Church 101: What the church is good for.
John 20:19-23
Last Monday, I had the opportunity to visit Westminster Abbey out in Mission. It is situated in a beautiful location, high atop a hill. And the steeple of the building, it soared to the skies and when you walk in you are quickly impressed by the high ceiling and the stained glass windows. On the door of that Abbey, were inscribed words, but I could not make it out. It was written in Latin. I thought to myself, who could understand that in today’s world? What is the church good for, I wonder, if it is not able to speak to our world…
This is our world folks… In 1994, a New Mexico jury awarded $ 2.9 million U.S. in damages to 81-year-old Stella Liebeck who suffered third-degree burns to her legs, groin and buttocks after spilling a cup of McDonald’s coffee on herself. Remember that? There are others…
January 2000: Kathleen Robertson of Austin Texas was awarded $780,000 by a jury of her peers after breaking her ankle tripping over a toddler who was running inside a furniture store. The owners of the store were understandably surprised at the verdict, considering the misbehaving little so-and-so was her own son.
June 1998: A 19 year old Carl Truman of Los Angeles won $74,000 and medical expenses when his neighbor ran over his hand with a Honda Accord. Mr. Truman apparently didn’t notice there was someone at the wheel of the car, when he was trying to steal his neighbor’s hubcaps.
Mr. Merv Grazinski of Oklahoma City. In November 2000, Mr. Grazinski purchased a brand new 32 foot Winnebago motor home. On his first trip home, having joined the freeway, he set the cruise control at 70 mph and calmly left the drivers seat to go into the back and make himself a cup of coffee. Not surprisingly the Winnie left the freeway, crashed and overturned. Mr Grazinski sued Winnebago for not advising him in the handbook that he couldn’t actually do this. He was awarded $1,750,000 plus a new Winnie. (Winniebago actually changed their handbooks on the back of this court case, just in case there are any other complete morons buying their vehicles.)
All these stories have a common thread. They are all about people, silly people, yes, but they are all experiencing different levels of pain and human misery. They all blame others for their misery. I wonder if we see ourselves in them? Wanting to sue the pants off your so-called tormentor, claiming no fault, or oh if only I had the money they had? And it seems the only recourse, the only American thing to do, the only way out of pain is to sue the pants off some people. Money, it seems, is still the major way out of pain. But consider this, Have you ever tried to apply cash to your injuries, mental anguish, try rubbing some of $20 notes on your headaches? What is the church good for, for people like them who think money is the root of all happiness?
Bali- more than 200 people dead from an apparent terrorist bombing, sniper gunning down people in Washington DC area… People are running scared, violence it seems is never far away… what is the church good for in this world of violence?
This past Thanksgiving long weekend - At least 12 people are dead following a series of car collisions and other accidents all across B.C. It was one of the deadliest holiday weekends for fatal car accidents in recent history, according to ICBC statistics. I do not know what happened in the heads of the people who died. Perhaps there is so much stress folks have to getaway quick in their vehicles, and in their hurry and stressed out condition they fall asleep on the wheel, or they become agitated with people going too fast or too slow. But whatever the reason may be, the result is there is more pain and anguish. What is the world good for in world of stressed out people with their fast cars?
Tuesday in Kamloops, Richard Anderson, the 56-year-old manager of the pollution prevention branch of the Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection, reportedly unhappy with his job and that day he received some sort of disciplinary action connected to his work. It seems he was very much angered. Anderson felt pain and anguish. I suspect being 56 and perhaps the prospect of losing a well-paying job is like a deathblow to him. And it seemed so for later he returned to his workplace where he fired his gun and shot two others and turned the gun on himself. From the media-reports, it seems he is very much a mind your own business, very private type of a man. What is the church good for people like Anderson who don’t seem to know how to handle pain and anguish but resort to violence?
What is the church really good for in a real world of pain and anguish?
This is the kind of world we live in, it’s my world, your world, our world. And that’s the kind of world our God and Lord Jesus Christ walked into… Into the real world of pain and aguish, read John 20:19
19On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews,..
