Love for a Broken World
“Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life
and imitate their faith. 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” Hebrew 13:7
Intro: I want to talk to you today about “Love for a Broken World.”
The world is so full of brokenness and broken people.
There needs to be a place where people can come into the presence of God.
A place to worship the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Because of the pain and struggle of daily life
We need somewhere to rest our mind, heart and soul.
The world needs a savior.
We need a place to worship God.
We thank God for how God loves us and how we can boldly come to God through the blood of Jesus Christ.
We thank God that we can come here every week and worship together.
We praise God for the opportunity to that we have to worship and serve together.
There needs to be people who love and care and encourage the poor, the weak, the sick, the lost and the broken.
I thank God for each person here who serves.
We thank God for the Nurture team.
The Nurture team is responsible for membership care.
Their duty is to be in contact with you.
To pray for the members.
To help the members who are going through a difficult time.
To share the joys of the members who are celebrating.
To keep track of who may be missing.
To reach out to our members who live away from Johnson County.
There needs to be servants who will minister to the members needs in the church.
We thank God for the Outreach team.
Outreach is responsible for serving the people in the community.
Their mission is to reach out to those around us with food, and clothing, and shelter,
and to share the hope that comes from the cross and the risen savior.
It is spoon and cross
It is clothes and grave clothes
It is food for the body and food for the soul
It is financial help and spiritual help.
There needs to be servants whose mission is to the hurting and needy unchurched in the community.
We thank God for the Witness Team.
The Witness team are the pray warriors and the messengers.
Those who will pray together.
Those who will reach out hands to the lost world and cry with those who are crying,
And Love those who feel unlovable.
To preach and teach and testify
that there is something better, something greater, something bigger than your problems.
That Jesus is the way not only to salvation
But the way to real change in this life.
There needs to be servants whose ministry is to win the lost to Christ.
There needs to be ministry to Children, and Youth and also to the parents and young adult.
We must not neglect our Senior adults
Women’s group and Men’s group
Family Life Group
And Trustees, and Finance, and Staff Pastor Parish Relations
Administrative Council.
And all the other groups that work within these categories.
Can you imagine
Will you dream with me
What does it look like when all the people are working together in unity, and harmony for the same good?
with all the committees and teams and Missions and Ministry groups
All meeting and planning and sharing and following through with the work that each one is responsible for
what does that Kingdom look like?
What does that community look like?
What do you look like as you work and serve God and others?
I thank God that we have a place to come and worship and settle in and call our home church.
And teams of people who work to bring so many other people onto the church property
and into the church building
which gives us the chance to tell them about Jesus
and share our faith and tell the Good News of what Jesus has done for us and can also do for them.
I pray that God will give you greater vision for what the church and community needs.
That God will give us wisdom, strength and courage that we can be here in this place and in this community
That we can worship God and serve on another and also be the church for the people that God wants us to be.
Now, I want to turn your attention to the book of Titus.
We can learn a lot about serving God and loving others from Titus.
The book of Titus may not be very familiar to you.
It is often overlooked because it only has 46 verses.
But it is awesome. It has so many amazing things to teach us.
Titus was a pupil of the Apostle Paul.
Who was sent to be the Gospel team leader on the island of Crete.
Where everyone is a liar, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.
I am not making this up.
That’s what it says in Titus verse 12.
We live in a pagan world.
We may not live in Crete where everyone is a liar, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.
but we might not live too far from it.
God loves and uses imperfect people.
We all make mistakes.
But because Jesus died and rose from the grave, every mistake we will make or ever make has been paid in full.
Don't let shame and guilt keep you from receiving God's love any longer.
Psalm 103:12 (NIV) says, "As far as the east is from the west, our sins are removed from God's memory."
Since God has removed them from His memory,
it's time we do the same
and move forward with God
and receive His love and mercy.
You may have made mistakes, but God still believes in you,
God still loves you and has an amazing future in store.
Keep your heart toward God, and He will show Himself strong on your behalf!
Learn this lesson:
No one is unimportant to God.
It doesn’t matter what you may have done.
Where you came from.
What you did last week.
God cares about you today.
Moses had a short temper, and murdered an Egyptian in anger…
Hosea’s wife was a prostitute.
Jacob lied
David had an adulterous affair.
Abraham and Sarah were too old.
Timothy was too young.
Naomi was a widow.
Jonah ran from God.
Thomas doubted.
