firm foundation – you need to build your life with good materials. When you do that, then you have a life that can withstand any type of storm.

Here another practical step:

Always remember that it’s what’s in your heart – your foundation – that is important – not what you wear.  Name brand clothes are good – but not if you’re wasting money on buying them or going into debt.  Of course, you can get name brands if you shop those stores I mentioned earlier in the list of stores of donate to – Salvation Army, Good Will, Mission Mart, and others.

Start with a solid foundation. Build with the best materials.  Two steps to keeping the recession from leading you to depression. Two steps to being victorious in all the trials of life.

Once the building starts going up, and you’re doing the things that you know you ought to be doing, the third thing is to make sure that you team up with trusted people who can help you build the life that is victorious during a recession – or any other time.

So – the 3^rd step is — team up with God in building your life. .

You need and outside expert to help you gauge what we should be doing and how we should be building your life.

The best one any of us can invite to team up with us is God.

God will show you exactly what “building codes” – so to speak — you have to follow to have a life that keeps you from being depressed in the recession – or any other storm life may have in store for you.

God will show us exactly what we need to do.

David prayed:

“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” (Psalm 139:23-24)

David was saying “I’ve got the right materials, but I want God to inspect them.”

Let God lead and guide you as you strive to build a life that will help you not get depressed in the recession – but be victorious in your life.

So – here are 3 steps to keep the recession from leading you to depression —

Wise up and build your life on the foundation of Christ

Use the best materials,

Allow God into your life to inspect what you’re doing.

One more tip I want to throw in — lighten up!

I throw this one in here because it helps me and I think it will help you: Lighten up! Just lighten up!

Jesus talked in Matthew chapter 6 about the storms that would come in life. You know what He says? He says

“Don’t worry about it. I am in control.”

As a matter of fact, He takes it a little further. He says:

“Trust in me, no matter what happens. You have built your life on the Rock, the firm foundation. It’s not shifting sand, it’s not uncertainties. You have chosen to put your life in me, on me, your firm foundation, and I will take care of your needs.” and you built your life on me, the strong foundation, and I will take care of you.”

Really — it’s a faith issue.

Once you’ve built your life properly and honored God, why are you worrying?  Jesus says:

“I’m in control. I’m in control of the economy, I’m in control of your job, I’m in control of everything. Who of you can change anything by worrying? What does worrying do?”

So why are we worrying?

Here are 3 more “practical tips” to keep the recession from leading you to depression.

1. Have a pair of scissors with you as you read the newspaper – and cut our those coupons!  You’ll be surprised how much you can save!

2. “Eat Cheap” – Don’t eat out as often – let your family meal times at home be “family time” – and when you do eat out – try to find coupons and try to share meals – or bring leftovers home for the next day.

3. Sell or give away what you don’t need.  Dave Ramsey advocates huge yard sales – selling everything you don’t need or have not used in a while.

So — I believe that you can use Jesus’ principles – and learn how to keep “up” in a “down” economy.

You can continue to have faith in God and trust in God — no matter what the torrent of financial insecurities in your life may be — no matter what storms may hit your life.

You can you keep the recession from leading you into depression.

It all depends on your foundation for your life.

You can follow Jesus’ principles –

Build your life on the foundation of Christ

Use the best materials

Allow God to inspect what your are doing

And – you can lighten up.

These are some of the ways to be victorious in life – and to keep the recession from leading you to depression.

Amen.

Matthew 4:1-11

Matthew 4:1-11

Jesus Helps Us Fight Temptation

March 8, 2009

Part 2 of 2009 Lent series: “Who Do You Say Jesus Is?”

We are using the season of Lent this year to think about who Jesus is – and what Jesus means to us.

I’m asking you to focus on one basic question:

Who do you say that Jesus is?

Who do you say that Jesus is?

Who is Jesus – for you?

Remember that in Mark 8:27-29 Jesus questions the disciples about who “people” said that He was. They came up with a list of things people said about Jesus – that He was Elijah, that He was John the Baptist, or that He was another of the Old Testament prophets who had risen from the dead.

Jesus then made the question more personal by asking who they said that He was.

