Why are you here today?
I recently spoke with someone about their feelings about attending church. They said that they were hesitant to go to church because of what other people are doing. They would look around and see disinterested distracted people that are not paying attention to the message. They would see musicians on the alter playing their heart our and blank stares in the congregation. I was told that felt that they couldn’t get fed because of the motives of others. My response was simple, should you let those that are not eating keep you from the meat and potatoes? If you have your Bibles please turn to ACTS 3
1 Now Peter and John were going up together to the temple complex at the hour of prayer at three in the afternoon. 2 And a man who was lame from birth was carried there and placed every day at the temple gate called Beautiful, so he could beg from those entering the temple complex. 3 When he saw Peter and John about to enter the temple complex, he asked for help. 4 Peter, along with John, looked at him intently and said, “Look at us.” 5 So he turned to them, expecting to get something from them. 6 But Peter said, “I don’t have silver or gold, but what I have, I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, get up and walk!” 7 Then, taking him by the right hand he raised him up, and at once his feet and ankles became strong. 8 So he jumped up, stood, and started to walk, and he entered the temple complex with them — walking, leaping, and praising God. 9 All the people saw him walking and praising God, 10 and they recognized that he was the one who used to sit and beg at the Beautiful Gate of the temple complex. So, they were filled with awe and astonishment at what had happened to him. 11 While he was holding on to Peter and John, all the people, greatly amazed, ran toward them in what is called Solomon’s Colonnade. 12 When Peter saw this, he addressed the people: “Men of Israel, why are you amazed at this? Or why do you stare at us, as though we had made him walk by our own power or godliness? 13 The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified His Servant Jesus, whom you handed over and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release Him. 14 But you denied the Holy and Righteous One and asked to have a murderer given to you. 15 You killed the source of life, whom God raised from the dead; we are witnesses of this. 16 By faith in His name, His name has made this man strong, whom you see and know. So the faith that comes through Him has given him this perfect health in front of all of you. 17 “And now, brothers, I know that you did it in ignorance, just as your leaders also did. 18 But what God predicted through the mouth of all the prophets — that His Messiah would suffer — He has fulfilled in this way. 19 Therefore repent and turn back, so that your sins may be wiped out, that seasons of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, 20 and that He may send Jesus, who has been appointed for you as the Messiah. 21 Heaven must welcome Him until the times of the restoration of all things, which God spoke about by the mouth of His holy prophets from the beginning. 22 Moses said: The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from among your brothers. You must listen to Him in everything He will say to you. 23 And everyone who will not listen to that Prophet will be completely cut off from the people. 24 “In addition, all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and those after him, have also announced these days. 25You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your ancestors, saying to Abraham, And all the families of the earth will be blessed through your offspring. 26God raised up His Servant and sent Him first to you to bless you by turning each of you from your evil ways.” Chapter 4 1Now as they were speaking to the people, the priests, the commander of the temple police, and the Sadducees confronted them, 2 because they were provoked that they were teaching the people and proclaiming the resurrection from the dead, using Jesus as the example. 3 So they seized them and put them in custody until the next day, since it was already evening. 4 But many of those who heard the message believed, and the number of the men came to about 5,000.
What are we doing as a church that is giving non believers a reason to want to be here? What are we doing as a church that would want to cause believers to strengthen their bond with Christ and keep them in the Church? If you were a visitor to this church would you want to come back based on what you saw? In our scripture today we see that it is 9 am and Peter and John going to pray. They are passing by a guy that is having issues and what happen? He asked them for help. They basically say to him that I will help you but not in the way you are asking. In this passage the guy cant work. The Scripture says he is lame. Whatever that means in the scripture is not exactly made known. What we do know is that he needed some help. As it says that he was this way from the time he was born. So he cant work. So to help his family to help make sure he ate he sat outside the Gate that is Beautiful. This is the gate that the people with money would enter. So along come peter and John and he stops them to ask for Help. And we see what they say to the man. Peter said Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. They were coming to be fed. They were coming to pray. How much junk goes on outside these doors? I am not talking about in the world. I am literally talking about outside on Vineville ST. in the short time that I have been staying here, I have counted the Police here weekly, I hear firework or gunshot sounds regularly day and night. Domestic violence that overflows to the yards. Right outside these doors. If they came up to you in our parking lot what would you do? But because they were doing what God would have them do, what Jesus would have them to do Their plans changed. People saw what happened to the man and began to be drawn to them. We need to be like this. We need to be here for the right reasons. A while back Brant said maybe the growth we are going to see is the spiritual growth in the community we have here. I don’t know if he knew at the time how profound that statement was or would be. It is time for us to start growing the period of spring is on us now. It is the time for us to emerge from our seeds and spread the Love of God. Last week I said that You’ll recognize them by their fruit. Matthew 7:16 We too will be recognized by the fruit that we produce. Our church will be recognized by the fruits that we produce. I want to be known for producing good things. I want to be known for being a light unto this community.
Can anyone tell me how many churches are in Columbus Ga? There are over 230. Only three churches are PCG. And on many lists we don’t even show up. If you will please look at the screen. There is a list of twenty churches. We aren’t there. We aren’t on a main road. Even to get here you have to pass several other churches. There is one at each of the entry points before you even get here. Why would someone want to come here? What is it that we have that they don’t? Many of us come here because of Joel. Others come here because that is where they grew up. There is a family legacy for them here. Is that the only reason we are still here? Have we gotten to the point in our Christian walk that Jesus no longer excites us? Where we have seen all that God has to offer?
This past Sunday evening, we went to Faith fellowship to support their revival/ homecoming event. Why? Simply put to allow fellowship with other in our community that we normally don’t fellowship with. To show love and support to others that are serving God. Well James why couldn’t we just stayed here and had a message here? We could have. But we experienced a message that was prolific. Would we have had that same experience sitting in this hall? Possibly. But we are called to be outsiders. Bishop Ryan gave a wonderful message about the Breath of life. And how we need to continue to have God’s breath of life in our lungs. We need to be an unstoppable presence in this community. We are wavemakers. Boat rockers. Even here in the district. We were honored to be the second place winners for the amount of donations for missions in the Georgia district again this year. Now this number isn’t including all the other things we donate towards like light of the nations. And that is great but how do we keep people when we seem disinterested?
Why are you here today? Is it to experience God’s presence? Or is it to see if the pastor’s socks are matching? Is it to see how many times I stumble of my words? Or is it to see if anyone come to a closer relationship with God? I want people to SEE that I am on fire for God. I want them to feel it in the way I speak, and the way I act. I want them to want a similar relationship with God. I am here to see other come to God. I am here to praise a loving and all powerful creator. I am here to Thank Jesus for my salvation. I am here because I cant make it on my own. Why are you?
