Introduction
This week we are continuing our preaching series on the five historical practices found in fruitful and growing congregations called the Methodist Way. Three weeks ago we looked at the early church from Acts 2 and talked about what they did to set their world on fire for Christ and how we might follow that example today with the power of the Holy Spirit. The following week we looked at the idea of Radical Hospitality to see what Scripture says about it and how we can carry that out in this world. Next, we looked at the aspect of Passionate Worship and how and why we are to praise God. Today we are going to spend some time together talking about Intentional Discipling, what that means and some ways we can implement this in our own lives.
Find a Mentor
I am sure that all of us here have a person that we admire, that we have tried to model our spiritual life after. No I am not talking about Jesus. I am talking about someone that we have either encountered and asked for guidance or mentoring, or someone we admired from afar that influenced us. For me that person was a man named Dr. Tom Horne.
I met Dr. Horne in 2001 down in Fort Myers. At that time Debbie had just received her first appointment to Tice United Methodist and Dr. Horne was the Staff Parish chair there. He was the first person we talked to from the new church and the first one we met when we arrived. Looking at Dr. Horne you knew he was retired, by his speech you knew he was very intelligent, and by his demeanor you knew he possessed strong integrity. I immediately gravitated toward him and was determined to get to know him the best I could. Over the three years we were at Tice I got to know a great deal about Dr. Horne. By the way I did not find out he was a doctor till I had known him over a year, that is the kind of humble man he is. I learned that he taught Sunday School, loved to garden, would give you anything and everything he could as you had need, and dearly loved his Lord and Savior. But the greatest thing I learned about Dr. Horne came after I was approached to help plan a surprise birthday party for him. I was partially excited because I finally got find out how old this man was. I was convinced he was in his late 60's early 70's. I was asked to help plan his 96th birthday party! I was blown away. Well after that party I made it a point to ask him what his secret to vitality was. He summed it up in one word. Siberia.
You see Dr. Horne for the last several years had been taking missionary trips to Siberia, Russia. Six month, missionary trips. He told me of the people he saw and the experiences he had while he was there handing out Bibles. Those experiences helped him to deepen his faith and gave him the desire to learn all he could about his faith and how to effectively share that with others. Dr. Horne helped to mentor me and encourage me to continue my journey towards the ministry. He was helping to make me more than a Sunday worshiper, he was helping to make me a disciple.
So What is a Disciple?
A disciple is someone that believes in the ideals of another person and then commits to helping that person or organization spread those ideals to others. Notice that I did not say believers that just hold onto those ideals. There is another component to discipleship and that is intentionally spreading those ideals to others. Salvation is not an only step, it is a first step. We need to go further and that is by being disciples; being remade into the image of God. That in and of itself for some people is a very uncomfortable prospect.
However, God’s ultimate goal for our lives is not our comfort, but our character development. He wants us to continue to grow in him, becoming mature in the image of His Son. God wants us to develop all the character described in the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:1-12), the Fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), Paul’s great chapter on love (I Corinthians 13) and Peter’s list of the characteristics of an effective and productive life (2 Peter 5:1-8).
Discipleship is about letting go of self and becoming more Christ-like in our values, attitudes and actions, or as the Apostle Paul put it, “setting aside one’s former self, and being clothed with the new self.” John Wesley called this process sanctification, as we “move onto perfection.”
How Do We Become Disciples?
So how do we become and live out the call of being disciples? Our first Scripture lesson today from John 15 tells us by using the metaphor of a vine and its branches. For the branch of a vine to grow it needs its nutrients from the vine. The better the connection, the better the harvest. Those branches that obstruct that flow of nutrients will naturally produce a smaller bounty.
The same can be said for our spiritual lives, our lives as disciples of Jesus Christ. The better we are connected to Christ, the better the harvest for the Kingdom. In order for us to be disciples of Jesus Christ we have to stay connected. Christ tells us in 15:4, “Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.” To become a disciple we have to be connected.
What Should We Do As Disciples?
Now that we have an idea the being a disciple means actively spreading the ideals of Christ and the only way to become a disciple is to be connected to Christ, what do we do as disciples?
There are three things that came to my mind and please feel free to add to this list later. One thing is to be intentional about our relationship with Christ by spending dedicated, regular time with Christ in the Word. Our second Scripture lesson tells us that "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." We are not in a position like the Apostles where we can physically sit at Christ's feet and listen to him talk. So the next best thing is Scripture. If we are going to be effective we need to read. I follow the pattern I post on my blog and read four chapters a day. That gets me through the New Testament twice and the Old Testament once, with a few days to spare. There are so many others out there that will guide your efforts that are just as effective. Just find one you like and one that you are comfortable with. Next after you read, pray, and then be quiet. Each area is equally important for us to be intentional about our relationship.
Next, is to be intentional in our relationship with others. For me that was shown in the form of mentoring with Dr. Horne. Dr. Horne was intentional about meeting with me, speaking with me, and sharing his knowledge with me. It was not a casual relationship, we both made a conscious effort to get to know one another and have time for us to share with each other. This can also be done in the form of small groups, Bible studies, any setting where you can get together with like minded believers and discuss how Christ is at work in your life. This cannot be a casual enterprise, we have to be purposeful.
And another is to be intentional in our spreading with the word. After all that is the point of discipleship. If we understand the Word, are being mentored by other believers, then we are allowing God to equip us to spread the Good News. Once equipped we need to be deliberate in speaking to others about Christ. I once had a wise evangelist tell me that it takes 25 people to lead a person to Christ and we should not be ashamed to be person 1, 9, 17, or 23. To be a person anywhere on that chain is privilege, we just need to be on that chain.
Being a child of God is a wonderful thing, but it comes with responsibilities and one of those responsibilities is being a disciple. It is not an easy road, but it is one we are all called to walk down. Part of cultivating a healthy fruitful community of believers is to be deliberate about leading others to Christ and that is in essence Intentional Discipleship.
Now I do not expect any of us to go out and lead five people to Christ this week. If you do God bless you. But what I would like for you to do this week, is to be intentional about spending time with God and listening and looking for the opportunity to be a link in the chain of evangelism. You may be surprised just how many opportunities you get if you show up and pay attention.
The joy, the relationship, the love that you will experience as an intentional disciple of Jesus Christ will far out weigh any discomfort, fear, or apprehension you may experience as you carry out this calling.
Conclusion
Just before Debbie and I moved from Fort Myers I got Dr. Horne to tell me why he did those trips, in that unforgivable climate, in the midst of very resistant government toward his efforts. Before he answered me he reached over and handed me a Bible. I took it and put it under my arm like this and he said that is why. When I handed you the Bible you put it under your arm, when I would hand one to the people of Siberia they would take both arms and clutch it to their chest and sob. That excitement, that joy is why I kept going back. I am just sad that I have never seen it here. Having a relationship with Christ is a truly wonderful thing and should not be kept to ourselves!
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Bible Challenge 9/27 - 10/3
I hope you are all being blessed abundantly by this endeavor. This week we stay in the book of Ezekiel. Here is the schedule:
Sunday 9/27: Ezekiel 15-18
Monday 9/28: Ezekiel 19-22
Tuesday 9/29: Ezekiel 23-26
Wednesday 9/30: Ezekiel 27-30
Thursday 10/1 (Happy October): Ezekiel 31-34
Friday 10/2: Ezekiel 35-38
Saturday 10/3: Ezekiel 39-42
Have a fantastic week!
<><
Sunday 9/27: Ezekiel 15-18
Monday 9/28: Ezekiel 19-22
Tuesday 9/29: Ezekiel 23-26
Wednesday 9/30: Ezekiel 27-30
Thursday 10/1 (Happy October): Ezekiel 31-34
Friday 10/2: Ezekiel 35-38
Saturday 10/3: Ezekiel 39-42
Have a fantastic week!
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Friday, September 25, 2009
Friday Fives
1. Preaching Series – We will continue our preaching series this week on the five, historical practices of the Methodist Church. This week we will talk about Intentional Discipling, what that means and some ways we can implement this in our own lives. Hope to see you there!
2. Bible Study – Just like weeks past we had another great turn out this week. We continued our look into the Protestant faiths by discussing Baptists and the importance of making Scripture a regular part of our lives. Next week we are looking at Pentecostals to see what their tradition offers and what we can learn from it.