That’s when Peter made His confession that Jesus was the Christ.

You know – it didn’t really matter what others said about Jesus – did it?

What mattered was who Jesus was to the disciples.

What mattered was who they said Jesus was.

What mattered was that Jesus was the Christ. – the Savior – the only way to salvation – for them.

What mattered was that they said Jesus was their Lord and Savior.

The same is true for us.

You can listen to me talk about who Jesus is – or listen to others tell who they think Jesus is – but what really matters is who you say that Jesus is – who is Jesus for you.

Who do you say that Jesus is?

Who is Jesus – for you?

We’re looking at several answers to that question during Lent.

Last week we saw that the most important answer we can give to this question is that Jesus is my Savior.

Until you can say that Jesus is your Savior it doesn’t matter what else we say about Him – but once we can say that Jesus is our Savior – we can say other things about Him – things like:

1. Jesus is the one who helps me resist temptation

2. Jesus is the one who gave of Himself for me

3. Jesus is the one who keeps me holy

4. Jesus is the one I want to tell others about

5. Jesus is the one I follow

Today we’re going to look at how Jesus can help you fight temptation.

Listen to how Jesus fought temptation as we read from Matthew 4:1-11:

Read Scripture

This is an amazing story, offering a unique insight into the nature and character of Jesus.

For one thing, it’s one of the few stories told about an event in the life of Jesus in which there are no eye witnesses. How did Matthew (or any of Jesus’ disciples) know about the temptation He faced in the desert? There’s only way they could have known. He told him them about it. At some point during His time of ministry on earth, He must have told His disciples about the time He spent in the desert, battling temptation in a showdown with the devil. William Barclay calls this story “the most sacred of stories” because in it “Jesus is laying bare his inmost heart and soul.”

Apparently, Jesus shared with His followers about the struggles He faced – and I am sure He faced them. But – He defeated them – and can strengthen us to defeat them also.

Another interesting point in this story is that this story reminds us that Jesus was truly human. Matthew says – that after fasting 40 days and nights, He was hungry. I can certainly identify with that – can’t you? Matthew’s words give evidence that this story wasn’t just a legend created by the early church, because it emphasizes the humanity of Jesus. There has always been a tendency among some followers of Christ to strip away his humanity and make him completely unreal. This is the image some people have of Him—He was so divine that he never cried as a child, never skinned His knee, never drove a crooked nail as He worked as a carpenter, because He was divine. Some like to believe that Jesus just went through life floating around on a little cloud about six feet off the ground.

That wasn’t Jesus. He wasn’t like that. He became one of us—fully human – so He face the same temptations we face – but He defeated them.

Have you ever seen the movie King of Kings? The scene of Jesus being tempted in the desert was probably the most unrealistic in the entire film. After being in the desert 40 days and nights without food and water, His hair wasn’t even messed up. As He faced temptation, He never showed any sign of struggle. In fact, He showed no emotion at all. He spoke in a voice that I can only describe as “Shakespearean monotone.” There was nothing at all believable about the scene

I prefer to see that this story tells us that Jesus was human, Jesus was tempted, and He had power over temptation. I like to believe that because it gives me hope – and gives all of us hope. When I am tempted, I can call on Jesus – and have power over temptation – just as He had.

So can you.

That’s exactly what the writer of the book of Hebrews was telling us when he said,

We do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. (Hebrews 4:15)

Jesus overcame temptation so that you and I can overcome temptation.

Jesus overcame temptation so that you and I can say:

Jesus helps me fight temptation.

After you say that Jesus is your Lord and Savior, one of the things you need to be able to say about Jesus is:

Jesus helps me fight temptation.

This story shows us 3 things Jesus gives us the power to do as we fight temptation:

1. Expect it.

Temptation is inevitable. Even good people are tempted. Even people who walk in the Spirit are tempted. Matthew said.. .

(v. 1) Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil.

Did you get that?

He was led by the Spirit. He was doing exactly what God wanted him to do, and still he faced temptation.

Sometimes we might have a tendency to think – in the midst of battling temptation — that God must have abandoned us or there must be something wrong with us, or else we wouldn’t be experiencing temptation in our lives. That’s not true. Even good people experience temptation. Even people who’s lives are led by the Holy Spirit experience temptation.