Here are Jesus’ disciples huddled together, they have just experienced the dark side of the world. They are in a state of shock, perhaps trying to comfort each other, They had seen their beloved rabbi, their Master, executed right in front of their eyes on Friday. What a horrible way to die. Nailed to the cross like a common criminal…The pain and the anguish! They now sensed nothing but fear… If they crucified Jesus, they will crucify us too, they thought. The fear, the anxiety, the anguish! They will come for us! Their hopes for a new kingdom where Jesus would be king, were dashed to pieces, like a mirror falling to the ground. What is Jesus good for now? He’s dead, He’s gone… And into that world as v.19 noted for us “Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!" It must have been quite an entrance. Can u imagine the look on the faces of those disciples? Can u see their jaws drop? Their eyes widened, and then shut again, rubbing their eyes, perhaps sore from crying,
This is what the church is good for… for the resurrected presence of God to be felt in the most desperate of times, into the real experience of day-to-day struggles and fears. Jesus’ presence in their time of need teaches us something…
A. PRESENCE: The presence of the church meets our needs.
The resurrected presence of Jesus speaks peace. He has conquered the emptiness of death and rising from the grave, He speaks peace to who struggle with fear.
Where would the world be if the church, who is the physical presence of the resurrected Jesus, is not around? The hungry are fed, the orphans are looked after, the naked are clothed, houses are built, al inspired by the presence of Jesus in many hearts of true believers. We the church, are his arms and legs, spread throughout the world, meeting needs. We the church are the ones Jesus is using now to speak about His presence in the world. That He is not disconnected with this world’s realities. That is why a metaphor that is used in the Bible many times to describe the church is - a body.
This world is hungering for the voice of Jesus, for the word of God that speaks peace into the emptiness of the pain and anguish this world doles out in extreme portions of horrible generosity.
I don’t know what your fears are, but whatever it is the peace of Christ is calling out today. To you and I and … We need the experience of the peace of Jesus… in fact we are called to this peace. Col. 3:15 “ 15Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.” What are the fears you are feeling? Is there strife, is there pain you have not addressed, locked up inside you? Bring it out now, confess it to Christ now. Let Him walk into it, let Him calm you, let His presence, assure you that you’re no longer alone in your fears.
Remember now ,it is with these same disciples, who feared the Jews, who locked themselves up, after being renewed by experiencing Christ’s coming among them and calmed by the presence and peace of the resurrected Jesus, they began to change the world. That’s what the church is good for… i.e. when the members of the church are changed through experiencing the presence of God. Are you changed? Have you changed, experienced Jesus in a experiential felt and personal way?
There’s a story that has been told in many churches…. Bill had wild hair and wore a T-shirt with holes in it, jeans, and no shoes. He was brilliant, a bit esoteric, and very smart. He became a Christian while in college. Across the street from the university campus was a very conservative church, with many well-dressed and beautifully attired members. They wanted to develop a ministry to students, but weren’t sure how to go about it.
One day Bill decided to go there. He walked in with no shoes, jeans, his T-shirt, and of course his wild hair. The service had already started, so Bill started walking down the aisle looking for a seat. The church was completely packed and he couldn’t find a seat. By now people had noticed him, and they all look a bit uncomfortable, but no one said anything. Bill got closer and closer and closer to the pulpit and, when he realized there were no seats, he just squatted down, sitting right on the carpet. Although perfectly acceptable behavior at a college Christian fellowship group, this had never happened in this church before!
By now the people were really uptight, and the tension in the air was thick. About this time, the minister realized that from the back of the church, an usher was slowly making his way toward Bill. This usher was in his eighties, had silver-gray hair, and wore a distinguished three-piece suit. He was a godly man, very elegant, very dignified.
He walked with a cane and, as he started walking toward this young man,
everyone is saying under their breath, "You can’t blame him for what he’s going to do. How can you expect a man of his age and distinction to understand some college kid sitting on the floor?"
It took a very long time for the man to reach the boy. The church was
utterly silent except for the clicking of the man’s shoes. All eyes were focused on him. You couldn’t even hear anyone breathing. The minister couldn’t even preach the sermon until the usher did what he had to do. When he was upon the boy he dropped his cane and with great difficulty, lowered himself to the ground and sat down. It is a moment filled with poignancy. When the minister regained control, he said, "What I’m about to preach, you might never remember. What you have just seen, you will never forget. Be careful how you live. You may be the only Bible some people will ever read."
You may the only felt presence of Jesus people will ever feel or experienced. Is your demeanor or your face/posture and presence with others filled with the peace and grace of God that speaks those wonderful words of “Peace be with you? Have your fears, your very real self have been touched by Jesus’ resurrected presence? Or does your presence speak another message? Do people around feel you have something they would want in pain and anguish?
2. PLEASURE: The joy of the church is contagious
20After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.