Jeremiah was suicidal.
Samson had long hair.
Noah got drunk.
Paul consented to the death of Stephen
Being a follower of Jesus requires two things:
1. A desire to love Jesus with all your being –no reservations, holding nothing back, giving your whole self.
2. A devoted humility to please God–no if, ands, buts, or a comma between the “please” and “God.”
Jesus-following will lead you up a hill,
often carrying a cross.
Every Christian has the opportunity to set the tone for somebody who needs your help…,
your encouragement…, your compassion…,
Your smile…, your enthusiasm…, your joy…, your hope.
There is no excuse good enough when it comes to NOT serving God…
As far as God is concerned…, being His servant…, is simply people who are willing
People who are willing…, to be used…, by Him…,
The truth is none of us will ever be good enough, No Not One.
For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.
You will never be perfect.
The only way to get into heaven is through the one who is perfect and that is Jesus Christ.
It is because you believe in Jesus
It is because you have a relationship with Jesus.
It is because of what Jesus did.
Jesus laid his life down to be nailed to the cross.
The old rugged cross.
Jesus’ gift to the church was people…, let’s look at Ephesians 4:11
"He is the one who gave these gifts to the church: (NOT gold…, NOT silver… but people)
the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers." Ephesians 4:11 (NLT)
The gifts Jesus gave to the church was people…
A few years ago me and a friend of mine were putting up a tent out front of the church I as the pastor of.
1. I got out the tarp, poles, and ties…, and had them on the back of the truck
2. He laid it all out…, I helped hand him pieces…
Several times…, I started to say…, that’s not the way I would do it…
Several times…, I started to say…, it want work like that…
Several times…, I started to say…, I would never do it that way…
3. BUT I DID NOT SAY A WORD…, I did not grumble or complain.
In this matter…, He was clearly the leader…, I was…, the follower…
It only took about 10 minutes to set up the tent…,
(those who had put up the tent before
knew that sometimes it has taken over an hour with 5 or 6 people).
Learn this lesson: Being a good follower…, is just as important…, as having a good leader…
The Best way to lead in ministry is to see the value and meaning in things you CAN do.
For example: Help decorate the church for special occasions,
and meals and gatherings is a form of outreach.
People who come through the door notice how nice things look and they say to themselves this is God’s house.
Working with children and youth.
- When young couples know the church cares about their kids…,.
It says we care about the entire family.
A simple thing like regular attendance can be a ministry.
Do you know that when a visitor comes into this building and sees you worship here…
And they have met you at a cookout…, or grocery store…, or at a ball game, and they see you here…
Then that says, something about this being a great place to worship.
And so you can make a difference
The key to ministry is “being there” for each other…
WHEN the time comes…, and the time will come…,
when you are the one who needs…, one of the other members of this church…,
No matter how good you have things right now…,
Someday you will be on the other side…,
You will be the one needing to receive the ministry of the church
Going through a difficult time…
Suffering a loss…
One simple ministry of the church is the ministry of presence…,
You don’t have to say a word to be in the ministry of presence…,
Just being there when a loved one passes away and going to the funeral home… is enough…
Every member of this church should go to the funeral home when one of our members dies…
To visit…, to just be there…
Or take by food…,
Or send a card…,
Or make a phone call.
When we minister to people in their time of need…
They will know that we have experienced the love of God in our own life…,
and that this is a great church to belong to…
People are drawn to places when Christians are friendly…
And they will say to others when they visit…
"I really felt at home." "I felt welcome.” “I felt like I belonged.”
Then one day special passerby, named Jesus, came along.
Jesus gave Bartimaeus something money could not buy...
a gift that would change his life forever.
He gave Bartimaeus someone new to follow in his life….
With the miracle of sight also came the miracle of changing who Blind Bartimaeus would follow
No longer would Bartimaeus have to be led by someone to the well for a drink of water
No longer would Bartimaeus have to be led by someone to the shade during the heat of the day
No longer would Bartimeaus have to be led by someone to the roadside to beg…
No longer would Bartimeaus have to be led back to the place where he slept….
Now Bartimaeus could follow who he chose to follow…
Now he would be able to walk beside Jesus down the road…,
And now Bartimaeus would become the kindhearted traveler…,
Now Bartimaeus would become the one who would reach into his pocket
and pull out a few coins to share needy.