We can’t misunderstand the situation here, though.

The Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted, but it wasn’t God who tempted Jesus. God doesn’t tempt you to sin; He doesn’t try to entice you with evil opportunities. You might be lead into tempting situations even if you are following God’s will, but continuing to follow God in tempting situations – and the example Jesus gives us – can give us victory.

In our judicial system there are laws against entrapment. When an undercover cop is trying to bust people for buying drugs, he can’t walk up to someone and say, “Hey you want to buy some drugs?…Come on, try it, you’ll like it. Just think of how good you’ll feel. All your problems will go away. Come on, don’t be scared.” etc. etc. A cop can’t do that, because it would be considered entrapment.

God does not tempt us, but gives us power over temptation.

Another thing we need to realize is that temptation: it often follows a “peak” experience in our lives.

Right before Jesus went to the desert to be tempted, He was baptized by John the Baptist. It is a moving scene. John declared Jesus to be the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, and after he baptized Jesus, the Spirit came down in the form of dove and the voice of God declared that Jesus was God’s Son. This was the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, and undoubtedly an exciting time in His life: He was about to begin the work God had called him to do. And then — immediately after this powerful event, Jesus faced the devil one on one.

It doesn’t make sense, does it? But that’s what often happens in our lives. After a peak experience, we often find ourselves alone in the desert. In his book The Winner Within NBA coach Pat Riley talks about how difficult it is for a championship team to win a second consecutive championship, because that peak experience leads to a whole new type of struggle among the players. If you’re not ready for success, it can be quite difficult to handle. That’s why Benjamin Franklin said, “Success has ruined many a man.”

It is significant to note that after Jesus was declared by John the Baptist to be the Messiah, the next event in his life was a time of temptation in the desert. The next event in his life was not the Triumphant Entry into Jerusalem, where thousands gathered to shout “Hosanna” in his presence. It wasn’t the feeding of the 5,000, and it wasn’t the raising of Lazarus from the dead. It was 40 lonely days and nights in the desert without food and water. Jesus faced a time of temptation.

A peak experience in life is often followed by a time of temptation, or a time of struggle.

When things are going good for us, we have a tendency to think “I’ve arrived. This is it. I’ll be on top from now on.” It doesn’t work that way in anyone’s life. When you succeed in a big way, you can expect a time of testing to follow soon afterward.

Don’t be surprised by temptation — expect it.

Another thing to expect: Temptation attacks you where you are most vulnerable.

Don’t be surprised by it – expect it!

After Jesus had been alone in the desert 40 days and nights without food and water, the tempter came to him and said,

(v. 3) “If you are the son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”

Why did Satan say this?

Because he knew that Jesus was hungry.

He knew that the idea of eating food was the most tempting thought he could put in Jesus’ mind. He wanted Jesus to abuse His power for His own needs, and so He attacked Him where He was, at that moment, most vulnerable: he tried to get Him to eat.

Here’s a fact of life: Temptation doesn’t hit you where you’re strong; it hits you where you’re weak.

If your business is thriving but your marriage is on the rocks, guess where the tempter will attack. If you have a strong family life, but you’re going through some struggles at work, guess where the tempter will attack. He’ll find where you’re vulnerable, and he’ll go after it.

In a football game, when a key player gets injured and is replaced by an inexperienced rookie, what does the other team do? They start trying to take advantage of the inexperienced player – going after the team where it is at it’s weakest point.

That’s exactly how temptation presents itself in our lives. It hits us where we’re weak. It hits us where we’re vulnerable.

Does that mean we have to throw in the towel and give in to temptation? No. It means we have to rise to the occasion, and face temptation in God’s strength. Jesus was at the point of starvation, and He didn’t give in.

After you say that Jesus is your Lord and Savior, one of the things you need to be able to say about Jesus is:

Jesus helps me fight temptation.

To experience the power Jesus can give you over temptation, one thing you need to do is to expect it temptation. It happens to everyone, even good people; it frequently comes after a major victory in life; and it often hits us where we are weakest.

Expect it.

