On The Edge Series

Matthew 16:16-19

The Church on the edge

The last few weeks we talked about being the church on the edge and how to get there and on the edge of what. What it show us even though it might be scary or way out of our comfort zone.

We talked about how the church has no walls. We can not worship the place we meet at but we can worship at the place we meet.

We talked about not owning the church—it is Jesus’ Church

We also talked about knowing where we were in Christ- in Him, clothed with Him. Last week we talked about being on the edge of eternity and how to be there with Anticipating, Expecting and Rejoicing, at His return

But today I wish to talk to you about what we are on the edge of still.

I grew up in the50s&60s with practical parents. A mother, God love her, who washed aluminum foil after she cooked in it, then reused it. She was the original recycle queen, before they had a Name for it... A father who was happier getting old shoes fixed than buying new ones.

Their marriage was good, their dreams focused. Their best friends lived barely a wave away. I can see them now, Dad in trousers, tee shirt and a hat and Mom in a house dress, lawn mower in one hand, and dish-towel in the other. It was the time

For fixing things. A curtain rod, the kitchen radio, screen door, the oven door, the hem in a dress, Things we keep.

It was a way of life, and sometimes it made me crazy. All that re-fixing, eating, renewing, I wanted just once to be wasteful. Waste meant affluence. Throwing things away meant you knew there’d always be more.

But then my Dad died, and on that clear summer’s night, I was struck with the pain of learning that sometimes there isn’t any more.

Sometimes, what we care about most gets all used up and goes away...never to return. So... while we have it... its best we love it.... and care for it... and fix it when it’s broken...... and heal it when it’s sick.

This is true. For marriage..... And old cars.... and children with bad report cards..... And dogs with bad hips.... and aging parents..... And grandparents. We keep them because they are worth it, because we are worth it. Some things we keep. Like a best friend that moved away or a classmate we grew up with.

There are just some things that make life important, like people we know who are special..... And so, we keep them close!

I received this from someone who thinks I am a ’keeper’.

NINE THINGS GOD WON’T ASK ON THAT DAY WE MEET HIM FACE TO FACE.

1... God won’t ask what kind of car you drove. He’ll ask how many people you drove who didn’t have transportation.

2... God won’t ask the square footage of your house, He’ll ask how many people you welcomed into your home.

3... God won’t ask about the clothes you had in your closet, He’ll ask how many you helped to clothe.

4... God won! ’t ask w hat your highest salary was. He’ll ask if you compromised your character to obtain it.

5... God won’t ask what your job title was. He’ll ask if you performed your job to the best of our ability.

6... God won’t ask how many friends you had. He’ll ask how many people to whom you were a friend.

7... God won’t ask in what neighborhood you lived, He’ll ask how you treated your neighbors.

8... God won’t ask about the color of your skin, He’ll ask about the content of your character.

9... God won’t ask why it took you so long to seek Salvation. He’ll lovingly take you to your mansion in heaven, and not to the gates of Hell.

You see what I wish to speak to you today about is being on the edge of something so hard for some people they would run for there lives rather than do this.

But to be on the edge we must be Intimate with each other as well as God.

But you might ask how do we get there?

Intimate according to Webster is ++++ closely associated, very familiar, very close. Resulting from careful study.

1. We must be intimate with ourselves.

What I mean is we must do a great self evaluation.

Ask the hard questions. Why do we do what we do? Good, bad or otherwise.

Why do we serve or love others?

Why do we love and serve God?

Why, Why, Why? The answer will tell us a lot about ourselves.

If we will admit the truth to those questions.

A. Some of us have problems with others because we do not like ourselves.