3. Nominations Committee Meeting – It is that time of year again. Charge Conference is right around the corner and we need to gather this committee together to discuss positions that need to be filled. If you are on this committee please make plans to attend on Wednesday, September 30th at 10am, in the Pastor's Office.
4. New Member Gathering – If you have been attending for a while and are thinking about joining our church there will be a New Member Gathering in the Pastor's Office on Sunday, October 4th, at 12:45pm. We will discuss what it means to be a member and get to know one another as we discuss our role as Christians. If you would like to attend please call the church office to sign up.
5. Pumpkin Patch – We are gearing up for this important ministry of the church and we need volunteers. If you would like to volunteer for a time in the patch, to read a story, or a whole host of other opportunities, please consider these opportunities for ministry and volunteer as you can.
May God bless you in all that you do!
2. Bible Study – Just like weeks past we had another great turn out this week. We continued our look into the Protestant faiths by discussing Baptists and the importance of making Scripture a regular part of our lives. Next week we are looking at Pentecostals to see what their tradition offers and what we can learn from it.
3. Nominations Committee Meeting – It is that time of year again. Charge Conference is right around the corner and we need to gather this committee together to discuss positions that need to be filled. If you are on this committee please make plans to attend on Wednesday, September 30th at 10am, in the Pastor's Office.
4. New Member Gathering – If you have been attending for a while and are thinking about joining our church there will be a New Member Gathering in the Pastor's Office on Sunday, October 4th, at 12:45pm. We will discuss what it means to be a member and get to know one another as we discuss our role as Christians. If you would like to attend please call the church office to sign up.
5. Pumpkin Patch – We are gearing up for this important ministry of the church and we need volunteers. If you would like to volunteer for a time in the patch, to read a story, or a whole host of other opportunities, please consider these opportunities for ministry and volunteer as you can.
May God bless you in all that you do!
Sunday, September 20, 2009
The Methodist Way: Passionate Worship - Matthew 22:34-40 and Luke 18:9-14
Introduction
This week we are continuing our preaching series on the five historical practices found in fruitful and growing congregations called the Methodist Way; Radical Hospitality, Passionate Worship, Intentional Discipling, Salty Service, and Extravagant Generosity. Two weeks ago we looked at the early church from Acts 2 and talked about what they did to set their world on fire for Christ and how we might follow that example today with the power of the Holy Spirit. Last week we looked at the idea of Radical Hospitality to see what Scripture says about it and how we can carry that out in this world. Today we are going to look at the aspect of Passionate Worship and how and why we are to praise God.
What is Worship? - Bringing God Pleasure
Passionate worship. That’s a pretty tall order to talk about, especially considering all of the misconceptions today about what worship is. Many have the idea that worship is simply something that you come to and observe or participate in for a single hour on Sunday morning.
Some have the idea that there is only one way to worship and we see churches split over the difference between “traditional” and “contemporary.” Others have the idea that worship is primarily for their benefit. But worship is far more than just these ideas and worship is not really even about us.
So what is the purpose behind worship? Why is it so important that we include it in our lives? Let’s begin at the beginning. A good, simple definition for worship would be “bringing pleasure to God.” This is the supreme reason that we as human beings exist – we were created to worship God, to praise Him, give Him glory and honor, bring Him pleasure.
This is what Jesus was trying to point people back towards in our Gospel Lesson from Matthew. He was talking with some of the religious leaders and one of them asked him, “What is the greatest commandment?” The Jewish people had so many commandments and laws to follow, and many were very strict about trying to follow them exactly. This man wanted to know what the most important commandment was that he needed to focus his energy and effort upon. And this is how Jesus answered him: “This is the greatest commandment: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. Upon these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”
You see the people had become so caught up in following all the laws and commandments exactly, that they had forgotten the reason the laws existed in the first place – they were meant as a tool to help point the people back to God. And Jesus was trying to get them to realize that following all the laws in the world were no good if they forgot to love God with all that they had. Worship is about loving God with all that we are – our heart, mind, soul and strength. This brings great pleasure to our Heavenly Father. Think of worship as putting a smile on God’s face.
How Should We Worship? - What Elements to Include
And so we gather in the house of the Lord together to worship each Sunday. Worship is one of the most basic and primary purposes of our lives and of the church – to praise God, giving Him honor and glory, bringing Him pleasure and putting an enormous smile upon His face.
The next logical question then might be: “Is there a right way in which we should worship?” Certainly we wouldn’t want to do anything in our worship services that would offend God, whom we are trying to please.
When we look through the Bible, we can find a few common elements that should always be incorporated into our worship:
1. Praise and Adoration – taking the time to praise God for who He is and offer Him thanks for what’s He’s done
2. Acknowledge Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior – Jesus should be the head of our lives and the church
3. Scripture – The Bible is our benchmark and standard and is God’s love letter to His people. It is also a source of hope, comfort, and guidance
4. Prayer, including Confession of Sins – Is our lifeline to the Father, primary way of communication, and unconfessed sins block our relationship and need forgiveness
5. Offerings – We do not have to sacrifice to pay for sins, but should still give to God as He has given to us. That means a portion of time, talent, and resources including money to help further the work of His church
6. Music – music and singing speak to our soul and help us transcend and feel God’s presence
How churches incorporate these different elements into worship is open for interpretation. Styles of worship vary from church to church, depending upon the personal preferences of a congregation and the tastes of the people that they are trying to reach out towards. John Wesley took a unique approach to worship in the Methodist movement. He had been raised in a very high church worship environment in the Church of England. But Wesley in his own words, “submitted to become more vile,” and began to preach outside using different worship styles in order to reach different people. In fact some of the “new” hymns that were sung in his day were familiar bar tunes that people would know with new Christian words set to them.
The pattern of our worship here at Druid Hills is designed to incorporate all of those core elements that we talked about and put them together in such a way that we are ushered more and more into God’s presence. Notice the titles on the different sections of our worship service in the bulletin, 1) We Gather Together; 2) We Come Before God in Worship; 3) We Come Before God in Prayer; 4) We Offer Our Tithes and Praise; 5) We Hear the Word of God Proclaimed; and 6) We Depart to Serve and Share God’s Love. And each week we try to incorporate the theme of worship for that day throughout each section so that everything is tied together and doesn’t detract from the flow. Also you’ll notice that each section includes some kind of personal response for those worshipping because worship is not meant to be merely a spectator sport, but a participatory process.
How Should We Come to Worship?
Understanding the purpose behind worship, bringing pleasure to God, and the different elements of worship, how then should we come to worship? What should be our attitude and posture before the Lord?
Our second Scripture lesson from Luke this morning has Jesus telling the story of two men who went to the temple to pray. The first man, a Pharisee, went and made worship all about him – his needs, wants, and desires. He stood up and prayed loudly so that others would see and hear him. The second man, a tax collector, went and was humbled in God’s house. He stood off at a distance, not lifting up his eyes and asking for God’s mercy. Jesus said that of the two men, only the second went home justified before God. Two men. The same church service. Two totally different approaches to worship. And two different outcomes. How do you approach worship?
Several years ago I was flying and happened to get a seat up front on the plane. I got to watch a bunch of the people as they boarded. One of those was a little boy, maybe five years old, traveling with his mom. You could tell right away that he was very excited; he was just beaming from ear to ear and looking all around. The flight attendant greeted them and he told her it was his first time to fly and then asked her if he “could please, please meet the pilot!” The pilot was coming out of the cockpit as the little boy asked his question and he smiled. He ended up taking the little boy by the hand and letting him peek into the cockpit and then patiently answered a few of the little boy’s questions about what all the instruments were. As the little boy walked to his seat with his mom, he was jumping up and down with excitement. They were a few rows behind me and I could hear him off and on during the flight telling his mom how cool it was to be flying and how awesome it was that he got to meet the pilot, the man up front. In looking around at the other people on the plane, no one really seemed to share the little boy’s excitement. Everyone seemed very content and comfortable with the routine – they were glad for a nice flight, that would get them on time to where they were going with no surprises, and hopefully their luggage.