A second thing you need to do to experience the power Jesus can give you over temptation is to understand it.

2. Understand it.

Many times we lose the battle against temptation because we don’t understand how temptation works in our lives. Temptation is, by its very nature, deceptive. It often presents itself to us in a type of twisted logic. Matthew tells us that the devil took Jesus to the Holy City and had Him stand on the highest point of the temple, and then he said,

(v. 6) “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down.”

Then, notice what Satan did next. He quoted Scripture at Jesus. He said,

(v. 6) “For it is written: ‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”

Do you see what Satan was doing? He quoted Scripture knowing that Jesus knew it was absolutely true, but he was trying to get Jesus to apply it in a twisted, self-serving way. He was saying, “Come on, Jesus. God will take care of you. Jump.” And there was an unspoken implication, “Or do you really believe God will take care of you? Maybe he won’t, if you’re not really the Messiah.”

An un unscrupulous insurance salesman’s most effective tactic is to tell the prospect that if he really cared about his family, he would buy insurance. If the prospect turns down the sales pitch, the savvy agent might say – especially if the family is present: “Are you telling me that your family isn’t worth 50 cents a day to you?” A life insurance salesmen might know what buttons to push to get people to accept his offer. In the same way, Satan knows what buttons to push, too. And he’ll use whatever twisted logic he can. When we’re especially mad at our spouses, Satan might say something like:

“You know that God wants you to be happy, right? And you know that you’ll never be happy as long as you’re married to this person. So God must want you to get a divorce…Unless, of course, you believe that God just wants you to be miserable for the rest of your life.”

Or he’ll say, “God doesn’t want your family to do without the necessities of life, and you need your money much more than the government needs it, so cut some corners on your income taxes. Spend that money on your kids. Unless, of course, you think God doesn’t want you to have enough to live on.”

Very few people can be tempted with the idea of doing something bad just for the sake of doing something bad. But we can all be tempted with the idea of doing something bad in order to get something that we might think is good.

Satan tempted Jesus to jump from the temple in order to prove to the world that he was God’s anointed Messiah. He tried to get him to do something wrong in order to accomplish something good…but Jesus understood temptation well enough to see through Satan’s twisted logic.

To tap into the power of Jesus over temptation, you need to understand temptation.

You need to understand that it is deceptive.

Another thing you need to understand is that it often promises what God has already provided.

Matthew tells us that Satan took Jesus to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and said,

(v. 9) “All this I will give to you if you bow down and worship me.”

There is something ridiculous about Satan’s words, because he was offering to give Jesus that which God had already given Him. God had already declared Jesus to be King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He had declared that all of creation would worship Him, every knee would bow and every tongue would confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. That has been God’s promise to Jesus throughout all eternity. This is His world, and yet, Satan offered it to Him.

That’s the way temptation works.

It often offers something that it can’t really give…something that only God can give. Temptation will say to you, “Do this and you’ll be happy. Do this and you’ll have peace of mind. Do this and you’ll feel good about yourself.” But the devil can’t give you happiness, because it isn’t the devil’s to give. He can promise you the world, but he can’t give you the world, because it really isn’t his to give. Only God can give you happiness. Only God can give you peace of mind. Only God can give you a sense of well-being.

So, understand this about temptation: It promises more than it can deliver.

You need to understand temptation if you are going to tap into the power of Jesus to overcome temptation. You need t understand that it’s deceptive – and that it promises more than it can deliver. You also need to understand is that it doesn’t last forever.

When Jesus resisted the tempter, the tempter finally went away. Too often we give in to temptation because we think, I can’t fight this forever. You don’t have to. Temptation doesn’t last forever.

James said,

Resist the devil and he will flee from you. (James 4:7)

Resisting temptation doesn’t make you weaker, it makes you stronger.

When Jesus overcame temptation, it didn’t mean he was through with temptation for the rest of his life. He had to deal with it again and again throughout his ministry.

After you say that Jesus is your Lord and Savior, one of the things you need to be able to say about Jesus is:

Jesus helps me fight temptation.

