Intro: today I would like to give some shocking news, Chicago is bigger than Wetumpka. But don’t feel bad, it is bigger than any place else in the United States, with the exception of New York City and Los Angeles. A thought came to me as we were riding through downtown Chicago, this place started out the same size as any other city in the United States. It started with it’s first building, then the next, and so on. But to become a mega city, there had to be a Master plan, it didn’t just happen by chance. Today, in building community, there is a Master plan and if you follow the steps, you will get the results.
A Master Planned Community
Luke 14:21-24
background: Jesus tells a parable of those bidden to a marriage supper. People make excuses not to come, so he sends servants out to get people off the streets to come to the wedding banquet. He says, into the highways and hedges, get anyone who will come. This is the Master plan for a growing community. Today we will look at the aspects of the Master Planned Community.
There is the Mission, the Method, the Mentality, and the Message, that are all a part of the Master plan.
I. The Mission–Proverbs 29:18–where there is no vision the people perish. It will be impossible for God to get the results He desires, if His people don’t first understand the Mission we are called to in this world.
a. we are called to make an impact or a difference in our world. We are not called to just exist. When Jesus told the parable of the laborers being sent into harvest, those standing around late in the day were asked, why are you just standing around here, go out and do something.
b. that none should perish–our vision should be the same as that of Jesus Christ, we should be moved with compassion on the multitudes.
Ill) in our travels we went by towns that were run down, mostly deserted, and definitely in decline. While Chicago is growing every minute, many places are backing up. When a community loses it’s vision, it’s reason for existence, it’s excitement about it’s future, it will die.
II. The Method–Luke 14:23–compel them-I just love the Knox translation-give them no other choice but to come.
Our method is very simple, we persuade people to make it to heaven. We compel them.
a. we don’t compel them by thumping them over the head with a Bible approach. We share our joy, our excitement about serving the Lord. We tell them how Jesus can make a difference in their lives.
b. we make them an offer they can’t refuse. We invite them to a great banquet and let them know it is free.
Ill) years ago in Caribou Maine we were coming back from a church basketball game and just made it to a hamburger shack before it closed. The man running the place said, I am about to close and have a lot of extra food, so if you don’t mind, you can have it all for free. He had a bag of burgers, a bag of hot dogs, fries, onion rings, and drinks, free. We took him up on the offer.
III. The Mentality–I Corinthians 9:19-that I might by all means save some. I guess this is one of the greatest verses in the Bible. Paul says, I have become all things, to all men, that I might by all means save some.
a. the modern day church has lost the Master planner. The reason the church is in decline, it won’t adapt to the culture it is in. If Paul saw most modern day churches, the programs and plans, he would rebuke them with the message you must diversify.
b. don’t compromise the standards of the church, don’t change the doctrines of the church, but definitely change the methods of evangelism to save some.
c. We must be realistic. Not everyone will get saved no matter what plan you use. But to save some is better than to save none, and that is the reported results of many churches for decades.
Ill) years ago my Uncle Phil was big into Amway. He explained the pyramid system of one reaching one, and that one reaching another, until you have thousands in your pyramid. He almost convinced you that Amway was the originator of that plan. But long before Amway, Jesus came up with the Master plan that says, our method is one reaching one, now there is two. And two reaching two and now there is four, and so on.
IV. The Message–Mark 16:15–preach the gospel to every creature. Weymouth–proclaim the gospel to all mankind.
The master plan is so simple: preach the good news, preach Jesus, everywhere you go, to everyone you meet.
a. we live in a society that is over-saturated with messages from many different evangelistic voices. There are so many voices that our society isn’t listening to any of them. The only voice they will listen to is your’s. Someone who is in their circle, someone who is in their group. We can’t rely on tel-evangelism anymore. It must get into the highways, into the hedges.
Ill) what is the message of Chicago land– we have the best hot dogs, the best hamburgers, the best steaks, the best pizza, the best of everything, the best of anything. But the church, not Chicago, New York or Los Angeles has the best of all messages. We have the news that everyone needs to hear, that Jesus has come to save sinners from all of their sins.
Close: as we were riding through Indiana on our way to Chicago, I saw a sign for French Lick Indiana. It reminded me of a story I heard years ago. All the sports writers in Indianapolis kept getting reports of this high school basketball player from French Lick that was putting up great numbers every night. As the State play-offs approached this kid’s numbers went even higher and he was receiving state wide recognition. The writers in Indianapolis assumed this kid was a black superstar. When Larry Bird took the floor for French lick, many were shocked. A six foot ten, white kid, who could shoot from anywhere arrived for the State playoffs. He now goes by the title, Larry Legend. What makes this so exciting is that you don’t have to be in Chicago to be part of the master plan. In the French Lick’s of the United States, in the small towns across America, there is a Master plan for souls. There is a mission, there is a method, there is a mentality, and there is a message. If each one, could reach one, what a different world this would be.
