(1) In the circles that I travel in, especially my ministerial circles, there are several common phrases or words that I have heard a great deal in the past several years. One is (1A) ‘casting a vision.’
We read in the Old Testament, “Without a vision the people parish.” Vision is important. We need to have a clear direction for our church, our lives, and our families.
Another phrase that I have heard a great deal is (1B) ‘purpose.’ Rick Warren has written two best selling books with ‘purpose’ in their title, “The Purpose Driven Church’ and ‘The Purpose Driven Life.’ Both are excellent books.
In another day and age, I think the equivalent phrase was ‘The Lord’s Will.’ ‘It is the Lord’s will that…’ “I believe that the Lord’s will for me is to…” Today we substitute the phrase with the word, ‘purpose.’ ‘God’s purpose for me is…’ ‘I am sensing God’s purpose is beginning to change…’
A third word is one that I like. It is a big one these days, closely aligned with ‘casting a vision.’ It is ‘passion.’ (1C)
I hear the question quite frequently, ‘What is your ministry passion? What are you passionate about for the Lord?’
However, it is also a bit overwhelming because there are days when you feel no passion what so ever. Passion is about strengths, about what you are good at.
There is another word, one that is in my title, closely related to vision and purpose, and even passion. It is the word, (1D) ‘agenda.’
Now agenda can have a negative connotation to it. It implies intent to get your way on something. This is especially true in an election year as we hear more and more from candidates and their political agendas. All of these words imply, however, an effort to achieve a goal much like trying to aim a dart at the bull’s eye.
I have heard these phrases and words said by speakers at pastors’ meetings, in articles about church growth, in e-mail columns that I receive, and some of the magazines that I read about the church and other organizations. The challenge as I see it these days is that words and phrases, like these, get over used and degenerate into fads. This makes it a challenge when it comes to helping people come to faith in Christ. It almost seems like sales pitches these days.
(2)As followers of Jesus Christ, as the Church, (2A) we have an unfinished agenda, (2B) we have a purpose, (2C) we have a passion, (2D) we have a vision before us (2E) but it is not ours it is the Lord’s! (2F)
And it is found in our main texts for this morning. It is found in the Great Commission ‘to go and make disciples’ and in the Pentecost empowerment to be ‘witnesses for Christ.’
In the opening chapter of Acts and verse 3 we read, ‘During the forty days after his crucifixion, he appeared to the apostles from time to time and proved to them in many ways that he was actually alive. On these occasions he talked to them about the Kingdom of God.”
I wonder what they specifically talk about. I wonder what Jesus did to prove that He was actually alive. We get some hints from the previous scriptures that we looked at last Sunday. But I also wonder where He was and what He was doing when He wasn’t with the disciples. Why did He only appear ‘from time to time?’ Why didn’t He have constant communication with them as He did before His death and resurrection? Did they have quite a few ‘ah ha!’ experiences as Jesus’ teachings became clearer to them with the resurrection behind them?
What were they hoping for? What questions did they ask Jesus? If you had been one of the disciples, what would you have been thinking and feeling? What would have been one of your wishes?
We have some glimpses into their thoughts and feelings, especially in Acts 1:6 where they repeatedly ask Jesus, “Lord, are you going to free Israel now and restore our kingdom?” Jesus makes clear that all of that is in God’s hands and not to worry about it. (3)Then He goes on to share (3) God’s agenda, an unfolding and unfinished agenda.
This agenda is unfolding because God is still at work in our world today. He is at work in our community in ways large and small. He is at work in our nation, though we are sorely tempted to think that he no longer has any influence. He is at work in the world seeking people to come to Him through His Son Jesus Christ.
This unfolding agenda is revealed in our main texts for a couple of reasons. (4) First, God’s agenda was not about one group of people at a specific place and time. It is about all of humanity throughout history.
In Luke 23: 44-46 we read, ‘By this time it was noon, and darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock. The light from the sun was gone. And suddenly, the thick veil hanging in the Temple was torn apart. Then Jesus shouted, “Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands!” And with those words he breathed his last.’
This thick veil separated The Most Holy Place where only the High Priest, the top priest could enter. The other priests could only enter the Holy Place while the people could not enter either place and had to remain in the courts.
Furthermore, the High Priest could only enter the Most Holy Place once a year to make a sin offering on behalf of all the people. Not so today is it? I don’t have to go out and kill a lamb and sprinkle its blood on our altars or communion table. And I don’t have to do it all by myself with no one else around. Aren’t you glad? I am!
Christ’s death and resurrection made all of that moot, no longer important. The tearing of the veil meant that the old covenant no longer applied and that anyone and everyone could come to Christ.
Now it caused some problems in the early years of the church. There were those who, steeped in the traditions and practices with which they were raised, said people needed to go through those same practices and traditions if they were going to follow Jesus. Others said no it is not about rituals and rules. It is about grace and mercy, Christ’s grace and mercy. It got kinda of ugly sometimes.
Therefore, part of what we read in Acts and in Paul’s writing is an attempt to answer the question, “What really constitutes being a Christian? Is it keeping the old ways and infusing them with new meaning? Or is it radically different?”
But, God’s agenda did not change. It was still an agenda of transformation and it clearly involved the person and work of Jesus Christ. Paul made that clear in such places as I Corinthians 1:2, “We are writing to the church of God in Corinth, you who have been called by God to be his own holy people. He made you holy by means of Christ Jesus, just as he did all Christians everywhere—whoever calls upon the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and theirs.” So, (5) in Matthew 28 Jesus gives the disciples (and in turn, us) a major agenda – “bring people to faith in Me and help them grow in that faith.”