To experience the power Jesus can give you over temptation, one thing you need to do is to expect it temptation. It happens to everyone, even good people; it frequently comes after a major victory in life; and it often hits us where we are weakest. You also have to understand it – understand how it is deceptive – how it promises more that it can deliver – how it won’t stay forever but also won’t go away forever, either.

Expect it. Understand it.

Thirdly – you have to attack it.

3. Attack it.

How did Jesus respond to temptation? He responded with the Word of God. Every time the devil tempted Jesus, he responded by saying, “It is written.” There is something about the words of Scripture that give us strength in overcoming temptation.

There was a pastor who had a problem with exaggeration to the point of being deceptive. If there were 850 people at church, he would round it up to 1000. If he had 6 appointments in one day, he would say he had 10. If he paid $100 for something, he’d tell you he paid $200, or he’d tell you he’d paid $50, depending on which way he was trying to impress you. God began to convict him of this kind of deception, and he began making an effort to develop the “virtue of accuracy.” When he was tempted to exaggerate, he would repeat to himself a verse from Proverbs:

The Lord abhors dishonest scales, but accurate weights are his delight, (Proverbs 11:1)

Saying this verse to himself again and again helped him overcome the sin of lying.

When it comes to attacking temptation, the Word of God is your first line of defense. The more you know Scripture, and use it, the more power you’ll experience power over temptation.

When you’re facing temptation, remind yourself that if you resist the devil, he will flee from you. (James 4:7)

When you’re tempted to lie, remind yourself that accurate weights delight the Lord (Proverbs 11:1).

Therefore, we need to make an effort to know the Word.

Now, you can’t memorize the whole Bible, and you don’t have to. What I have learned is that when I read the Bible on a daily basis, God speaks to me about what I am going through at that time in my life. I can’t tell you the number of times I have faced something during the day that is directly related to what I read earlier that morning in the Bible. You attack temptation with the Word of God.

To experience the power Jesus can give you over temptation, attack it with the Word of God.

You attack temptation by confronting temptation.

Matthew tells us that when Satan tempted Jesus to bow down and worship him, Jesus said,

(v. 10) Away from me, Satan!

He did not run from the tempter, he confronted him, and told him, basically, to get lost.

Let me ask you a question. How do you speak to your tempter? Do you hear yourself whining, “Oh no. Temptation is so strong and I’m so weak. I’ll never win this battle.” Or do you stand strong and boldly say, “Get lost! There’s no way I’m going to commit that sin!”

I read of a Christian businessman in a business meeting in which one of his clients tried to persuade him to cut some corners that were, at the very least, unethical. He confronted the man and said something along the lines of, “Are you suggesting what it sounds like you’re suggesting?” The man hemmed and hawed and finally said, “Yes.” The man stood up and said, “This meeting is over. And so is our relationship.” Then he stormed out of the office — and it was his office! The client sat there dumbfounded. The man came back in about 15 seconds later and said, “Did you hear me? The meeting is over. Leave.” And he sat down at his desk and started going through his mail. The thing is that man desperately needed the business this client offered – but he didn’t want the client’s money bad enough to cheat others, so he kicked him out of his office.

That’s the way we need to deal with temptation in our life. When it makes it’s appeal, we need to cut it off mid-sentence, so to speak, and say, “I won’t even discuss it. Get away from me.” You don’t have to cower in the face of temptation. You can confront it boldly, because you’re not confronting it in your own strength, but in God’s strength.

To tap into the power of Jesus over temptation, you need to attack it. You can do this with God’s word – and by confronting it. Another way you attack temptation is to re-affirm your commitment to God. Jesus said…

(v. 10) Away from me, Satan! For it is written, ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’”

Jesus was saying, “Leave me alone, because I belong to God, and I don’t belong to you. I worship him, I don’t worship you.”

When I was little, and one of my older sisters would try to get me to do something I didn’t want to do, I would say: “You’re not my boss!”

Maybe you’ve heard one of your kids say that – or maybe you’ve said that yourself.

That’s how we need to respond to temptation. We need to say, “You’re not my boss. Jesus is my boss. I don’t serve you, I serve him.” When you face temptation, reaffirm your commitment to God. Remind yourself that you belong to Him, that He is your Lord.

Temptation is a fact of life.