If you fly a lot, it’s easy to lose your sense of awe and wonder at putting your body in this metal machine flying through the air. You get comfortable and become accustomed to the routine. The same thing can happen to Christians in worship. Without meaning to, we get used to the routine of worship and lose some of our awe and wonder at the opportunity we have to encounter God in a new and fresh way.
I think we could all take a lesson from the little boy on the airplane. He came on the airplane with a great sense of excitement and anticipation about what was going to happen. He came with a goal in mind; he was going to meet the pilot. We should come to worship with an attitude of excitement and anticipation. We should come to worship with the goal in mind of meeting God our pilot in a new and fresh way. Then all that we do from singing, to praying, to giving offerings, to reading the Scripture and listening to the sermon will take on new meaning as we anticipate and encounter the Lord.
Conclusion
Are you up for a challenge? Here it is. For the rest of the year, that’s three months, I invite us all, myself included, to prepare for worship by praying. I know some of you do this already. But between now and the end of the year, I invite you to pray at home before leaving or in your seats once you arrive – first and foremost that our worship would be pleasing to God and second, that all of us might encounter the living God moving in our hearts and minds. Who knows what might come of such praying—and such high expectations?
Have you gotten caught in routine flight mode? You don’t have to settle. Come to worship with childlike enthusiasm, seeking God Himself. For where two or three are gathered in His name, God is faithful to be present. He’s here today. Don’t leave without experiencing Him for yourself.
This week we are continuing our preaching series on the five historical practices found in fruitful and growing congregations called the Methodist Way; Radical Hospitality, Passionate Worship, Intentional Discipling, Salty Service, and Extravagant Generosity. Two weeks ago we looked at the early church from Acts 2 and talked about what they did to set their world on fire for Christ and how we might follow that example today with the power of the Holy Spirit. Last week we looked at the idea of Radical Hospitality to see what Scripture says about it and how we can carry that out in this world. Today we are going to look at the aspect of Passionate Worship and how and why we are to praise God.
What is Worship? - Bringing God Pleasure
Passionate worship. That’s a pretty tall order to talk about, especially considering all of the misconceptions today about what worship is. Many have the idea that worship is simply something that you come to and observe or participate in for a single hour on Sunday morning.
Some have the idea that there is only one way to worship and we see churches split over the difference between “traditional” and “contemporary.” Others have the idea that worship is primarily for their benefit. But worship is far more than just these ideas and worship is not really even about us.
So what is the purpose behind worship? Why is it so important that we include it in our lives? Let’s begin at the beginning. A good, simple definition for worship would be “bringing pleasure to God.” This is the supreme reason that we as human beings exist – we were created to worship God, to praise Him, give Him glory and honor, bring Him pleasure.
This is what Jesus was trying to point people back towards in our Gospel Lesson from Matthew. He was talking with some of the religious leaders and one of them asked him, “What is the greatest commandment?” The Jewish people had so many commandments and laws to follow, and many were very strict about trying to follow them exactly. This man wanted to know what the most important commandment was that he needed to focus his energy and effort upon. And this is how Jesus answered him: “This is the greatest commandment: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. Upon these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”
You see the people had become so caught up in following all the laws and commandments exactly, that they had forgotten the reason the laws existed in the first place – they were meant as a tool to help point the people back to God. And Jesus was trying to get them to realize that following all the laws in the world were no good if they forgot to love God with all that they had. Worship is about loving God with all that we are – our heart, mind, soul and strength. This brings great pleasure to our Heavenly Father. Think of worship as putting a smile on God’s face.
How Should We Worship? - What Elements to Include
And so we gather in the house of the Lord together to worship each Sunday. Worship is one of the most basic and primary purposes of our lives and of the church – to praise God, giving Him honor and glory, bringing Him pleasure and putting an enormous smile upon His face.
The next logical question then might be: “Is there a right way in which we should worship?” Certainly we wouldn’t want to do anything in our worship services that would offend God, whom we are trying to please.
When we look through the Bible, we can find a few common elements that should always be incorporated into our worship:
1. Praise and Adoration – taking the time to praise God for who He is and offer Him thanks for what’s He’s done
2. Acknowledge Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior – Jesus should be the head of our lives and the church
3. Scripture – The Bible is our benchmark and standard and is God’s love letter to His people. It is also a source of hope, comfort, and guidance
4. Prayer, including Confession of Sins – Is our lifeline to the Father, primary way of communication, and unconfessed sins block our relationship and need forgiveness
5. Offerings – We do not have to sacrifice to pay for sins, but should still give to God as He has given to us. That means a portion of time, talent, and resources including money to help further the work of His church
6. Music – music and singing speak to our soul and help us transcend and feel God’s presence
How churches incorporate these different elements into worship is open for interpretation. Styles of worship vary from church to church, depending upon the personal preferences of a congregation and the tastes of the people that they are trying to reach out towards. John Wesley took a unique approach to worship in the Methodist movement. He had been raised in a very high church worship environment in the Church of England. But Wesley in his own words, “submitted to become more vile,” and began to preach outside using different worship styles in order to reach different people. In fact some of the “new” hymns that were sung in his day were familiar bar tunes that people would know with new Christian words set to them.
The pattern of our worship here at Druid Hills is designed to incorporate all of those core elements that we talked about and put them together in such a way that we are ushered more and more into God’s presence. Notice the titles on the different sections of our worship service in the bulletin, 1) We Gather Together; 2) We Come Before God in Worship; 3) We Come Before God in Prayer; 4) We Offer Our Tithes and Praise; 5) We Hear the Word of God Proclaimed; and 6) We Depart to Serve and Share God’s Love. And each week we try to incorporate the theme of worship for that day throughout each section so that everything is tied together and doesn’t detract from the flow. Also you’ll notice that each section includes some kind of personal response for those worshipping because worship is not meant to be merely a spectator sport, but a participatory process.
How Should We Come to Worship?
Understanding the purpose behind worship, bringing pleasure to God, and the different elements of worship, how then should we come to worship? What should be our attitude and posture before the Lord?
Our second Scripture lesson from Luke this morning has Jesus telling the story of two men who went to the temple to pray. The first man, a Pharisee, went and made worship all about him – his needs, wants, and desires. He stood up and prayed loudly so that others would see and hear him. The second man, a tax collector, went and was humbled in God’s house. He stood off at a distance, not lifting up his eyes and asking for God’s mercy. Jesus said that of the two men, only the second went home justified before God. Two men. The same church service. Two totally different approaches to worship. And two different outcomes. How do you approach worship?
Several years ago I was flying and happened to get a seat up front on the plane. I got to watch a bunch of the people as they boarded. One of those was a little boy, maybe five years old, traveling with his mom. You could tell right away that he was very excited; he was just beaming from ear to ear and looking all around. The flight attendant greeted them and he told her it was his first time to fly and then asked her if he “could please, please meet the pilot!” The pilot was coming out of the cockpit as the little boy asked his question and he smiled. He ended up taking the little boy by the hand and letting him peek into the cockpit and then patiently answered a few of the little boy’s questions about what all the instruments were. As the little boy walked to his seat with his mom, he was jumping up and down with excitement. They were a few rows behind me and I could hear him off and on during the flight telling his mom how cool it was to be flying and how awesome it was that he got to meet the pilot, the man up front. In looking around at the other people on the plane, no one really seemed to share the little boy’s excitement. Everyone seemed very content and comfortable with the routine – they were glad for a nice flight, that would get them on time to where they were going with no surprises, and hopefully their luggage.
If you fly a lot, it’s easy to lose your sense of awe and wonder at putting your body in this metal machine flying through the air. You get comfortable and become accustomed to the routine. The same thing can happen to Christians in worship. Without meaning to, we get used to the routine of worship and lose some of our awe and wonder at the opportunity we have to encounter God in a new and fresh way.
I think we could all take a lesson from the little boy on the airplane. He came on the airplane with a great sense of excitement and anticipation about what was going to happen. He came with a goal in mind; he was going to meet the pilot. We should come to worship with an attitude of excitement and anticipation. We should come to worship with the goal in mind of meeting God our pilot in a new and fresh way. Then all that we do from singing, to praying, to giving offerings, to reading the Scripture and listening to the sermon will take on new meaning as we anticipate and encounter the Lord.