These agenda items involve two important tasks: evangelism and discipleship. Now, evangelism is another one of those emotionally laden terms that scare some people and alienate others.
Evangelism is simply telling the story of Jesus. It is not brow beating people. It is not shoving a Bible in someone’s face, yelling, and screaming at him or her. That may be the way it once was, but that does not work anymore.
Some here may have heard about the Christian website, off the map.org going on EBay, the auction website and winning a bid for an atheist’s services. Has anybody heard about that?
What happened was that an atheist named Hemant Mehta placed his services as an atheist on EBay to the highest bidder and “Off the Map” won the bid. It was $504, which was their entire 2006 ad budget according to a posting on their website.
Hemant’s assignment was to visit various churches, assess their message, and approach to evangelism. He has had some interesting things to say about the church and Christianity. Some of it may make us angry to read it but he has made some valid points. I share this story because I want to emphasize the fact that in giving us the assignment to go and make disciples of all nations, we need to be aware of the cynicism these days about the church and Christianity.
(6) Evangelism is about demonstrating as well as telling the Christian faith in the best ways possible with the best motive possible, love.
Now, the other half of the Great Commission involves discipleship. What’s that?
Again, it is another one of those church words that we need to define. Discipleship is the process of growing in our faith and it involves, vision, passion, and purpose.
‘The Purpose Driven Life’ is a book that I believe has made the Biblical mandate for discipleship very clear and practical and I like the use of the word SHAPE in describing how we are equipped for a ministry in the church and the mission in the world. (7)
SHAPE stands for Spiritual Gifts, Heart, Abilities, Personality, and Experience
In a nutshell, the point of the word is that all of us have been uniquely created by God to serve Him in a variety of important places and situations inside and outside of the church. Discipleship is more than learning more ‘stuff.’ It is about putting into practice each and every day what we have learned from Bible Study and worship on Sunday and at other times.
So, the first part of God’s agenda is that all of humanity is to be reached with a specific message, the message of salvation through Christ. (8)The second part of God’s agenda is that means of telling this message is…us! (8A)You and me!
I cannot remember who said this, it could have been Bill Hybels or Rick Warren, but someone said something to the effect that ‘God has trusted the fulfillment of the Great Commission to imperfect human beings. Those imperfect human beings include you … and me. But it is ‘us’ (all of us!) who profess faith and trust in Christ that is a part of this agenda.
It is not a clergy only club. It involves all of us. ‘But how, Jim? I can’t give 40 hours a week to the church. I have a family to think of and other responsibilities.’
It is not the amount of time but something else as we are told in Acts 1:8 … being empowered witnesses. (9) “But when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, you will receive power and will tell people about me everywhere.”
When we confess our sins and accept the forgiveness of God, we are automatically a part of the church. That is what we teach in the Church of God. (One of our slogans, if you will, of many years ago was, ‘Where a Christian experience makes you a member.’) But, that experience comes with some obligations, Biblical obligations, namely, become a witness, a Spirit empowered witness.
A witness testifies to what he or she saw or experienced. That is what a witness does.
So, let me give you a three open-end statements based on a book that some of us have, ‘Steps Toward Spiritual Maturity’ by David Durey.
1. (10) Before I confessed my sins and accepted God’s forgiveness I lived and thought this way.
2. (11) How I came to the point of being born again was as follows...
3. (12) After experience God’s forgiveness through Christ, the following changes have, and are, taking place in my life…
What is your answer to these statements? How you answer them is critical because for the Christian faith to be well shared requires credibility as evidenced by a clear change in our actions, attitudes, and speech.
‘Jim, you are asking for the impossible. I’m not perfect like you are.’
Who said that? I am not perfect either! But am I available? Am I willing to serve as God leads? Yes I am! How about you?
(13) What then does all of this mean? What’s not just my point, but what is the point of our texts and this segment of the Bible?
(14) Jesus’ ministry, death, and resurrection had a point to it, and it still does today. (14A) First and foremost, it is that humanity needs to be spiritually changed.
Second, while this change is possible only by the work of Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit, (14B) God uses people as His witnesses because it was for people that He died and rose again!
Third, (14C) this agenda is an unfinished agenda because the Lord has yet to return. We don’t know when and we don’t know how because of what Jesus said in Acts 1:7, “The Father sets those dates and they are not for you to know.
So while we work and wait for His return, we have a clear agenda before us- ‘to go and make disciples’ by being His witnesses everywhere we go and everywhere He sends us.
Jesus did not die on the cross for humankind so that we could gather and have a nice time. Jesus Christ died so that (15) we can be changed for the better because we need to be changed.
I conclude with a challenge. In a recent conversation with several colleagues, one suggested that perhaps some laypersons are designated ‘Bridge Builders’ and a released from ministry within the church walls and tasked for ministry outside the church walls.
As she shared that thought, Jesus’ use of the word, ‘Go,’ in the Great Commission immediately came to mind. Then I reflected on the broad scope of the witness in Acts 1:8, Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and beyond that made me realize Jesus expected the faith to spread outside of Jerusalem into the surrounding areas and beyond.
(16) So, we need some ‘Bridge Builders.’ We need some people who are willing to start a small group or some kind of ministry in the community to reach people, bring them to faith, and help them find their place of ministry in and through the church. What about you? Could God be asking you to be a bridge builder? If He would ask you, what would you answer Him?
Sources: Rick Warren, ‘The Purpose Driven Life.’ David Durey, ‘Steps Toward Spiritual Maturity.’
Power Points for this sermon are available by e-mailing me at pastorjim46755@yahoo.com and asking for ‘043006svgs’ Please note that all slides for a particular presentation may not be available.
