We are beginning this new series on more…by saying more there are things that we basically all want more of…more love, more forgiveness, more joy, more faith…in all these things there are always two choices when it comes to more…we can choose the way of the world and indulge in practices that are contrary to God’s way…
C. S. Lewis wrote in Mere Christianity:
Every time you make a choice you are turning the central part of you, the part of you that chooses, into something a little different from what it was before. And taking your life as a whole, with all your innumerable choices, all your life long you are slowly turning this central thing either into a heavenly creature or into a hellish creature: either into a creature that is in harmony with God, and with other creatures, and with itself, or else into one that is in a state of war and hatred with God, and with its fellow creatures, and with itself. To be the one kind of creature is heaven: that is, it is joy and peace and knowledge and power. To be the other means madness, horror, idiocy, rage, and eternal loneliness. Each of us at each moment is progressing to the one state or the other.
A.W. Tozier said:
The man or woman who is wholly and joyously surrendered to Christ can’t make a wrong choice – any choice will be the right choice.
So today we are going to talk about our choice of community and our God given desire for more of it…
Throughout history, life has revolved around the community. Families, both immediate and extended, resided with one another or in close proximity to each other…where we are from in the mountain of VA there are farms where generation after generation all live on the same piece of land…
If someone moves away they are considered deserters of the family
Our desire for community is the reason troubled kids find themselves attracted to gangs and other not so good communities of peers…
Church is a community…we are constantly pushing community …even during this pandemic we have developed ways to still have community…
Anytime we find ourselves needing to make a choice…our guide is always going to be God’s Word…
How many times have we all heard a preacher use,
Hebrews 10:23-25
23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
This scripture is not meant to guilt driven to get people in the church building but for people Christian people to see that they can influence each other to make right choices if they choose to gather together…
The company we keep is important…
I have heard people say that Jesus hung out with drunks and sinners…
Let me make something very clear…Jesus went to a wedding not a keg party…not a bar where the purpose is to drink lots of beer and liquor…he didn’t have friends over to watch the game and drink as much beer as they want…
I am rarely invited to Super Bowl event in fact I have had members whisper about theirs so they don’t have to invite me…why…because they might feel guilty about them and their friends drinking and speaking habits…
I am a preacher and I have been to many weddings and I have been present at many receptions (parties) where lots of people were drinking…but I went to the wedding both to officiate and attend…but you have never seen me and never will seen me carrying around a acholic drink…I was at a wedding in Nashville Tenn…the party was fierce after about an hour…after we had eaten our meal and said our congratulations…we left went to our car and headed back to Mississippi…
It would have been easy for me to have just blended in and grabbed a drink and partied hard, but that’s not my crowd and I certainly wouldn’t have honored God…what is the chance that any of those people would want to hear me talk about making Godly choices if they saw me acting like they do?
They wouldn’t!!!
The same is true of you…How many of your coworkers and friends that you hang out with would take an invite to join our community at WCC seriously?
If you are inviting people and they are never coming…can you say that your lifestyle is different than theirs or the rest of the worlds…
WHAT KIND OF COMMUNITY IS INFLUENCING YOUR LIFE
1 Corinthians 15:33
33 Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.”
We all know this verse but do we listen to the message…I often wonder if I or someone else were thrown into a situation where we were uncomfortable would we leave or stay and just try and fit in?
Just last week Leslie, Jacob and I were all on the lake fishing. We pulled into our favorite cove to find it full of boats already…so I picked a spot and we began to fish…I noticed the different types of communities…
One was two boats with kids and families and they were enjoying themselves…they were all just sitting around and a couple boys fishing on one end and the rest on the other talking and laughing…
Another boat was a couple that were just laying around reading and talking to each other…
Then there was the other group…three boats tied together FAMILIES with kids on board…they were drinking beer and playing foul music loudly to the point my son could hear it…I mean the F bombs were coming from the ladies and the music…I looked that way to see the MOMS dancing provocatively in front of their children…so I made a choice I pulled up the anchor and we left our favorite cove to go to another…
My point is this…I was not mean nor was I tolerant…I chose to get my family to a place of safe community so that they may be influenced in a positive manner…this once happen to Leslie and I on a trip to Ashville NC…
We should long to be with those that spur us on to good deeds and love…as the author of Hebrews has pointed out…we should want more community that is Christ honoring not self-indulgent…
I believe that as we move on through this series of MORE we will see that if we seek out MORE of the things of God then our community will change because we will always want to choose God over the world…
BUT WHAT ABOUT REACHING THE LOST
Paul wrote the Colossians and told them
Colossians 4:6
6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.
We are to be kind and not judgmental not turning anyone away from the love of Christ…many “CHRISTIANS” will turn up their nose to “SINNERS” and forget what they once were…Ephesians 5:1-10
1 Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children 2 and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
3 But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. 4 Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.
5 For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. 7 Therefore do not be partners with them.
8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10 and find out what pleases the Lord.
Choose wisely the community in which you hang with and most importantly who is influencing you…everyone is an influence on someone and the way you live is the biggest influence that you have on everyone…
Jesus called his people to follow him and that means being around the flock that the shepherd has gathered…in these times our flock is scattered and this means that the way we hang together has to change as well…we need to reach out to one another…there are people that we know that cannot log in and watch this service that would love to hear from you…we have others that may watch but live basically alone and could use a call of care…even those that you think have it all together may need a little encouragement…can you do that…
I don’t want to get on a soap box and point fingers… I am not called to do that…but if you are struggling with your lifestyle you know it…
if you are married and you are having an affair stop it…
if you are not married but you are messing with a married person stop it…
if you are looking at porn stop it…
if you are abusive to your family Stop it…
if you are prone to drink to much or get high stop it…
if your friends are influencing you to commit sin then you need new friends…
they are not really your friends anyway…
Often our sins are a result of the environment we are in…
it is a sickness that only the Great Physician can help…
but that means going to him and to his people for the help you need…
a struggle to put aside the things of this world is never made easier by pretending that the struggle isn’t there…
James 5:16
16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.
Did you catch that? Confess you sins so that you may be healed…not from a physical sickness but one that carry beyond the grave to eternity…
The people were not sick physically but spiritually…
That’s why Jesus came…he came to heal us from our eternal sickness of sin…we all have it Paul tells us so in
Romans 3:23
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God
But then a few chapters later he says
Romans 8:28
28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
That is much like Jeremiah 29:11
11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
God’s plan for you for all of us is that we are freed from our bondage to the sickness of sin and come into the community of believers and that through our good deeds and speech seasoned with salt that others will come to the Great Healer…Jesus Christ…
A perfect example of troubled kid who needed a community…the friends were pouring bad things into his life…he was heading down a bad road and suddenly one friend and true friend invited him to a good community an authentic group of love and forgiveness…his was healed by Jesus through the new friends…he quoted that his old friends were toxic…
There is only one that is not toxic but pure and he wants you to come and join his community of friends…more than friends brothers and sisters united with one spirit and one baptism…we are perfect but we are family…