Conclusion
Are you up for a challenge? Here it is. For the rest of the year, that’s three months, I invite us all, myself included, to prepare for worship by praying. I know some of you do this already. But between now and the end of the year, I invite you to pray at home before leaving or in your seats once you arrive – first and foremost that our worship would be pleasing to God and second, that all of us might encounter the living God moving in our hearts and minds. Who knows what might come of such praying—and such high expectations?
Have you gotten caught in routine flight mode? You don’t have to settle. Come to worship with childlike enthusiasm, seeking God Himself. For where two or three are gathered in His name, God is faithful to be present. He’s here today. Don’t leave without experiencing Him for yourself.
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Bible Challenge 9/20 - 9/26
I hope everyone is experiencing a wonderful connection in their reading and studying of God's Word. This week we finish the book of Jeremiah and venture through Lamentations and begin our journey into Ezekiel. Keep pressing!
Sunday 9/20: Jeremiah 44-47
Monday 9/21: Jeremiah 48-51
Tuesday 9/22: Jeremiah 53 – Lamentations 3
Wednesday 9/23: Lamentations 4 – Ezekiel 2
Thursday 9/24: Ezekiel 3-6
Friday 9/25: Ezekiel 7-10
Saturday 9/26: Ezekiel 11-14
Have a blessed week!
Sunday 9/20: Jeremiah 44-47
Monday 9/21: Jeremiah 48-51
Tuesday 9/22: Jeremiah 53 – Lamentations 3
Wednesday 9/23: Lamentations 4 – Ezekiel 2
Thursday 9/24: Ezekiel 3-6
Friday 9/25: Ezekiel 7-10
Saturday 9/26: Ezekiel 11-14
Have a blessed week!
Friday, September 18, 2009
Friday Fives
1. Preaching Series – We will continue our preaching series this week on the five, historical practices of the Methodist Church. This week we will talk about Passionate Worship and how and why we are to praise God.
2. Bible Study – Just like weeks past we had another great turn out this week. We continued our look into the Protestant faiths by discussing Anglicanism and the importance of a disciplined prayer life. Next week we are looking at Baptists to see what their tradition offers and what we can learn from it.
3. Nominations Committee Meeting – It is that time of year again. Charge Conference is right around the corner and we need to gather this committee together to discuss positions that need to be filled. If you are on this committee please make plans to attend on Wednesday, September 30th at 10am, in the Pastor's Office.
4. New Member Gathering – If you have been attending for a while and are thinking about joining our church there will be a New Member Gathering in the Pastor's Office on Sunday, October 4th, at 12:45pm. We will discuss what it means to be a member and get to know one another as we discuss our role as Christians. If you would like to attend please call the church office to sign up.
5. Pumpkin Patch – We are gearing up for this important ministry of the church and we need your help. There is an organization meeting on 9/21 at 6:30pm, we have a sign up sheet for everyone to volunteer for a time in the patch, and we are in need of storytelling volunteers. Please consider these opportunities for ministry and volunteer as you can.
May God bless you in all that you do!
2. Bible Study – Just like weeks past we had another great turn out this week. We continued our look into the Protestant faiths by discussing Anglicanism and the importance of a disciplined prayer life. Next week we are looking at Baptists to see what their tradition offers and what we can learn from it.
3. Nominations Committee Meeting – It is that time of year again. Charge Conference is right around the corner and we need to gather this committee together to discuss positions that need to be filled. If you are on this committee please make plans to attend on Wednesday, September 30th at 10am, in the Pastor's Office.
4. New Member Gathering – If you have been attending for a while and are thinking about joining our church there will be a New Member Gathering in the Pastor's Office on Sunday, October 4th, at 12:45pm. We will discuss what it means to be a member and get to know one another as we discuss our role as Christians. If you would like to attend please call the church office to sign up.
5. Pumpkin Patch – We are gearing up for this important ministry of the church and we need your help. There is an organization meeting on 9/21 at 6:30pm, we have a sign up sheet for everyone to volunteer for a time in the patch, and we are in need of storytelling volunteers. Please consider these opportunities for ministry and volunteer as you can.
May God bless you in all that you do!
Sunday, September 13, 2009
The Methodist Way: Radical Hospitality - Romans 15:4-13 and Hebrews 13:1-3
Introduction
This week we are continuing our preaching series on the five historical practices called the Methodist Way. Last week we looked at the early church from Acts 2 and talked about what they did to set their world on fire for Christ and how we might follow that example today with the power of the Holy Spirit. Today we are going to look at one of the five practices of the Methodist Way, Radical Hospitality, and see what that Scripture says about it and how we can carry that out in this world.
What Are the Purposes of the Five Practices
The five practices that we are going to be discussing over the next several weeks are nothing new. These are not some ancient tips that have recently been discovered or a new way of doing church. These practices are Scriptural but sometimes forgotten or overlooked. The Conference describes these practices “as part and parcel of what it means to be the Body of Christ in a local community. They are a natural and essential outgrowth of disciples being in Christ-centered community and joining Him in mission. None of the five practices are optional; all are definitional.”
The man mostly responsible for the wording of these practices Bishop Robert Schnase put it, “these five core discipling practices 'move us from abstract intentions to practical and personal directions for ministry. Once our mission becomes practical and personal. It becomes memorable and achievable.'”
These five practices help us to take our 'good intentions' and make them fruitful actions. These practices are the five things that a church must do to be fruitful and healthy. Again these are not new, they are Scriptural and historical. They are intended to help us better focus our efforts so we can be more influential for the Kingdom.
Illustration
Today we are going to talk about one practice called Radical Hospitality. When I was growing up I knew a little old lady named Osa Jordan. I called her Miss Osa and she was as sweet as the day is long. She was all of about 4 foot 8 inches tall and had a smile that was a foot wide. She was my church greeter. I remember every Sunday, every Sunday, Miss Osa would be at the front of the sanctuary greeting all who walked in. Now mind you she always said that she did not want to hand out bulletins while she was standing there. She felt she was too busy saying 'Good Morning' to everyone. There was only one door into our sanctuary and Miss Osa guarded it and would not let you in before she got to tell you just how happy she was to see you. And it did not matter if she had seen you once or a thousand times, she was going to tell you how genuinely happy she was to see you. I used to stand off to the side and watch people wait till she was talking to someone and try to sneak by her. Just as you got behind her she would reach out her little hand and grab you by whatever she could and hold on for all she was worth till she got finished and could speak to you. Watching that I would laugh till I cried at how people tried to get by her and how she always managed to get a hold of them. She was in her 90's while she did all of this. But she believed that was her mission from God to let everyone know not only how happy she was to see them but how happy God was for them to be there. She had a way of doing it that was not creepy, intrusive, or bothersome. Everyone honestly felt how genuine she was in her greetings and we all loved Miss Osa.
She understood the idea of Radical Hospitality, of going the second mile to make someone feel welcome at church. So where does Radical Hospitality get its Scriptural basis, who should we show Radical Hospitality too, and how can we carry that out here in our part of Ocala?
Exposition
Looking at our Scripture lessons today we are given a clear picture of what Radical Hospitality is. In the book of Romans we have the Apostle Paul writing to the believers in Rome to introduce himself and give them a sample of the message he plans to deliver one he arrives. And in chapter 15 Paul is speaking about how we are to treat the weak and the strong. He speaks about how Scripture is meant to help us and give us hope. He goes on to speak about how we are all one in Christ Jesus and how that necessitates that we treat all people the same. After all if we are all one then we should treat each other equally. And this act in and of itself brings praise to God. The oft quoted verse from this section is verse 7 that says “Welcome one another, just as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God”. Osa Jordan, Miss Osa understood that. She welcomed each and every person she saw because she knew her God wanted her to. She welcomed them with love in the name of God as if they were her dearest and best of friends. She wanted them to understand that she was genuinely happy to see them at that very moment. And she did it with everyone. Not just the few she saw every week, but with everyone that set foot in that sanctuary.
Who Should We Show Radical Hospitality Too?
We should show it to those un-churched and lost souls we meet, to those people we come across outside the walls of this church. Our Radical Hospitality should go beyond the “come and get it” type of evangelism that some places employ. Radical Hospitality should be a “go and get them” type of evangelism. We need to be proactive rather than reactive. If we wait for them to come to us, we are missing wonderful opportunities to truly be disciples of Christ.
