Have you ever wondered why you come to church every Sunday, at least most Sundays? And why is it that for each one of you faithful attendees, there are 10 or more non-attendees? I pray you understand I am glad you are here and of much more importance, God is pleased and that you come as often as you are able.
This morning however, I suggest to you that you may have trouble explaining just why you come to church. Is it because it’s simply something you have done all your life, as did your parents? Is it because church is a good place to meet friends and share in some quality fellowship. It is because you believe listening to a sermon will bring you closer to God? Is it because coming to church make you feel good?
(MOVE)
I believe you are here because God has called you to Himself.
However, have you ever found yourself saying there must be more? I’m missing something. On the other hand, do you believe your “ok” with God because you come to church on Sunday mornings and because you call yourself a Christian? Yet, as a Christian, what impact are you having on this world, this community? Not as a politician, a businessperson or even someone who donates a significant amount of material wealth to a “good” cause.
Instead, as a “Christian,” a believer in Jesus Christ, a person who truly believes what the Bible says. Are you, are we making an impact in this world, in this community for God? Can you honestly think of anything more important to be doing with our lives during these brief few moments of life given by our Creator?
This year, we embark on a journey. There are going to be challenges. Some things God asks of us will make us uncomfortable, perhaps even angry. Nevertheless, I promise this, the direction God takes us this year comes from His “game plan” and His Word.
Sometimes when God instructs, we sense He is unhappy with us. We may even sometime feel that we simply can’t get it right. We can’t change anything. Know that is Satan whispering in you ear. You can make a difference.
Many people in our country, in our community have fallen for Satan’s lies and perverted what God calls us to be. Our world has bought into a “Cultural Christianity.” This is nothing new. It has been around for centuries. “Cultural Christianity” is all about false ideas concerning the importance of authentic faith.
For example, do we think because we consider ourselves a “good” person and are against “bad” things, then our faith is adequate? That makes us a “moral” person, not a Christian.
Have we bought into the “Christianity” of our culture… without understanding what constitutes authentic faith? Do we understand some of the basic facts about Christianity, but no have idea how those facts should apply to our lives?
For instance, do we make teaching Christian faith a priority when educating our children and grandchildren what they believe and why they believe it? Or, do we place greater emphasis on getting a “good education” instead of learning about the things of God?
Are we embarrassed if our children and grandchildren do not posses a good education, while being indifferent about Christ and Christianity?
Will our children, our grandchildren view themselves as Christians, not because they have studied the facts and come to a point of intellectual certainty, but only because their family is Christian… so they believe they too must be Christian?
Do you begin to see the problem with this thinking? We cannot inherit authentic faith. Many in our culture view Christianity this way. We see the result. So many of our young men and women reach a point where they question the truth of Christianity and, when challenged, abandon the “inherited” faith they cannot defend.
We live in a time of media power, via television and the internet and we are swayed by those controlling the airways with whatever the whim of the moment may be. We have so neglected authentic faith; we’ve eliminated God from our schools and universities in the name of tolerance. Do you not fear for the future of authentic faith in our country?
I understand these are hard words to hear. However, can you argue the point?
It is time we did something more that simply “come to church” on Sunday morning.
That’s why you are here this morning.
God loves you. God has chosen you. You who are here this morning… and God, who created every part of your being, promises that you CAN make a difference… in this community and in the world. So do not be discouraged if sometimes the words sound harsh. I believe God intends them to not only to be harsh, but also correcting and challenging. Be filled with joy that God is calling us, giving us the opportunity to be the light of hope in a world of darkness. (Matthew 5: 16)
(MOVE)
How many in this room like to fish? How many enjoy a meal of fresh caught perch, or salmon, or trout, or walleye?
If you want to be a successful fisherman, you don’t look for the most comfortable spot on the lake, you must go to where the fish are, and you make it as easy and attractive as possible for the fish to swallow your hook.
The same is true when you’re fishing for men:
Unfortunately, many churches in today’s culture don’t take the time to understand the people they want to reach, and they don’t have a strategy. They want to win people to Christ… as long as it can be done in a comfortable way.