To tap into the power of Jesus over temptation you need to expect it.

Temptation is insidious, so make sure you understand it.

Most of all, remember that temptation isn’t all powerful, so attack it. Not in your own strength, but in God’s strength. You attack it with the Word of God; you attack by confronting it and telling it to get lost; you attack by re-affirming your commitment to the Lordship of Christ.

Jesus experienced power over temptation, and you can too, if you follow his example.

So – who do you day that Jesus is?

After you say that Jesus is your Lord and Savior, one of the things you can say about Jesus is:

Jesus helps me fight temptation.

To experience the power Jesus can give you over temptation, one thing you need to do is to expect temptation. It happens to everyone, even good people; it frequently comes after a major victory in life; and it often hits us where we are weakest.

You also have to understand it – understand how it is deceptive – understand how it promises more that it can deliver – and how it won’t stay forever but also won’t go away forever, either.

You also have to confront it – with the Word of God and the power of God – and by reaffirming your faith in God in the face of temptation.

By the power of Christ – we can fight temptation.

By the power of Christ – you can say:

Jesus helps me fight temptation Amen.

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.

Matthew 22:34-40, Matthew 28:16-20, Isaiah 6:1-8

Matthew 22:34-40

Matthew 28:16-20

Isaiah 6:1-8

January 25, 2009

“A Great Commitment To Worship”

Part 2 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.

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 at we wait for that opportunity I want us to look at what God may be calling us to do by studying Rick Warren’s The Purpose Driven Church on Wednesday nights and my preaching on topics from the book on the next 5 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 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.

For the next 5 weeks we are going to look at these 5 aspects of the church – and look at how our commitment is to these things at Hopewell.

Worship

Ministry

Evangelism

Fellowship

Discipleship

Let’s begin with Worship.

Jesus says that loving God with all our heart – soul – and mind — is the greatest commandment.

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38This is the first and greatest commandment”

Jesus says in Matthew 22:37-38.

Friends – loving God – and expressing our love for God – is the most important thing for us as Christians.

At it’s best, that is what we do in worship.

When we worship, we should be expressing our love for – devotion for – God.

If we are going to be a Church that is a great Church – and that is focused on loving God and others – and making disciples for Christ – then the first thing we are going to have to be committed to is worship.

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 worship makes for a great Church.

Have you heard the story about Gladys Dunn?

It seemed that Gladys Dunn moved into a community and was looking for a Church. She noticed one particularly pretty Church – and attended worship there one Sunday. The Sanctuary was just as beautiful on the inside as it was pretty on the outside – and the music wonderful. But – the minister was boring and dry. As he droned on and on, Gladys noticed that most of the congregation was nodding off. Finally –after what seemed to be an eternity – the minister completed his sermon and said:

“Now – everyone greet your neighbor”

Gladys noticed the gentleman beside her was trying to wake himself from his nap during the sermon — and stuck her hand out to greet him.

“I’m Gladys Dunn” she said.

The man looked at her and responded:

“Me too lady. Me too.”

A great commitment to worship makes for a great Church.

A great commitment to worship makes for a great Church.

If we here at Hopewell are going to be a great Church – if we are going to be a Church that is focused on what we can do for God’s glory in the community and the world, we are going to have to be focused on – and committed to — loving God – and that means we are going to have to be focused on – and committed to – worship – not come in – just sit – and leave with a “glad – it’s – done” attitude – but have a real commitment to loving God – and praising God.

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

A great commitment to worship makes for a great Church.

For Hopewell to be the great church that does great things for God in the community and the world, we are going to have to have a great commitment to worship. We can’t have an attitude of “Glad It’s Done” when it’s over — but an attitude – a heart – a commitment — for worshipping and giving praise to God.

A great commitment to worship makes for a great Church.

Now – maybe you think that when I refer to worship I’m referring to the service that takes place here between 11:00 and 12:00 on Sunday morning. That’s true to a certain extent—the Sunday morning service should be a worshipful experience — but that’s not all there is to worship, because that’s not all there is to life.

Worship is a lifestyle — it’s a 24 hour a day, seven day a week experience.

A great commitment to worship makes for a great Church.