Two friends go fishing. They get up early, pack their gear, and take the boat to the local lake. They put the boat in the water and sit there for hours. Every once in a while they shout to the fish “Come and Get it!” They are waiting for the fish to jump in the boat. They never cast a line or throw a net. You see there is a world of difference between sitting in the boat waiting for the fish to jump in and really fishing- going to where the fish are, knowing what attracts the fish, casting a net again and again. Jesus calls us to fish!
We are called to go beyond our walls and beyond our comfort zone. We need to understand what it takes to reach others and be on the lookout for how we can influence others for Christ.
Our founder John Wesley was not at all comfortable about initially going outside the walls of his church. However, in order to reach those people that might never walk into a church and if by chance they did, not really understand or connect with what they experienced inside, Wesley stepped out of his comfort zone and preached in a field.
In his journal on Thursday, March 29, 1739 Wesley wrote:
“I could scarcely reconcile myself at first to this strange way of preaching in the fields, of which [Mr. Whitfield] set me an example on Sunday; I had been all my life (till very lately) so tenacious of every point relating to decency and order that I should have thought the saving of souls almost a sin if it had not been done in a church.” Then four days later: “At four in the afternoon, I submitted to be more vile and proclaimed in the highways the glad tidings of salvation, speaking from a little eminence in a ground adjoining to the city to about three thousand people.”
That practice was revolutionary for that day and age and allowed Methodism to reach those never before impacted, the poor, the slaves, the sick. Hebrews 13:1-3 tells us that by welcoming strangers, we will entertain angels without knowing it. We are told to put ourselves in other's places and think about how we would want to be treated if we were the ones on the outside. These people may feel they have no place in a church, or that they might not be welcomed. We need to think of those that feel they have no need for organized religion or those that have gotten so busy by this life that church has lost or never found significance in their lives. Those are the people that we need to reach. Those are the ones that we need to extend Radical Hospitality to. We need to “Welcome one another, just as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God”.
Application
So how do we do that here in Ocala?
To help in thinking about and focusing on offering those we meet, Radical Hospitality, I found a few principles that we can follow that will help us be “more vile” so that we can “proclaim in the highways the glad tidings of salvation” here in our section of Ocala.
The first one is to exceed expectations. We need to strive to go beyond friendly and show others that we are genuinely concerned. That they matter and that we are honestly happy to be spending that particular moment with them.
Next we need to be the ones to take the initiative. We need to seek out new people and not wait for them to come to us. One example is the Power of 10 which states that you make conversation and build a relationship with everyone within 10 feet of you. Another is the Power of 3 which says that for 3 minutes following worship, talk to new people. Practicing those little things can open so many doors for us to step out of our comfort zone and practice Radical Hospitality.
Finally we can invite people we meet to church events. Give them the chance to come and see what we are about here. Let them see that we truly are trying to serve Christ by learning, leading, and loving people straight into the Kingdom.
Conclusion
These practices are not new, they just sometimes get overlooked.
Miss Osa greeted every week at church till she was 98 years old. And for so many she was a truly bright light in a world of darkness. She went the extra mile, spoke to everyone she saw, and did her best to bring Radical Hospitality to those she encountered. Now it is our turn to continue what she practiced. It is our turn to fulfill the call of being light and hope for the people here in Ocala.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Bible Challenge 9/13 - 9/19
I hope everyone is enjoying this trek through Scripture. This week we continue in the book of Jeremiah. Keep pressing!
Sunday 9/13: Jeremiah 16-19
Monday 9/14: Jeremiah 20-23
Tuesday 9/15: Jeremiah 24-27
Wednesday 9/16: Jeremiah 28-31
Thursday 9/17: Jeremiah 32-35
Friday 9/18: Jeremiah 36-39
Saturday 9/19: Jeremiah 40-43
Have a blessed week!
Sunday 9/13: Jeremiah 16-19
Monday 9/14: Jeremiah 20-23
Tuesday 9/15: Jeremiah 24-27
Wednesday 9/16: Jeremiah 28-31
Thursday 9/17: Jeremiah 32-35
Friday 9/18: Jeremiah 36-39
Saturday 9/19: Jeremiah 40-43
Have a blessed week!
Friday, September 11, 2009
Friday Fives
1. Today has often been referred to as the day America will never forget. It was eight years ago today that we as a country endured a terrible tragedy. People are still trying their best to cope with the events and lives lost on this day in 2001. I want to pass on a website to you:
http://www.gbod.org/worship/default.asp?act=reader&item_id=17768&loc_id=739,619
This was given to me by our Administrative Assistant, Carole, who received it from her son who is also a United Methodist Pastor. This website leads you to a wonderful United Methodist resource that will give you some Scripture and thoughts to guide you as we reflect on this day and continue to rely on God for direction. I truly hope it will benefit you.
2. Preaching Series – We began our new preaching series this past week that is focusing on the five, historical practices of the Methodist Church. This week we will talk about one of the five practices, Radical Hospitality, and see what that Scripture says about it and how we can carry this out in this world.
3. Bible Study – Another week, another great turn out. We continued our look into the Protestant faiths by discussing Presbyterianism and discussing how being more cerebral in our understanding of our faith can actually deepen and enrich our relationship with God. Next week we are looking at Anglicanism, which is the branch of faith where John Wesley centered his faith.
4. Nominations Committee Meeting – It is that time of year again. Charge Conference is right around the corner and we need to gather this committee together to discuss positions that need to be filled. If you are on this committee please make plans to attend on Wednesday, September 30th at 10am, in the Pastor's Office.
5. My Schedule – This upcoming week I will be attending a Florida Conference mandated seminar in Lake Wales and will be out of the office.
I hope you all have a wonderful week and truly experience all that God has in store for you!
http://www.gbod.org/worship/default.asp?act=reader&item_id=17768&loc_id=739,619
This was given to me by our Administrative Assistant, Carole, who received it from her son who is also a United Methodist Pastor. This website leads you to a wonderful United Methodist resource that will give you some Scripture and thoughts to guide you as we reflect on this day and continue to rely on God for direction. I truly hope it will benefit you.
2. Preaching Series – We began our new preaching series this past week that is focusing on the five, historical practices of the Methodist Church. This week we will talk about one of the five practices, Radical Hospitality, and see what that Scripture says about it and how we can carry this out in this world.
3. Bible Study – Another week, another great turn out. We continued our look into the Protestant faiths by discussing Presbyterianism and discussing how being more cerebral in our understanding of our faith can actually deepen and enrich our relationship with God. Next week we are looking at Anglicanism, which is the branch of faith where John Wesley centered his faith.
4. Nominations Committee Meeting – It is that time of year again. Charge Conference is right around the corner and we need to gather this committee together to discuss positions that need to be filled. If you are on this committee please make plans to attend on Wednesday, September 30th at 10am, in the Pastor's Office.
5. My Schedule – This upcoming week I will be attending a Florida Conference mandated seminar in Lake Wales and will be out of the office.
I hope you all have a wonderful week and truly experience all that God has in store for you!
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
The Methodist Way: What is the Church? - Acts 2:1-4 and Acts 2:41-47
INTRODUCTION
This week we are beginning a new preaching series on the Methodist Way. The Methodist Way are the five historical practices of Methodism found in fruitful and growing congregations – Radical Hospitality, Passionate Worship, Intentional Discipleship, Salty Service, and Extravagant Generosity. However, before we get to those five practices I want us to spend our time together this week gaining a better understanding of what we are to be as a church, specifically the practices of the early church that made those people so vibrant and excited about their faith.
CONNECTIONS – LEARNING ABOUT LIFE IN COMMUNITY
When my wife Debbie and I lived in Fort Myers, we used to go often and visit with the Evans family. When we first moved there, Bill and Ima Lee Evans were still able to make it to worship. They’d been part of that congregation almost since the beginning, fifty years before, and they knew everyone. Together they had served on just about every committee and held just about every leadership position imaginable. We’d probably been there about a year when their health declined to the point that they could no longer drive and make it to church on Sundays. That was heartbreaking for them. For some people, that would have been the end of their involvement in the church, other than an occasional visit by a church member or reading the monthly newsletter. But not for Ima Lee. She was the one who came up with the idea for us to send the bulletin out to the shut-ins, so she could follow along. And when we would go to visit with her, she always knew exactly what was going on in the church, even down to the sick people and other shut-ins that my wife had visited with that day. That’s because Ima Lee’s telephone became her connection to her church. She spent most of the day on the phone going through the church directory and calling various church members, checking in with them and praying for them. She kept up that ministry even after we moved, even after the death of her husband – right up until the day she died.
