Matthew 16:16-19
The Church on the edge
The last few weeks we talked about being the church on the edge and how to get there and on the edge of what. What it show us even though it might be scary or way out of our comfort zone.
We talked about how the church has no walls. We can not worship the place we meet at but we can worship at the place we meet.
We talked about not owning the church—it is Jesus’ Church
We also talked about knowing where we were in Christ- in Him, clothed with Him. Last week we talked about being on the edge of eternity and how to be there with Anticipating, Expecting and Rejoicing, at His return
But today I wish to talk to you about what we are on the edge of still.
I grew up in the50s&60s with practical parents. A mother, God love her, who washed aluminum foil after she cooked in it, then reused it. She was the original recycle queen, before they had a Name for it... A father who was happier getting old shoes fixed than buying new ones.
Their marriage was good, their dreams focused. Their best friends lived barely a wave away. I can see them now, Dad in trousers, tee shirt and a hat and Mom in a house dress, lawn mower in one hand, and dish-towel in the other. It was the time
For fixing things. A curtain rod, the kitchen radio, screen door, the oven door, the hem in a dress, Things we keep.
It was a way of life, and sometimes it made me crazy. All that re-fixing, eating, renewing, I wanted just once to be wasteful. Waste meant affluence. Throwing things away meant you knew there’d always be more.
But then my Dad died, and on that clear summer’s night, I was struck with the pain of learning that sometimes there isn’t any more.
Sometimes, what we care about most gets all used up and goes away...never to return. So... while we have it... its best we love it.... and care for it... and fix it when it’s broken...... and heal it when it’s sick.
This is true. For marriage..... And old cars.... and children with bad report cards..... And dogs with bad hips.... and aging parents..... And grandparents. We keep them because they are worth it, because we are worth it. Some things we keep. Like a best friend that moved away or a classmate we grew up with.
There are just some things that make life important, like people we know who are special..... And so, we keep them close!
I received this from someone who thinks I am a ’keeper’.
NINE THINGS GOD WON’T ASK ON THAT DAY WE MEET HIM FACE TO FACE.
1... God won’t ask what kind of car you drove. He’ll ask how many people you drove who didn’t have transportation.
2... God won’t ask the square footage of your house, He’ll ask how many people you welcomed into your home.
3... God won’t ask about the clothes you had in your closet, He’ll ask how many you helped to clothe.
4... God won! ’t ask w hat your highest salary was. He’ll ask if you compromised your character to obtain it.
5... God won’t ask what your job title was. He’ll ask if you performed your job to the best of our ability.
6... God won’t ask how many friends you had. He’ll ask how many people to whom you were a friend.
7... God won’t ask in what neighborhood you lived, He’ll ask how you treated your neighbors.
8... God won’t ask about the color of your skin, He’ll ask about the content of your character.
9... God won’t ask why it took you so long to seek Salvation. He’ll lovingly take you to your mansion in heaven, and not to the gates of Hell.
You see what I wish to speak to you today about is being on the edge of something so hard for some people they would run for there lives rather than do this.
But to be on the edge we must be Intimate with each other as well as God.
But you might ask how do we get there?
Intimate according to Webster is ++++ closely associated, very familiar, very close. Resulting from careful study.
1. We must be intimate with ourselves.
What I mean is we must do a great self evaluation.
Ask the hard questions. Why do we do what we do? Good, bad or otherwise.
Why do we serve or love others?
Why do we love and serve God?
Why, Why, Why? The answer will tell us a lot about ourselves.
If we will admit the truth to those questions.
A. Some of us have problems with others because we do not like ourselves.
If we feel that way it makes it very difficult to relate to others and open up to them, or even be true friends with them.
We need to understand God does not make JUNK. We are made in His image (Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image and likeness. GEN 1:26 International version, or in the KJV Then God said, “Let Us make man in our image, according to our likeness)
We need to know ourselves so we can see our weaknesses and strengths.
God already knows them. You saw my body as it was formed.
All the days planned for me were written in your book before I was one
Day old (Psalm 139:16 children international version) God has made you just the way He wanted, not the way you wanted. God made you for Him not for yourself, or other words He created you for others not for self. All we need to do is be the best us we can be for God. That is all He asks! BE THE BEST YOU CAN BE!! BE YE HOLY AS I AM HOLY!!!!
But to be on the edge of intimacy we must also...
2. Be intimate with others.
To be intimate with others we must first be open with them. You know what you see is really what you get. Be honest about who and what you are. Please understand this can be dangerous as some people can not wait to tell others about your short falls and problems, To be close to them you first must get to know them, because trust must move in both directions, if they can trust you, you must know if you can trust them.
You must get to know the person and that takes time.
But to BE in the edge or Intimacy we must also...
3. Be Intimate with God
Christianity is neither contemplation nor action. It is participation. Contemplation is looking at God as if he were an object. But if you participate in God in the sense that you let yourself be immersed in him and with Him, you will go to the cross like him, you will go to work like him, you will clean shoes, do the washing up and the cooking, all like him. You cannot do otherwise because you will have become part of him. You will do what he loves to do.
Only spending time with Him and His word can we truly become intimate with Him. Come near to God, and God will come near to you.(James 4:8)
A bride was very nervous. It was right before the service. She wasn’t sure she could even walk down aisle. Her mother gave her some words of calming wisdom. She said to her. “Honey, there’s only three things you need to focus on. If you focus on these three things, you’ll be fine. The first is walking down the aisle. Just focus on walking down the aisle of the church. I know it’s rather long, but just concentrate on that. Don’t get caught up with those on either side of the aisle. Just focus on getting to the end of the aisle. Next, focus on the altar. It is your destination today. Make your way down the aisle to the altar. There you will stand before God with the man you love and will make vows to God and him. God will also make vows to you. Focus on the altar that represents the love God has for you in Jesus Christ. Last, focus on the hymn that the soloist will sing. In poetry and song, the hymn embodies God’s love for you in Christ, your love for your husband and his love for you. So, to help you not be so nervous, focus on those three things. Walking down the aisle, standing before the altar and listening to the hymn.” The bride was very thankful to her mom for her words of advice. The family and friends gathered watched as she walked down the aisle and noticed a look of calm determination on her face. But as she passed them, they began to chuckle quietly. For along with the look of calm determination, she was mumbling three words over and over to help calm her nerves. As she passed them, they heard her saying, “Aisle, Altar, Hymn… Aisle, Altar, Hymn… Aisle, Altar, Hymn.”...
You see her mom had it right, keep our focus on the direction we are going not paying attention to anything to either side of us only looking forward moving to the alter of God where we will meet Him as His bride(the Church)
And the hymn, the song sung to worship who He is. You see to be truly Intimate with God we must worship Him and by doing so we know Him closer and closer every day as we worship Him daily.
In Closing: Do you want to be on the edge?
You must first get there to the edge that is, then stand at the edge of eternity being intimate with God and His people.
ARE YOU WILLING TO GO THERE? Lets start now being on the edge with God as His church and His people.