EXAMPLE:
I think that one of the problems we have with evangelism is that we don’t show the lost a true picture of the joy of God’s kingdom. Certainly in the white, southern United Methodist Church I grew up in this was the case. It kind of reminds me of the story of the woman who was visiting the church one Sunday. Not being a regular attendee of the church, when the pastor made a good point in the sermon, she said, "AMEN!" Heads turned to see who was making that racket. Then when the preacher made a really good point, she said, "THANK YOU JESUS!" Folks were getting uncomfortable by then. Finally the preacher made an exceptionally good point and the woman stood up, waved her hands in the air and shouted "HALLELUJAH!" At that point the head usher came up beside her and said, "Madam, what do you think you’re doing?!" She
replied, "I can’t help it, I’ve got religion". The usher replied, "Well, you didn’t get it HERE so sit down and be quiet."
Experiential heartfelt joy. That’s it people! If there are no expressions of that, the church won’t do much good. It will kill faith rather than allowing faith to grow. Thousands that have beefed-up sports cars, who attend raves and then experiment with drugs such as ecstasy , nightclubs, movies, shows people are looking for more than just pure entertainment - they want to experience, want to feel throbbing heart-pounding joy. Every thrill-seeking stunt is a cry for the God of joy to show up. The longing for joy is so loud, that people are using chemicals to deafen it, or produce mind-altering effect that masquerades as joy or ear-blasting music to quiet their longing aching hearts.
It was through the sheer pure joy of the first disciples meeting with the resurrected Jesus that the church has something to say to the world. The aliveness of its worship of a resurrected Savior, the ecstasy of not the drug, but a personal encounter with the presence of God, the Lord Jesus, that shouts “PTL” Thank You Jesus, Hallelujah, that changes hearts. Broken, sin-stained people feeling their dirt washed away by God’s welcome, shame giving way to delight in the presence of God, that’s what the church is good for. This is what got me hooked on the powerful presence of a loving God! Ah the restorative power of God! And so there is purpose for the church…
PURPOSE: The mission to be carried out.
21Again Jesus said, "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you."
Because of the peace, the joy experienced, Jesus is sending us out to tell the world that God is hooked on us, and its time to come home to the welcome of the Father, and be His child through Jesus, and get hooked on Him. Jesus understood his purpose: John 3:17 “for God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world but to save it.”
You and I are sent into a tough world that cries out in pain and anguish and not to condemn it but to tell of a God we have experienced who loves and frees us and values us. The Bible says:
14But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? 15And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"[Rom 10:14-15 (NIV)
HOW CAN THEY HEAR without us. This is why the church is here, this is what the church is good for.
THE POWER and the PARDON: The church is where the power of God is demonstrated and forgiveness of sins is actualized
22And with that he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit.
The church is where the message is heard loud and clear.
23If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.
Collectively, the church has the power to tell the world that everything is alright, the problem we have with God of being alive in God’s presence is solved through Jesus. BUT How will the church speak the words of Jesus? The church must begin to wrestle with her call purpose and rely on the power of God in the pardon given in Jesus. This is what the Lord Jesus is sending the church to do. And the church needs the breath, the wind of the Spirit to carry her. The church can’t do this work and fulfill its purpose without God breathing life into its structure. The church, we all together, need a real experience of the felt presence of God, feel the pleasure of God corporately, encouraged by the power of the Spirit breathed into her by the One who sent us or we will have no say or be relevant to where real fears are fought, where real sins are forgiven in authority of Jesus’ name. Our effectiveness is diminished we withhold forgiveness for our brother and sister and hang on to grudges. If we cannot love each other how will the world know we are His disciples?
To which we must ask ourselves as believers, have we allowed God to touch our corporate fears, our personal hang-ups with church? Have we allowed our past failures to trap us and haunt us, can we confess our corporate sins and be found washed clean in Christ? Have we allowed Jesus to walk into our church’s locked doors which unwittingly or purposefully we have kept locked up for fear... fear of rejection by our own Christian brothers and sisters, fear of being overrun with change that we cannot handle, with the battle scars of years of unconfessed sins individual or corporate failures and numerous excuses we have with demons that fight for our time and effort, feeling spent, discouraged?
Last Monday, I had the opportunity with my family, to view where the salmon fish spawn out somewhere close to Harrison Mills. It was an incredible sight, see thousands of this fish battling their way through the streams and then die there. I see them swimming to their eventual deaths and it seems all for nothing, and I wonder if we feel that way?
What is the church good for? Like the salmon that spawn die, hope arises - for from them comes thousands more of new baby salmon. And I trust that we see our struggles with a view to the future, that many lives will be touched. Now is the time to decide individually or corporately to renew our lives in the
Presence of God
Pleasure of God
Purpose of God
Power and the pardon of God?