Right next door to Ima Lee’s house was a house with a lot of property where they raised bees. I learned a lot about bees from Ima Lee and her neighbor during my visits over the years. For instance, honeybees cannot live in isolation. You can keep honeybees (plural), but you can never ever keep just a single honeybee. If you isolate a honeybee, you can give it plenty of food and water and an environment with just the right temperature, but the bee will die within two to three days. There is something about the community of bees that keeps the honeybees alive. And I believe the same was true of the relationship between Ima Lee and her church. Without the fellowship of the connection, something important was missing from her life. And so she found a way to stay an active and vital member of the congregation even from her living room.
God wired us to be connected with others. After all, we are made in God’s image and God is a relational being – we note the expressions of Creator, Son and Spirit. And God made us specifically to be in relationship with Him. And as we come to faith, God calls us not just to Himself, but He also calls us to be part of a group where we can be in relationship with other believers and experience life together. A group where we can find the kind of support that we need in order to not just survive in our Christian journey, but to learn how to really thrive.
THE EXAMPLE OF THE EARLY CHURCH
The early church really knew what it meant to experience life together and thrive. They had an excitement and an enthusiasm that was contagious. Acts 2:1-4 tells us about the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit came upon believers who were gathered together. And these believers were empowered to speak in other languages so that everyone might hear and understand the good news about Jesus Christ. Simon Peter, the disciple who had denied Christ on the night before his death, was empowered to boldly speak a sermon about Jesus encouraging people to repent and be baptized. And on that one single day, from that one sermon, 3,000 stepped forward to make a commitment to Christ.
What happened after that? Well for many believers nowadays the story might end there. They get fired up from a revival or a retreat and get extremely enthusiastic about their faith for a while; then before long their enthusiasm subsides. But that’s not what happened to those first believers.
Those people went on to become part of the fellowship of the early church and they went out and set the world on fire for Jesus. In Acts 1:8, we find Jesus giving instructions before ascending up to heaven. And he tells the disciples, “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end (uttermost part) of the earth.”
When you read the book of Acts, you see that’s exactly what happened. The first seven chapters of Acts are mainly about the church’s growth in the city of Jerusalem. The next five chapters concentrate on the spread of the church out from the city into the regions of Judea and Samaria. And the last sixteen chapters focus upon the spread of the church all around the Mediterranean Sea as the Apostle Paul traveled on his missionary journeys throughout the Roman Empire, witnessing for Jesus.
The early church literally changed the course of human history – they changed their world. For me that brings up a couple of questions: Wouldn’t it be great to recapture their enthusiasm and energy today? What can we learn from them so that we might set our world on fire again for Jesus?
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE EARLY CHURCH
Our second Scripture lesson this morning from Acts 2, gives us a little insight into the early characteristics of the early church. I want us to look specifically at four things that I think contributed significantly to that church being able to change the world for Jesus. Things we need to focus upon as a church if we want to have the same kind of effect in our world today.
1) GREAT FELLOWSHIP
First, they had great fellowship. In Acts 2:42 and 46, we find that the early church was “devoted to fellowship and the breaking of bread” and that they “met together and broke bread in their homes and ate together.”
We usually associate the word “fellowship” with casual conversation, socializing, food and fun. But biblical fellowship is deeper. It’s about really about experiencing life together. It includes unselfish loving, honest sharing, practical serving, sacrificial giving, sympathetic comforting and all the other “one another” commands from the New Testament.
There’s a Greek word that sums up the essence of Biblical fellowship – that word is “koinonia.” The root idea of koinonia is sharing something in common. And that something in common is a commitment to Jesus Christ. After that, we should be as committed to one another as we are to Christ. When we have genuine koinonia, the church provides a safe place for persons to be real and open with their lives, admit their struggles and sins and speak the truth in love to one another without fear of rejection, judgment or condemnation.
Have you ever seen one of those yellow “Safe Place” signs on businesses like McDonald’s? Those signs on a building mean that business is a safe place for kids and teenagers who are experiencing problems and abuse or who have run away from home. When you think about it, the church was intended to be a safe place for all people. God wants us to have the same kind of attitude that those signs represent to kids, “You’re in good hands here! Come on in! This is a place of grace and caring!”1
2) GATHERED FOR STUDY AND WORSHIP
Not only was the early church good at fellowship, but the teaching ministry of the early church was very important. In Acts 2:42 and 46, we find that the early church “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching” and that “each day they continued to meet together in the temple courts.”
The new believers regularly gathered together. They would sing hymns of praise to God for all their many blessings. And they would listen to the apostles teach. The apostles had been with Jesus. It was important for this new church community to learn about Jesus. After all, he was the source of their love, of their life. Their hunger for first-hand knowledge about him was insatiable. They wanted to learn all they could.
Why are you here today? Was there a longing in your heart for the chance to praise God and worship Him? Did you come hungering and thirsting for more knowledge and understanding of Jesus? I hope so. Henry Ward Beecher once said, “The church is not a gallery for the exhibition of eminent Christians, but a school for the education of imperfect ones.”2 We need the opportunity to worship together, and the chances to learn more from Scripture here and in Sunday school and Bible study.
Scripture is the point of reference for the church. We don’t have the privilege of listening to the disciples teach in the flesh, as the early church did, but we can hear them teach as we listen to the Word of God being read. As we listen we, too, will be touched with the love of Jesus. We need to take worship and the teaching ministry of the church seriously.
3) SPENT MUCH TIME IN PRAYER
Besides fellowship and study and worship, the early church was also a praying church. In Acts 2:42 and 47, we find that the early church “devoted themselves… to prayer” and spent time also “praising God.”
The early church thanked God daily for all their many blessings and for the opportunity for fellowship and learning together. They spent much time in prayer. They recognized that theirs was not simply a human enterprise. Prayer is our lifeline as believers. Through prayer, we can communicate with God whenever we want, from wherever we are. We can call on God as many times a day as we would like. And the truly amazing thing about prayer is that God gives us the promise that whenever we turn to Him in prayer, He is faithful to hear us, to really listen to us and to answer our prayers (although it may not always be yes).
We need to spend time in prayer, on our own and together as a group - especially if we want to change the world. Dr. A. T. Pierson once said, “There has never been a spiritual awakening in any country or locality that did not begin in united prayer.”3
Think of what could happen in everyone in the church agreed to pray daily for our church family and its ministries! No matter how much activity we carry on through the church in Jesus’ name, we will never be what God has called us to be, until we are united in prayer.
4) REACHED OUT
In addition to fellowship and study and worship and prayer, the early church was also a church that reached out and knew how to share – not just within the church, but outside as well. In Acts 2:44-45 (and 47b), we find that in the early church, “All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need… And the Lord added daily to their number, those that were being saved.”
This was a group of people who thrived because they knew how to share. Sometimes I believe we misinterpret this passage – we assume that it was some sort of commune where no one claimed any possessions for themselves. But that’s never explicitly stated here. What we see is really a group of people who were focused not on themselves and gathering more possessions, but rather focused upon what their possessions could do to help other people. And they didn’t just reach out to those within their own fellowship, but rather “gave to anyone who had need.” A “What’s mine, is yours” kind of attitude. Over the past several years we have seen a tremendous outpouring of support in this country and around the world to aid the victims of terrorist attacks as well as those affected by natural disasters like hurricanes and tsunamis. Many churches, ourselves included, collected special offerings to help persons who lost their homes and all their belongings. Others sent supplies, building materials, food and clothing. When we give of ourselves to others in need we receive blessings we never expected. The saddest people in this world are people who never discover the joy of giving. The church thrives when it knows how to share and reach out to help others.
HOW CAN WE BE LIKE THEM? – THE RIGHT POWER SOURCE
What an example for us to live up to, this early church that changed the world. A church with great fellowship, devoted to study and worship, spending much time in prayer and reaching out to others. How in the world can we ever hope to come close to their example and results? I believe that we have the same opportunity as the early church did to set the world on fire for Jesus and change our world. That’s because I believe that we have access to the same power source that the early church did.