It’s so easy to develop a bad habit if we’re not careful: the habit of “critiquing” the worship service instead of fully participating. It’s easy to attend a service and find ourselves evaluating the music, evaluating the hymns, evaluating the Choirs, evaluating the Sermon — and not evaluating them on how they impacted us spiritually, but on how well they were “performed”. And if they don’t measure up to our standards, we’ll might say something like:

“I don’t know…I just didn’t get anything out of worship this morning… I didn’t like the hymns, the Choir didn’t sound as good as they sometimes do. There were too many mistakes… the Sermon just didn’t speak to me. I just didn’t get anything out of worship.”

You see — the purpose of worship is not so much to entertain you – or to even speak directly to you. There are times you may be entertained by great music or spoken to be a moving message – but that is not the real purpose of worship.

Several of us attended The Ephesians Event in Darlington yesterday and heard Doug Oldenburg – former President of Columbia Seminary and former moderator of the Presbyterian Church General Assembly speak on “Why Go To Church?”. His first reason was not so we will be entertained or so we will even be enriched – but because God calls us to worship Him. Worship is not about “what can I get out of it” – but “what can I put into it”.

A great commitment to worship makes for a great Church.

Worship, then, is not about us and what “speaks to” or “does not speak to” us – but it’s about focusing on God – what God would have be doing as a Church and as individual Christians – listening to God’s call – and responding.

Worship is not so much about us as it is about God.

A great commitment to worship makes for a great Church.

If we here Hopewell are going to be the Church God is calling us to be, then we are going to have to have a heart for worshipping God – and a commitment to worshipping God.

Certainly the music, the choir, and the message can assist you in worshipping God and are important elements of the worship experience – but the main focus for worship must be on God.

It’s not about us – or what entertains us – it’s all about God — it’s all about Jesus. It’s all about having a commitment to love God with and praise God. It’s all about having a great commitment to worshipping God.

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

A great commitment to worship makes for a great Church.

We all need to learn how to have a heart for God – and a commitment to loving God with all our hearts, souls, and minds – and worshipping God. . This is a crucial lesson to learn in order to be the Christians God is calling you to be. It’s a crucial lesson for us to learn if we are going to be the Church God wants us to be.

You have to have a heart for worshipping God – a heart for loving God with all your heart, mind, and soul – and great commitment to worshipping and praising God.

A great commitment to worship makes for a great Church.

If we here at Hopewell are going to be the Church God is calling us to be, then we are going to have to have a heart for worshipping God – and a commitment to worshipping God.

Well – how do you do that?

Our Scripture Passage for this morning from Isaiah 6 teaches three things you can do to develop a heart for worship.

First of all – you can get focused on God.

You need to know who it is you are worshipping.

Isaiah 6:1 tells us:

(v. 1) In the year King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple.

Isaiah mentioned King Uzziah. In some ways he had been a good king, but he was just a man and he made many mistakes. His reign was a time of prosperity for Judah, but his pride led to his downfall. King Uzziah decided to rewrite the rules of Judaism, and he was eventually struck with leprosy. So Isaiah begins this chapter by saying – in effect –

“Regardless of what happened with King Uzziah, I saw the Lord. My eyes weren’t on the king; my eyes were on God.”

If you want a heart for worship – which you must have to be the person God calls you to be – and this Church must have to be the Church God is calling us to be, you need to do the same thing Isaiah did:

get your eyes off people and get focused on God.

Instead of looking at people, focus on God’s majesty.

Notice what Isaiah said…

vs. 1 –  I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple.

Instead of looking at people, focus on God’s holiness.

Isaiah said…

vs. 3  And they [the angels] were calling to one another: Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty…

Instead of looking at people, focus on God’s glory..

Isaiah said…

v. 3 …the whole earth is full of his glory.

When you come to church, don’t look at people as much as you look at God.

Look at His majesty.

Look at His holiness.

Look at His glory.

Love god with all your heart, soul, and mind – and be committed to worshipping him.

A great commitment to worship makes for a great Church.

If we here Hopewell are going to be the Church God is calling us to be, then we are going to have to have a heart for worshipping God – and a commitment to worshipping God. We are going to have to be people who focus on the majesty – holiness — and glory of God – and loving God with all our heart – mind – and soul.