Life for Bartimaeus changed from hopeless to giving hope to others…
From no Joy to Sharing Joy
From no Peace to telling others about the peace that come through Jesus Christ…
From a person of many sorrows with no hope for his future
To a person with an eternal future…
Bartimaeus’ major concern had change from his own self…
To how to care and minister to others…
From simply trying to survive from day to day
To trying to help others…
That’s the change that sets Christian apart from other people
That’s how we tell if Christ has made a difference…
When we help others, I believe, is when we are closest to really saving and helping our own self.
Today everyone of us here has the opportunity to follow Jesus…
To follow Jesus may start out as a first time giving your heart and life to Christ…,
Confessing your blindness by sin…, and selfishness…
To follow Jesus for others may be a rededication of your faith
A recommitment of your life… a kind of a fresh start for a New Year…
Then there is the place of service in the church…,
Where you step out from being someone who just sits back and watches while others do church ministry
To someone who is actually following Jesus down the road…, doing church ministry.
With an encounter with the Almighty Jesus Christ…, the Saviour of the world…
Comes to call to duty…, and the call to service…, the call to ministry…,
the call to be a leader in your church…,
And your community…
"And Jesus said to him, "Go your way. Your faith has healed you." And instantly the blind man could see!
Then he followed Jesus down the road." Mark 10:52 (NLT)
• The service continues with An Order For The Installation Of Leaders In The Church from the United Methodist Book of Worship (pages 599-601)
"And Jesus said to him, "Go your way. Your faith has healed you." And instantly the blind man could see!
Then he followed Jesus down the road." Mark 10:52 (NLT)
Closing: We live in a world of broken people but isn’t it wonderful to know that God is never broken.
God is never caught off guard.
He is never taken by surprise by what happens.
Our world is broken on many levels, from family to finances to faith
But this church contains within itself the love needed to help heal the broken.
Isn’t that wonderful news.
In the bible the local church becomes the vessel of hope, help and healing the world needs.
Broken Halos” has an underlying message for those who search for understanding behind the senseless acts of violence and natural disasters that continue to plague the world.
In the third verse, Stapleton sings, “Don’t go looking for the reasons / Don’t go asking Jesus why / We’re not meant to know the answers / They belong to the by and by.”
On his All-American Road Show tour, Stapleton has turned “Broken Halos” into a live tribute to those suffering from tragic events at the Route 91 Harvest music festival in Las Vegas, the wildfires in California and September’s deadly hurricanes.
When Titus goes to begin the mission in Crete.
As instructed by the Apostle Paul,
The first thing Titus does is he begins to appoint leaders.
Remember: Crete is where everyone is a liar, evil beasts, and lazy glutton.
The very first thing Titus does is he begins to
The bible says Jesus “sat” 42 times.
But Jesus wasn’t setting in the pew watching
When Jesus sat he was teaching.
Jesus sat on the mountainside and began to teach
Jesus sat by the lake as the crowd gathered around about him and he began to explain the parable
Jesus sat in the boat and he taught them.
Jesus sat in the temple teaching them
The people sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties and Jesus took five loaves and two fish and fed them
Jesus sat down opposite the offering plate and watched the crowd putting in their money
Jesus sat down by the well and talked to the Samaritan woman
The bible says that Jesus was taken up into the heaven where he sat at the right hand of God.
Not only
Closing: "He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds." Psalm 147:3, NIV
It doesn’t matter what is “broken” in your life today.
God’s nature is to bring you complete healing.
Do you need healing in your body? Your mind? Heart? Finances? Relationships? God is your healer.
Notice what the Psalmist says in this verse: He binds up their wounds.
In the natural, if you have a broken arm, it doesn’t just heal overnight.
The doctor makes a cast to hold it in place and protect it.
He binds up your wound.
In the spiritual realm, God does the same thing.
He wraps Himself around your brokenness
and protects the wounded area until it is strong enough to function properly again.
The Bible also says that He is a restorer.
That means that when He does a work of healing in our lives, He makes us better than we were before.
If you’re going through the broken time today, know this: it may take longer than you planned,
but God is binding up your wound.
He is protecting you and healing you.
He will bring you out better and stronger than you were before.
He will take you to a place of complete healing so that you can live the life of victory He has in store for you.
Prayer for Today:
"Father, thank You for being my healer.
Thank You for restoring every area of my life.
I give You my brokenness and everything that I am today. Use me for Your glory in Jesus’ name. Amen"