Think again of what we’ve learned about the early church from the book of Acts this morning. The description of the characteristics of the early church comes towards the end of chapter 2. It’s a direct result of something that happens earlier in chapter 2 – the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.
Certainly non-Christians can have great fellowship and study together and reach out to others. But those characteristics alone would not have been enough for the early believers to change the world. They needed a source of power and strength far beyond their own. Jesus told his disciples before he went back up to heaven that “they would receive POWER when the Holy Spirit” came upon them. Everything the early church was able to do together, everything that those early believers were able to achieve, was through their reliance on the power of the Holy Spirit. They were plugged into the right power source.
If we want to be as effective as the early church was in reaching out and changing their world, if we want to have the joy and the energy and the enthusiasm of those early believers, we need to be filled with God’s Holy Spirit. The Spirit comes to dwell in believers after they have accepted Christ as their Savior. But we also have to open ourselves up to the working of the Holy Spirit - we need to pray and ask for God to pour out the Spirit upon us and fill our hearts and minds.
No other power source will work for what we hope to accomplish. To become the church that God intends for us to be in the world, we must receive the POWER of the Holy Spirit in our life.
CONCLUSION - HOW TO CHANGE THE WORLD
Change The World. As a church this can either be seen as a daunting task or an amazing challenge and privilege. The early church as recorded in Acts 2 responded to the power of the Holy Spirit with great fellowship, devoting themselves to study and worship, spending much time in prayer and reaching out to others around them. As we attempt to follow their example, may we be empowered to build deep relationships with one another and make this a safe place for all people. May we hunger and thirst after more knowledge of God in our times of worship and Bible study. May we unite our hearts together as one in prayer for each other and the ministries of our church. May we be unselfish in our sharing with those who have need. May God see the intent of our hearts and bless our efforts. And all of God’s people said – AMEN.
This week we are beginning a new preaching series on the Methodist Way. The Methodist Way are the five historical practices of Methodism found in fruitful and growing congregations – Radical Hospitality, Passionate Worship, Intentional Discipleship, Salty Service, and Extravagant Generosity. However, before we get to those five practices I want us to spend our time together this week gaining a better understanding of what we are to be as a church, specifically the practices of the early church that made those people so vibrant and excited about their faith.
CONNECTIONS – LEARNING ABOUT LIFE IN COMMUNITY
When my wife Debbie and I lived in Fort Myers, we used to go often and visit with the Evans family. When we first moved there, Bill and Ima Lee Evans were still able to make it to worship. They’d been part of that congregation almost since the beginning, fifty years before, and they knew everyone. Together they had served on just about every committee and held just about every leadership position imaginable. We’d probably been there about a year when their health declined to the point that they could no longer drive and make it to church on Sundays. That was heartbreaking for them. For some people, that would have been the end of their involvement in the church, other than an occasional visit by a church member or reading the monthly newsletter. But not for Ima Lee. She was the one who came up with the idea for us to send the bulletin out to the shut-ins, so she could follow along. And when we would go to visit with her, she always knew exactly what was going on in the church, even down to the sick people and other shut-ins that my wife had visited with that day. That’s because Ima Lee’s telephone became her connection to her church. She spent most of the day on the phone going through the church directory and calling various church members, checking in with them and praying for them. She kept up that ministry even after we moved, even after the death of her husband – right up until the day she died.
Right next door to Ima Lee’s house was a house with a lot of property where they raised bees. I learned a lot about bees from Ima Lee and her neighbor during my visits over the years. For instance, honeybees cannot live in isolation. You can keep honeybees (plural), but you can never ever keep just a single honeybee. If you isolate a honeybee, you can give it plenty of food and water and an environment with just the right temperature, but the bee will die within two to three days. There is something about the community of bees that keeps the honeybees alive. And I believe the same was true of the relationship between Ima Lee and her church. Without the fellowship of the connection, something important was missing from her life. And so she found a way to stay an active and vital member of the congregation even from her living room.
God wired us to be connected with others. After all, we are made in God’s image and God is a relational being – we note the expressions of Creator, Son and Spirit. And God made us specifically to be in relationship with Him. And as we come to faith, God calls us not just to Himself, but He also calls us to be part of a group where we can be in relationship with other believers and experience life together. A group where we can find the kind of support that we need in order to not just survive in our Christian journey, but to learn how to really thrive.
THE EXAMPLE OF THE EARLY CHURCH
The early church really knew what it meant to experience life together and thrive. They had an excitement and an enthusiasm that was contagious. Acts 2:1-4 tells us about the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit came upon believers who were gathered together. And these believers were empowered to speak in other languages so that everyone might hear and understand the good news about Jesus Christ. Simon Peter, the disciple who had denied Christ on the night before his death, was empowered to boldly speak a sermon about Jesus encouraging people to repent and be baptized. And on that one single day, from that one sermon, 3,000 stepped forward to make a commitment to Christ.
What happened after that? Well for many believers nowadays the story might end there. They get fired up from a revival or a retreat and get extremely enthusiastic about their faith for a while; then before long their enthusiasm subsides. But that’s not what happened to those first believers.
Those people went on to become part of the fellowship of the early church and they went out and set the world on fire for Jesus. In Acts 1:8, we find Jesus giving instructions before ascending up to heaven. And he tells the disciples, “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end (uttermost part) of the earth.”
When you read the book of Acts, you see that’s exactly what happened. The first seven chapters of Acts are mainly about the church’s growth in the city of Jerusalem. The next five chapters concentrate on the spread of the church out from the city into the regions of Judea and Samaria. And the last sixteen chapters focus upon the spread of the church all around the Mediterranean Sea as the Apostle Paul traveled on his missionary journeys throughout the Roman Empire, witnessing for Jesus.
The early church literally changed the course of human history – they changed their world. For me that brings up a couple of questions: Wouldn’t it be great to recapture their enthusiasm and energy today? What can we learn from them so that we might set our world on fire again for Jesus?
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE EARLY CHURCH
Our second Scripture lesson this morning from Acts 2, gives us a little insight into the early characteristics of the early church. I want us to look specifically at four things that I think contributed significantly to that church being able to change the world for Jesus. Things we need to focus upon as a church if we want to have the same kind of effect in our world today.
1) GREAT FELLOWSHIP
First, they had great fellowship. In Acts 2:42 and 46, we find that the early church was “devoted to fellowship and the breaking of bread” and that they “met together and broke bread in their homes and ate together.”
We usually associate the word “fellowship” with casual conversation, socializing, food and fun. But biblical fellowship is deeper. It’s about really about experiencing life together. It includes unselfish loving, honest sharing, practical serving, sacrificial giving, sympathetic comforting and all the other “one another” commands from the New Testament.
There’s a Greek word that sums up the essence of Biblical fellowship – that word is “koinonia.” The root idea of koinonia is sharing something in common. And that something in common is a commitment to Jesus Christ. After that, we should be as committed to one another as we are to Christ. When we have genuine koinonia, the church provides a safe place for persons to be real and open with their lives, admit their struggles and sins and speak the truth in love to one another without fear of rejection, judgment or condemnation.
Have you ever seen one of those yellow “Safe Place” signs on businesses like McDonald’s? Those signs on a building mean that business is a safe place for kids and teenagers who are experiencing problems and abuse or who have run away from home. When you think about it, the church was intended to be a safe place for all people. God wants us to have the same kind of attitude that those signs represent to kids, “You’re in good hands here! Come on in! This is a place of grace and caring!”1
2) GATHERED FOR STUDY AND WORSHIP
Not only was the early church good at fellowship, but the teaching ministry of the early church was very important. In Acts 2:42 and 46, we find that the early church “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching” and that “each day they continued to meet together in the temple courts.”
The new believers regularly gathered together. They would sing hymns of praise to God for all their many blessings. And they would listen to the apostles teach. The apostles had been with Jesus. It was important for this new church community to learn about Jesus. After all, he was the source of their love, of their life. Their hunger for first-hand knowledge about him was insatiable. They wanted to learn all they could.
