On the move
Folks we “royal we” have since Easter been hearing about the importance of vision. A vision that is based on scripture and ultimately looks outside the walls of the physical church. Most recently we have been considering who is our neighbor..or more precisely how to be a neighbor to all the world….more specifically a neighbor to our community.
To be blunt, I don’t know how many of you are hearing me. However, that is not really my problem…Let me remind you that I am just a messenger!
Everything I say and do must be based on and supported by scripture. If not then you are right to ignore my urging and direction….and more importantly you need a different under-shepherd if I have started bringing my own message.
After last weeks request for volunteers yielded only 3 people and after the work day only had a few very hard working people to finish our preparations in the park, I prayed asking God why?
For the first time, I was hit hard by the thought, What if we did all this work and no body comes to Jesus Jam?
I tried to put that thought away….and I went to lunch with Renee wearing one of these very limited edition shirts. Limited because the only people to order one were the organizing committee, no one responded to the notice of the ability to order two weeks ago.
Don’t start thinking that I am angry or mad….Because I have moved on…
If I brought you an message of anger or extreme disappointment that would be a message from Tom.
The message I have is based on the apparent apathy, or resistance but even that is not my focus is on this morning. But I do have a question that I have applied and answer to. What is it that separates Church attendees from “un” or de – churched people?
Video Clip Perceptions -
Ephesians 2:14-22
The Messiah has made things up between us so that we’re now together on this, both non-Jewish outsiders and Jewish insiders. He tore down the wall we used to keep each other at a distance. He repealed the law code that had become so clogged with fine print and footnotes that it hindered more than it helped. Then he started over. Instead of continuing with two groups of people separated by centuries of animosity and suspicion, he created a new kind of human being, a fresh start for everybody.
Christ brought us together through his death on the cross. The Cross got us to embrace, and that was the end of the hostility. Christ came and preached peace to you outsiders and peace to us insiders. He treated us as equals, and so made us equals. Through him we both share the same Spirit and have equal access to the Father.
That’s plain enough, isn’t it? You’re no longer wandering exiles. This kingdom of faith is now your home country. You’re no longer strangers or outsiders. You belong here, with as much right to the name Christian as anyone. God is building a home. He’s using us all—irrespective of how we got here—in what he is building. He used the apostles and prophets for the foundation. Now he’s using you, fitting you in brick by brick, stone by stone, with Christ Jesus as the cornerstone that holds all the parts together. We see it taking shape day after day—a holy temple built by God, all of us built into it, a temple in which God is quite at home.
I think the problem that way to many Christians experience are walls – We have talked about them for weeks. Walls that separate us form culture..form the problems that drive by our church and our homes everyday.
Walls of
physical ability
Financial resources
Limited vision
Spiritual elitism
Unrighteousness
Lack of love
Fear
Judgment
I could go on and on picking adjectives and we might all suffer from a few or a bunch.
However, our scripture this morning tell us that Jesus came and broke down the walls of separation. In this specific section the author is talking about walls between Jews and non-Jews. He is referring to walls between two sets of believing people.
However, this same truth is applied between all men and women and God.
We might insert the words religious and unreligious…for Jews and gentiles.
What we are talking about this morning is accepting the fact that there should be no walls, of our creation, that separate the people of this church and the people that are either in a different Christian church or an un-churched person.
Here is the problem….we often don’t even realize that we or other Christians have created walls….It would seem like the walls created by some other church would not be our problem….
However, if we are being a neighbor to the strangers along our journey…the problem of the wounded, abused, lost, people we meet are our concern regardless of where the problem came from.
Video -Perceptions about church
It seems that everyone has some perception or view about Church.
In a door-to-door survey conducted by Willow Creek Community Church of South Barrington, IL (which is probably the largest church in the U.S.), the question was asked:
"If you don’t go to church, why?" The five biggest reasons:
1- Boring
2- Irrelevant
3- Asking for money all the time
4- I’m too busy already
5- I feel awkward at church.
BORING. The sad truth is many churches or church services are boring. Our service has been describer this way. I am not sure that all of you would agree.
IRRELEVANT - meaning, the services didn’t relate to people in their every day lives.
Asking for money all the time – Most churches do call upon members to give consistently….Some are very pushy about tithing or special projects.
I’m too busy already - They don’t have time…Not much tat we can do about that…
I feel awkward at church - Humm …tough right?
When Jesus tore down the walls of separation – do you think He meant for the church to become these?
Boring, Irrelevant, needy, a time waster, or uncomfortable?
Where did the people taking the survey get the information for their walls?
Personal experience?
Just came up with it themselves?
It really done not matter…it is the job of a Christian and of a group of Christians(churches) to tear down the walls of separation. It is our role, job to improve what the world thinks about church.
We have an image just like any person or company ends up with what people think about them.
What is our image if looking from an outside perspective?
Is it a Good image?
Is it Loving and kind?
Is it outgoing and selfless?
It is private and inward?
Are we known for helping others?
Do people notice us at all?
Let’s be very clear, We are not to have a image for our own sake…Our image is automatically a crude reflection of what God/Jesus is like.
The idea of the Jesus Jam Festival is not about making our church look good. It is about offering a reflection of the love of God for all people. It is about going to parties with sinners…not to sin but to have a relationship with people outside of the church walls.
I mentioned that I had a question of what if we have it and nobody comes?
After Lunch I went back to work on the tractor…there were several families unloading from cars right where I needed to move. I apologized for having to ask them to move and I started telling the about the event…The response was “Oh yes we have heard a lot about it…We heard that there would be games for the kids and music all day. We are planning to come.”
Folks, in preparation for communion I repented for several things, the most important was that I had doubts about what God would do with our simple efforts.
As a response, I was reminded that it does not matter how many people come, I , We have been response to the call to work outside the walls of the church.
Wither the even is judged a success or failure based on human judgment does not really matter….The image of our church has changed….
We are a church that is going beyond maintence of a clubhouse and grounds…We are known for inviting people to come out a celebrate summer. To enjoy the creek to relax with family.
We are inviting people to have some kind of a relationship….
Folks, the Good Samaritan took the man to a place of safety. In our project next Saturday hopefully we will be encouraging people to update their image of Jesus and church and to check out theses churches that are on the move..
Perhaps that some of them might feel less awkward should they consider visiting a church.
Our order of worship this morning was changed in several ways. Communion was set before the sermon so that we might take seriously that image of God that we project.
Now lets’ pray a prayer of repentance as we have received the body, blood and word of our Lord.