Rick Warren, Pastor of Saddle Back Church in California said he learned this principle from his father, who was a fisherman.” If there was only one fish in a lake or stream, my dad would catch it," said Warren.
"As I got older I realized his secret: My dad understood fish and caught them on their terms. In contrast, I never had a strategy whenever I went fishing. I’d cast out anywhere in the lake, hoping something might bite. While my dad would crawl through brush or get wet up to his waist in order to get to where the fish were, my fishing spots were usually determined by what was most comfortable to me. I had no strategy, and my results showed it."
(MOVE)
Does that sound a little like our efforts to win souls to Christ?
Today’s churches seem so caught up in the numbers game that they forget what the mission of the church should be. I’ll give you a clue… it’s not about building up numbers of members and bigger buildings, developing a multitude of programs within the church. If I were to ask you what the mission of our church should be, could you answer?
Perhaps then, the first thing we must do is to understand to what Jesus invites us, and then what He instructs us to accomplish. Then we can determine based on Biblical principles, what our mission should be.
(MOVE)
We see earlier in the today’s Scripture that Jesus has just come out of the desert having overcome the temptations of Satan. While in the desert, Jesus demonstrates for us an extraordinarily important lesson we will return to at the conclusion of this message.
We see in verse seventeen (17) the beginning of Jesus ministry. He is, if you will, just starting out and He boldly issues an eternal message. “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.”
This is not the first time the people have heard this warning. In chapter three (3) Matthew tells us John the Baptist uttered this same warning and declared himself to be “A voice of one calling in the desert, Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.”
Now, here comes Jesus… out of the desert after the angels attended to Him. He heard that John (the Baptist) was in prison and returned to Galilee to Capernaum… all of which fulfilled what the prophet Isaiah had said…..the people living in darkness have see a great light…
Earlier, we can read in Matthew chapter three (3) of John’s baptism of Jesus, and God proclaiming from heaven: “This is my Son whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” and in John chapter 1 verse 34 John the Baptist’s testimony that he has witnessed the Spirit come down and remain on the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit and John proclaims: “I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God.”
Today we have the benefit of all the scriptures and so… when we hear Jesus say “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near,” we understand that even though Jesus Himself has not yet proclaimed Himself to be God, we understand today that Jesus was indeed speaking of Himself bringing “The kingdom of heaven.”
So now, we see Jesus… “The Savior”...Christ…“The anointed one”, Emmanuel… “God with us,” walking along the Sea of Galilee.
(MOVE)
Do you find that the scriptures frequently allow us to use our imagination?
For example, have you ever considered what Jesus was thinking while walking along the seashore? We know His friend John was in prison. We can imagine His heart is heavy with that knowledge. We know too, that soon, He will deliver His first sermon, a most profound message, the Sermon on the Mount…The Beatitudes.
We know that Jesus always walked with His Father and that He never lost sight of His ultimate mission and purpose… That is to give His life on the Cross so that we may live.
But wait, there’s more! He also knew His Father wanted the Good News spread wide and far and lasting. Jesus knew His Father would provide Him with followers who would travel with Him and whom He would teach and share the knowledge of the love of the Father and into who’s hands, He would leave a promise of hope.
Nothing Jesus did, nothing God ever did or ever will do is coincidence, and so as Jesus walks along the shore, He sees Simon, called Peter, and his brother Andrew and He knows these are two whom the Father provided.
This is not the first time Jesus and Andrew and Peter have met. John tells us in chapter one of his book that John the Baptist has several followers and two of John the Baptist’s disciples heard him say upon seeing Jesus passing by… “Look, the Lamb of God,”
John records that Andrew ran to find his brother Simon and tell him “We have found the Messiah” and he brought him to Jesus. There, Jesus looks at Simon and says, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas.” The translation of Cephas is “Peter.”
Now, as Jesus walks along the seashore, Peter and Andrew are busy working as fisherman. Once again, we are not told what has taken place between their first meeting with Jesus and this moment. However we do understand this is not a “chance” meeting and we see the response of there two men.