If, as a congregation, we at Hopewell will do this, the same thing will happen here that happened in Isaiah.

Listen to what Isaiah wrote…

v. 4  The glorious singing shook the temple to its foundations.

Get focused on God and see if the worship doesn’t shake you to your foundations.

A great commitment to worship makes for a great Church.

The first step in this is focusing on God.

The second thing we need to do to have a heart of worship – a commitment to worship — is that we need to… Get cleansed by God’s grace.

Get cleansed by grace.

There is something about seeing God for who God is that causes us to see ourselves for who we are.

Isaiah eye-witnessed the glory of God, and then he said,

v. 5) My destruction is sealed, for I am a sinful man and a member of a sinful race.

That’s what happens when you get in the presence of God.

Pride suddenly melts away and you become aware of your own sinfulness, your own inadequacy. You can’t help but respond the way Isaiah did.

“Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips.”

It’s not that God wants us to acknowledge our sinfulness merely for the sake of doing it so that we can talk about how wretched we are. He wants us to acknowledge our sinfulness so that we can experience the transformational power of his grace.

Listen to what happened next to Isaiah…

(v. 6-7) Then one of the seraphim flew over to the altar, and he picked up a burning coal with a pair of tongs. He touched my lips with it and said, “See, this coal has touched your lips. Now your guilt is removed, and your sins are forgiven.”

That’s the purpose of being in the presence of God.

We acknowledge our sin so that we can experience His forgiveness.

If we here Hopewell are going to be the Church God is calling us to be, then we are going to have to have a heart for worshipping God – and a commitment to worship.

A great commitment to worship makes for a great Church.

The act of worship involves recognizing our total dependence upon God’s mercy in our lives. We don’t approach Him proudly. We don’t approach Him on the strength of our good deeds or our acts of righteousness. We approach Him with a sense of humility, with a sense of gratitude for His forgiveness. When you have this attitude, it’s impossible to get distracted by some of the aspects of the service. It’s impossible to get distracted by any superficial thing, because your heart is directed toward God.

A great commitment to worship makes for a great Church.

What this means in our day-to-day life is that you don’t need a Church service atmosphere to enter into worship. You don’t need a Choir or anything else. You can worship him alone, in the privacy of your room, just you and him.

Now obviously it is important that we come together as a body and worship together each week — but this isn’t the only time worship takes place.

It can be a seven-day-a-week experience.

If we here Hopewell are going to be the Church God is calling us to be, then we are going to have to have a heart for worshipping God – and a commitment to worshipping God. .

A great commitment to worship makes for a great Church.

Having a commitment to worship God requires that you:

get focused on God,

get cleansed by grace,

and thirdly…

You have to get ready to go.

Listen to what Isaiah says …

v. 8 –  Then I head the Lord asking, “Whom should I send as a messenger to my people? Who will go for us?” And I said, “Lord, I’ll go! Send me.”

Worshipping God and working for God go hand-in-hand. Our best response to worship is to say, as Isaiah said,

v. 8 Lord, I’ll go! Send me.

When you have a one-on-one encounter in the presence of God, it affects the way you spend the rest of your day. It affects what you say and how you treat the people in your life.

Warren writes that:

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

The first thing this means is that

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

This means being committed to loving God and sharing God with others – making disciples for Christ.

The first thing this means is that

A great commitment to worship makes for a great Church

As a church and as individuals, we need to develop a heart of worship – a commitment to worship — not an attitude of “glad – it’s done” but a true heart for worshipping God.

We have to get focused on God — get cleansed by God’s grace — and get ready to go into the world and do his work.

That’s what comes when you have a commitment to worship.

So – the question is – Do you have commitment for worship?

Do you have a desire – a passion – for worshipping God – every day?

Do you have a great commitment to loving God with all your heart – soul – mind – and strength – and to worshipping God?

Do you let yourself get focused on God, get cleansed by God’s grace, and get ready to go into the world and do his work?

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

A great commitment to worship.

This makes for a great Christian.

This makes for a great Church.

Amen.