" B H A G ! "

Title: “B H A G”

Text: John 13:31-35

Thesis: The first thing we must be is the people God calls us to be – a people who love one another as Christ loves us.

Introduction

This is our Mission Statement here at Heritage:

We exist to glorify God in all things by:

• Celebrating God’s presence through worship;

• Encouraging Christian fellowship and spiritual growth;

• Sharing the love of God with others in our community and the world.

A Mission Statement should clearly express the purpose for an enterprise’s existence. A mission statement should be the defining criteria for evaluating every decision and activity of that enterprise.

• 3M Corporation states that it exists “to solve unsolved problems innovatively.”

• Mary Kay Products states that it exists “to give unlimited opportunity to women.”

• Wal-Mart states it exists “to give ordinary folks the chance to buy the same thing as rich people.”

• Walt Disney states it exists “to make people happy.”

• Microsoft exists “to put a computer on every desk and in every home, all running Microsoft software.”

• Amazon’s mission statement for its new Kindle reader is to “have every book ever printed, in any language, all available in less than 60 seconds.”

In his book “Built to Last,” Jim Collins says a mission statement should be a BHAG and as such be “clear and compelling and serve as a unifying focal point of effort, often creating immense team spirit.” A BHAG is an acronym for “Big Hairy Audacious Goal.”

In an episode of popular sitcom, “The Office,” Michael Scott, who is the manager of the Scranton branch of the Dunder-Mifflin Paper Company, announced his “Big Hairy Audacious Goal” as only the Michael Scott character can announce, “My mission statement is stated as follows: I will not be beat. I will never give up. I am on a mission. That is the Michael Scott guarantee.” (The Office, Dream Team, Season 5, Episode 6)

Collins says mission statements need to be stretching and compelling. They should be “Big Hairy Audacious Goals.”

What we find in our text today is a Big Hairy Audacious Goal… and it comes to us from the lips of Jesus and takes the form of a living legacy.

I. A Living Legacy Left to Us

“A new command I give to you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” John 13:34

A will is a statement a person makes prior to his death that outlines the disposition of his estate after his death. It is a statement about what a person wants done with his stuff after his death

Around the turn of the twentieth century, Walter and Evan Jones inherited a farm in Coffey County Kansas from their Welsh immigrant parents. The Jones brothers were successful farmers and cattlemen. Both brothers died in 1953 and both left identical wills. The proceeds from their estates were to be used to establish a foundation. In 1974 the Walter S. and Evan C. Jones Foundation was established with the motto, “Because We Care.” The BHAG of the Jones Foundation is to serve the medical and educational needs of the children of Coffey, Lyons and Osage Counties Kansas.

The families of hundreds of children and youth have received grants from their foundation since that time. Today and in the years to come, children and youth will continue to receive financial assistance from the foundation for medical needs families could otherwise not afford. Theirs’ is an ongoing, living legacy of kindness and love for the children of generations of the future.

In our text today, Jesus is about to make his last will and testament, so to speak. He wanted to leave something with his followers that would glorify God, bless his followers and others in the centuries to follow.

Jesus said, “A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”

A. Love is action.

In the context of John 13, Jesus had just finished washing the feet of his followers after which he said, “Now that I, your Lord and Teacher have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set an example that you should do as I have done for you.” John 13:14-15

It is also in that context that Jesus said, “Greater love has no one that this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13

In the first epistle of John the bible says, “This is how we know what love is: Jesus laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love in words or tongue but with actions and in truth.” I John 3:16-18