Jesus, as only He could, calls them in a way that must have pierced their hearts with joy and excitement as he calls out to them: “Come, follow me…. And I will make you fishers of men.” At once they left their nets and followed him.
Had Dr. Phil been witnessing this event, he may very well have asked the brothers “What were you thinking?”
We can only speculate, but don’t you wonder if somewhere in their hearts they may have been thinking…“What a wonderful opportunity… perhaps this is our opportunity to make this world a better place for having lived here.”
(MOVE)
How about you and me? Do we want to make the world a better place for having lived here? If that is your desire, if you want to leave the word a better place, raise your hand.
Ok, I believe it is a fair statement to say, yes, we all have that desire. We all want to believe the world is a little better because we have live here.
What’s your plan? (PAUSE TO CONSIDER)
The truth is very few of us have a “plan.” We simply “live” each day, perhaps without giving much thought to what Jesus has done for us, or looking for the opportunities God places before us each day. Too often we just live… to survive… and yet we claim to want to leave this world a better place for having lived here.
(MOVE)
Jesus suggests a plan... “Come, follow me…”
His plan is to serve and help others. The plan is not about what we get in life, it’s about what we give. It’s about bringing heaven down to earth.
We need to understand and believe that if one truly seeks God, God invites us to participate and watch Him work to bring those who seek Him to Himself. You see, you can make a difference.
Do we really think God will not bring Himself to those who truly desire Him? Do we really think God is counting on man to save the world? Absurd…at least to the believer.
As we answer God’s call, we get to see God, know Him more and watch Him work. God is working everywhere all the time… He is not waiting for us, but He is inviting us.
Jesus never built a church building. He never put together special programs. Jesus went to where the people were. He met them in their present circumstances and loved them just as they were…. And that love, that compassion, that Grace is what opened up the hearts and souls of men to join Him, to follow Him and to serve as Jesus served.
That love, compassion and Grace demonstrated by Christ is what God invites us to share with our brothers and sisters…. Right where they may be, whatever their circumstances. And as we participate with God, oh how our hearts are filled to overflowing with such a sense of joy and love as only God can provide. And… we know Him more.
In the movie “Field of Dreams,” we hear the character played by James Earl Jones proclaim, “If you build it, they will come.”
That is true of baseball fields. We have proof of that right here in our community. (TC Beach Bums)
It is not true of churches.
God never asks us to build church building to BRING people to church.
God SENT Jesus to be with His people. Jesus went to the people. Jesus final instruction to His disciples was to “Go and make disciples of all nations.”
We are blessed to have warm and dry places to worship the Lord. It is here we should be coming together to praise God for all the opportunities He has given us throughout the week to participate with Him, to watch Him work as He draws His people to Himself.
No building project, no new program will grow the church. The “church,” God’s people, will only grow when the “church” goes to God’s people where they are and hold up the light in the darkness so that they too can see God. (Read Matt 5:16 – emphasis on ...”praise your Father in heaven.”)
(MOVE)
When I began this message, I spoke of an important lesson Jesus gave us while tempted in the desert. Whenever Satan tempted the Christ, Jesus responded with the words “It is written.” This Bible is essential to “the plan” of God. In it, we can find lessons, examples, hope, encouragement, guidance and love.
The Bible is one of God’s greatest gifts to humanity. It tells us of the greatest gift that men and women have longed for throughout the ages and of which the prophets spoke about for centuries. It tells us of the arrival of Jesus.
God never asks us to do anything without equipping us to accomplish the task… The Bible is our gift, our “lesson plan” that with the help of the Holy Spirit, will show us how we can participate with God… to enjoy His presence fully.
An authentic faith requires us to be honest with ourselves, to make regular use of the resources for knowledge and instruction… the Bible and time with God, the humility that will allow and encourage a desire for instruction and an open mind to the truth of God about what our study reveals.
If we approach the study of the Bible this way, God fulfills His promises. If we seek and keep on seeking, we will find; if we ask and keep on asking, we will receive; if we knock and keep on knocking, the door to truth will be opened, and then, then you CAN make a difference.
How can we refuse an offer like this?
