Today we begin a new series based on the book of Philippians call, “Jesus, I’m just not feeling it.” The line itself is the number one breakup line between couples. It is also very appropriate for those in the church because a recent study (Reveal- willowcreek) reports that as many as 25% of the people in church on Sunday morning could pre-occupied, uninterested and contemplating leaving the church. Church has just become another obligation or routine. It has stopped being a holy place, a place to worship the king, a time of encouragement and instead it has become just another ritual of an unfulfilling life.
The original call to God was powerful and now it’s waned. The blinders are off. The church doesn’t seem so perfect and time alone seems time better spent. Less complications seems to be the most frequent justification for not showing up to worship but that’s just plain unbiblical.
The bible begins with God’s creation and our role within God’s larger story. God begins with the environment. He creates all things – atoms, air, water, plants, fish, birds, mammals, water buffalos and then humans. He doesn’t just created in one offs. He creates in multiples and commissions creation to make more. The premise from the beginning seems to have been to create in community so that we would live in community. After all, all of creation points to the creator in whom the perfect community is demonstrated in the relationship of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit all working seamlessly together.
The question is, “Why?” The answer is simply, community is a powerful catalyst for experiencing God and heaven in everyday relationships. However, this presents real challenges for us self center humans and even more so, when we claim to be Christians.
(Slide of Henry Nouwen quote)
Henry Nouwen (Page 103 in Prayers) stated that a Christian is:
And yet you are Christian only so long as you look forward to a new world, only so long as you constantly pose critical questions to the society in which you live, and only so long as you emphasize the need for conversion both for yourself and for the world. You are Christian only so long as you do not let yourself become established in a situation of seeming calm, only so long as you stay unsatisfied with the status quo and keep saying that a new world is yet to come. You are Christian only when you believe that you have a role to play in the realization of this new kingdom and when you urge everyone you meet with a holy unrest to make haste so that the promise might soon be fulfilled. So long as you live as a Christian, you must keep looking for a new order, a new structure, a new life.
This Holy unrest is probably the reason much of the New Testament is written to the churches of the day to encourage and discipline one another to persevere. It also answers the question of what makes a Christian group different than any other group you are a part of. This has been a sticking point for me personally for some time. I struggle with some who call themselves a Christian group just because they do an activity with Christians. If I water ski on Sunday morning with Christians then that makes it a Christian small group? Now, water skiing is not a bad thing. Groups who gather to water ski are not a bad thing. However, my issue has been that a Christian small group must differentiate itself from other groups of like nature by answering a single question, “How do they in the practice of gathering and being together glorify God and encourage, grow and push each other to persevere in the faith?” There are many answers to this question and all hold credence.
(Slide of water buffalo rescue)
There is an amazing video on-line from 6 years ago. It’s about 5 minutes long. (http://youtu.be/u2wOhlWeYpY ) It shows a lion pride attacking a water buffalo heard and separating out this young calf to devour. Just when you think the lions have the calf, the whole heard charges the lions and by the strength of their numbers and action together they fend off the lions and rescue the baby water buffalo. It’s graphic but inspiring. It also is a good example of the power of group that works together, caring for one another, helping each other to grow and all the while thwarting the enemy that wishes to destroy them.
The purpose of the Christian group is to increase everyone’s faith through the group. Around this church, we call this becoming more devoted. It’s not to provide self help advice (although that happens), it’s to provide, discuss, discern and experience Christ’s solutions to life’s issues. It is also to increase the bond of connectedness so that in a very tangible way, we can experience the Christian assurance that we are never alone, encouraged that we are never forgotten and always aware of the power of the God among us. Finally, it is in and through these experiences a sense of gratitude (recognition of Christ’s love) turns our hearts to be more generous towards others through the use of our time, talents, gifts and resources.
(Slide of scripture from Phil. 1:27-30)
I love how Paul states this in Philippians 1:27-30.
Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by God. For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him, since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have.
The scripture screams “come together” in unity. According to the preacher/ theologian Warren Wiersbe, Paul uses the Greek prefix “sun” 16 times in Philippians to stress the “with or together” to emphasize the point. In verse 27, he specifically uses the word “sunathleo” which is a word which adds the dimension of an athlete who strive together to accomplish a goal. Paul was emphasizing walking in faith is best done as group. After all, Jesus began this movement with a small group of rag tag Galileans and traitor from the next town over. All the disciples were regular guys, striving to be like the Rabbi, questioning Him, following his directions, sometimes demonstrating their humanness by stating their hope to be the next leader, fighting among themselves or doubting the words he shared with them but never completely losing hope.
I remember the first real small group I was a part of. We had come together out of a love for the Lord and the church. At first everything was great, everyone loved each other and it was perfect. We gathered together weekly. We ate dinner together, watched and discussed a Christian video, did the all church study and prayed together. And then, we had a disagreement. It was over the book of the bible we were studying. A slight majority of the group chose the Book of James and the minority was none too happy about the conviction being brought up when we met. It became real testy at one point. I can remember having to talk a couple of our friends to keep them from jumping from the group. However, we made it though together and learned a lot about each other and ourselves in the process. We stayed together in that group for a number of years after that. In fact, the group grew so large we eventually split into two. The group was really a life line for me for those years. It cemented my faith, encouraged my walk and gave me a safe place to grow without judgment.
This morning I would like to ask everyone who is attending, who has yet to connect with a small group, to get connected. Groups learn together and change the world. I am pleading with you – give us one or two extra hours a week and let us begin to change the world by rocking yours with new friends.
www.communitycenter.life/rev-robert-butler-info