Why are you here today? Was there a longing in your heart for the chance to praise God and worship Him? Did you come hungering and thirsting for more knowledge and understanding of Jesus? I hope so. Henry Ward Beecher once said, “The church is not a gallery for the exhibition of eminent Christians, but a school for the education of imperfect ones.”2 We need the opportunity to worship together, and the chances to learn more from Scripture here and in Sunday school and Bible study.
Scripture is the point of reference for the church. We don’t have the privilege of listening to the disciples teach in the flesh, as the early church did, but we can hear them teach as we listen to the Word of God being read. As we listen we, too, will be touched with the love of Jesus. We need to take worship and the teaching ministry of the church seriously.
3) SPENT MUCH TIME IN PRAYER
Besides fellowship and study and worship, the early church was also a praying church. In Acts 2:42 and 47, we find that the early church “devoted themselves… to prayer” and spent time also “praising God.”
The early church thanked God daily for all their many blessings and for the opportunity for fellowship and learning together. They spent much time in prayer. They recognized that theirs was not simply a human enterprise. Prayer is our lifeline as believers. Through prayer, we can communicate with God whenever we want, from wherever we are. We can call on God as many times a day as we would like. And the truly amazing thing about prayer is that God gives us the promise that whenever we turn to Him in prayer, He is faithful to hear us, to really listen to us and to answer our prayers (although it may not always be yes).
We need to spend time in prayer, on our own and together as a group - especially if we want to change the world. Dr. A. T. Pierson once said, “There has never been a spiritual awakening in any country or locality that did not begin in united prayer.”3
Think of what could happen in everyone in the church agreed to pray daily for our church family and its ministries! No matter how much activity we carry on through the church in Jesus’ name, we will never be what God has called us to be, until we are united in prayer.
4) REACHED OUT
In addition to fellowship and study and worship and prayer, the early church was also a church that reached out and knew how to share – not just within the church, but outside as well. In Acts 2:44-45 (and 47b), we find that in the early church, “All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need… And the Lord added daily to their number, those that were being saved.”
This was a group of people who thrived because they knew how to share. Sometimes I believe we misinterpret this passage – we assume that it was some sort of commune where no one claimed any possessions for themselves. But that’s never explicitly stated here. What we see is really a group of people who were focused not on themselves and gathering more possessions, but rather focused upon what their possessions could do to help other people. And they didn’t just reach out to those within their own fellowship, but rather “gave to anyone who had need.” A “What’s mine, is yours” kind of attitude. Over the past several years we have seen a tremendous outpouring of support in this country and around the world to aid the victims of terrorist attacks as well as those affected by natural disasters like hurricanes and tsunamis. Many churches, ourselves included, collected special offerings to help persons who lost their homes and all their belongings. Others sent supplies, building materials, food and clothing. When we give of ourselves to others in need we receive blessings we never expected. The saddest people in this world are people who never discover the joy of giving. The church thrives when it knows how to share and reach out to help others.
HOW CAN WE BE LIKE THEM? – THE RIGHT POWER SOURCE
What an example for us to live up to, this early church that changed the world. A church with great fellowship, devoted to study and worship, spending much time in prayer and reaching out to others. How in the world can we ever hope to come close to their example and results? I believe that we have the same opportunity as the early church did to set the world on fire for Jesus and change our world. That’s because I believe that we have access to the same power source that the early church did.
Think again of what we’ve learned about the early church from the book of Acts this morning. The description of the characteristics of the early church comes towards the end of chapter 2. It’s a direct result of something that happens earlier in chapter 2 – the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.
Certainly non-Christians can have great fellowship and study together and reach out to others. But those characteristics alone would not have been enough for the early believers to change the world. They needed a source of power and strength far beyond their own. Jesus told his disciples before he went back up to heaven that “they would receive POWER when the Holy Spirit” came upon them. Everything the early church was able to do together, everything that those early believers were able to achieve, was through their reliance on the power of the Holy Spirit. They were plugged into the right power source.
If we want to be as effective as the early church was in reaching out and changing their world, if we want to have the joy and the energy and the enthusiasm of those early believers, we need to be filled with God’s Holy Spirit. The Spirit comes to dwell in believers after they have accepted Christ as their Savior. But we also have to open ourselves up to the working of the Holy Spirit - we need to pray and ask for God to pour out the Spirit upon us and fill our hearts and minds.
No other power source will work for what we hope to accomplish. To become the church that God intends for us to be in the world, we must receive the POWER of the Holy Spirit in our life.
CONCLUSION - HOW TO CHANGE THE WORLD
Change The World. As a church this can either be seen as a daunting task or an amazing challenge and privilege. The early church as recorded in Acts 2 responded to the power of the Holy Spirit with great fellowship, devoting themselves to study and worship, spending much time in prayer and reaching out to others around them. As we attempt to follow their example, may we be empowered to build deep relationships with one another and make this a safe place for all people. May we hunger and thirst after more knowledge of God in our times of worship and Bible study. May we unite our hearts together as one in prayer for each other and the ministries of our church. May we be unselfish in our sharing with those who have need. May God see the intent of our hearts and bless our efforts. And all of God’s people said – AMEN.
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Bible Challenge 9/6 - 9/12
Hello All!
This week's readings finish up the Book of Isaiah and get us into Jeremiah. Keep pressing on and be blessed by what God has to say to you!
Sunday 9/6: Isaiah 54-57
Monday 9/7: Isaiah 58-61
Tuesday 9/8: Isaiah 62-65
Wednesday 9/9: Isaiah 66-Jeremiah 3
Thursday 9/10: Jeremiah 4-7
Friday 9/11: Jeremiah 8-11
Saturday 9/12: Jeremiah 12-15
Have a blessed week!
This week's readings finish up the Book of Isaiah and get us into Jeremiah. Keep pressing on and be blessed by what God has to say to you!
Sunday 9/6: Isaiah 54-57
Monday 9/7: Isaiah 58-61
Tuesday 9/8: Isaiah 62-65
Wednesday 9/9: Isaiah 66-Jeremiah 3
Thursday 9/10: Jeremiah 4-7
Friday 9/11: Jeremiah 8-11
Saturday 9/12: Jeremiah 12-15
Have a blessed week!
Friday, September 4, 2009
Friday Fives
1. Preaching Series – We begin a new preaching series this week focusing on the five, historical practices of the Methodist Church. This week we will talk about what it means to be the Church and the lessons we can learn from the Apostles of Christ and the first church they organized.
2. Bible Study – Another week, another great turn out. We had some new faces this week which was wonderful! Last week we began the plunge into the Protestant faiths by discussing Lutheranism. Next week we are discussing Presbyterianism and what we can learn from that faith tradition. Everyone is welcome and can join in at any time. We meet Thursdays at 7pm in Fellowship Hall.
3. Nominations Committee Meeting – It is that time of year again. Charge Conference is right around the corner and we need to gather this committee together to discuss positions that need to be filled. If you are on this committee please make plans to attend on Wednesday, September 30th at 10am, in the Pastor's Office.
4. Meetings – There are several committees meeting this upcoming week, Worship – 9/8 at 10am, UMM – 9/8 at 6pm, Finance Committee – 9/9 at 10am, and Trustees – 9/9 at 11am. Busy week ahead!
5. Pumpkins – The pumpkins are coming! The pumpkins are coming! We are gearing up for the Pumpkin Patch and are in need of volunteers. If you are interested please let us know!
2. Bible Study – Another week, another great turn out. We had some new faces this week which was wonderful! Last week we began the plunge into the Protestant faiths by discussing Lutheranism. Next week we are discussing Presbyterianism and what we can learn from that faith tradition. Everyone is welcome and can join in at any time. We meet Thursdays at 7pm in Fellowship Hall.
3. Nominations Committee Meeting – It is that time of year again. Charge Conference is right around the corner and we need to gather this committee together to discuss positions that need to be filled. If you are on this committee please make plans to attend on Wednesday, September 30th at 10am, in the Pastor's Office.
4. Meetings – There are several committees meeting this upcoming week, Worship – 9/8 at 10am, UMM – 9/8 at 6pm, Finance Committee – 9/9 at 10am, and Trustees – 9/9 at 11am. Busy week ahead!
5. Pumpkins – The pumpkins are coming! The pumpkins are coming! We are gearing up for the Pumpkin Patch and are in need of volunteers. If you are interested please let us know!
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