Seeing the BIG Picture
October 8, 2006
CONNECTING People
Video: Passion of the Christ – Garden of Gethsemane
Trans: What a powerful scene! You might be asking what this clip has to do w/ the mission and vision of our church – EVERYTHING!
Note: Jesus has invested (3) years of His life into His disciples. He taught them about the true God and how to serve Him w/ all of their hearts. He taught them about the plan of God to redeem His creation through His sacrifice. He taught them about the purpose of life. And now, in this climatic event, one of them, Peter almost blows it. He didn’t see the BIG PICTURE.
In this story we find a man so zealous for God that he does things in God’s name that God Himself would not do. Peter, thinking he was doing a good thing does an ungodly thing – and it wasn’t the first time. He got in Jesus’ way in the upper room too when Jesus was washing his feet. But in Gethsemane, it was even more dangerous than the upper room incident b/c of what was at stake. (Read John
Note: Rick Shimer and I were talking this week and this text came up. I said that the great lesson in this passage was that we must never do things in God’s name that God Himself wouldn’t do. Then Rick offered a very challenging perspective – the moment Peter pulled his sword out of the sheath and struck Malchus, he empowered the temple guards to secure the situation w/ whatever force was necessary including executing Jesus and the disciples.
Note: We know Peter wasn’t going to thwart God’s plan, but Peter didn’t. He did something in God’s name and it almost prevented the cross. Peter thought he was doing something good, but it compromised the Godly.
Insert: When it comes to following Christ and being a member of His family, it is essential that we understand the big picture of God’s vision and mission so that we do not substitute the good for the godly and get in the way.
Trans: Last week we started a series regarding the vision of our ministry as believers and as a church. If you remember, I made the comment that our job isn’t to conjure up our own manmade vision, but to plug into God’s vision and then to interpret it for our community and culture.
Recap: Last week I introduced to you a renewed, simpler vision for our lives and church that I want to continue expounding upon this AM. Let’s review it.
Vision: FBC White House exists to HONOR God by CONNECTING People, GROWING Believers, and SHARING Hope.
We exist first and foremost to honor God. To honor Him we must have a heart that is CAPTURED by God – captivated as a deer that pants for water so that we will never thirst again; compelled by the love of God b/c we are convinced of His sacrifice; and committed to offer our lives as living sacrifices not conformed to the world but transformed by God.
Trans: Today I want us to look at how we can honor God by CONNECTING people to Jesus and His church. What is a connecting church? Now this might surprise you, but it is really simple – we are to help people to connect w/ God in faith and to His family in fellowship.
I CONNECTING TO FAITH
Note: Whether or not a person in this community ever darkens our church’s door, it’s essential our lives touch theirs as representatives of Christ.
Note: It’s simple, w/out Christ people will die and spend eternity separated from a God who loves them unless we do our part by living and sharing our faith.
Insert: Jesus came to this earth for one reason only – to seek and to save the lost by atoning for sin. (Lk. 19:10) If Jesus’ sole purpose was to enter humanity to redeem it, then it only makes sense that those who’ve received Him are engaged in the same business. We too must go into the world to seek and to save the lost. The key concept to understand is GO!
Verse: The love of Christ compels (to mobilize or move to action) us, for we are convinced of this: that one person died for all people; therefore, all people have died. He died for all people, so that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for the one who died and rose for them… Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. Old things have disappeared, and-look!-all things have become new! All of this comes from God, who has reconciled us to himself through Christ and has given us the ministry of reconciliation. For in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself by not counting their sins against them, and he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were pleading through us. We plead on Christ’s behalf: "Be reconciled to God!" God made Him who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that we might become God’s righteousness in him. 2 Cr. 5:14-21
Word: ambassador – one who represents his homeland in a foreign land by speaking on behalf of his nation on foreign affairs. We represent Jesus in this world to other by our words and actions. Through our words, actions, and attitudes we help people connect w/ God. If they see and believe we’re Christ-followers then they just might listen to us when God’s Spirit begins to minister to them. But if we say we’re one thing and do another, then we injure our ability to influence others for God.
Trans: So how do I engage? Do I need to be trained how to share my faith? Do I need to know the “Romans Road” or “Four Spiritual Laws”? No! You just need to love God and your words and actions will communicate Jesus!
Story: Are you aware that in the early church believers never considered themselves “Christians?” They considered themselves believers or Christ followers. The term Christian was given to those whose lives actually reflected the life and teachings of Jesus by the pagan, unbelieving world.
Note: Our job isn’t to convict, convince, cajole, or convert – that’s God job. We are simply to convey His message by our lives and witness. We’re to love God so much that His love is communicated through our lives.
Note: It is impossible to not talk about something or someone you love – you cannot, not do it. If we love God w/ all of our heart, soul, and strength our lives will live it and our mouths will share it.
Insert: John Fischer Article
Note: How do I begin connecting people to God? By falling in love w/ Jesus and intentionally engaging people for the purpose of influencing them to Christ.
Note: I like to think of it as investing and inviting. Make an investment of your life w/ the hope that b/c of your life w/ Christ you will be asked and enabled to extend and invitation to share about God’s love.
Note: The Christian life isn’t just a matter of BELIEVING, it’s also a matter of BELONGING – and we must CHOOSE to belong.
II CONNECTING TO FAMILY
Note: Belonging is the most basic level of fellowship – the entry level. It’s identifying and aligning w/ a family of believers. Every Christian needs a local body of believers where they can grow and serve God’s Kingdom.
Trans: But belonging doesn’t just fall upon the person visiting. In fact, his only responsibility is to come and give it a try. Belonging falls upon us!
Note: The key to connecting w/ our church is not our worship services, my preaching, or our programs. These things might get people in the door, but they don’t get them to stick – you do! Yes, people come to church for God, but the secret ingredient that gets them to stay in a particular church is the relationships they discover.
Stat: I’ve found that if (10) families visit a church, (2) are likely to stay no matter what you do and (2) are likely never to return, but the remaining (6) families will only connect if the church family is friendly and accepting.
Note: You are members of God’s very own family and you belong in God’s household w/ every other Christian. Eph.2:19 Circle: You belong
Note: B/c we serve a gracious, loving, and accepting God, we too should be eager to help others connect w/ a church family that focuses on God, teaches His word, and accepts people w/ grace into the family.
Point: We have to be ENGAGING, ACCEPTING, and FRIENDLY
Note: People need to know that we genuinely care about them and that we want to get to know them and share life w/ them.
Note: To be a connecting church we must be an inviting. accepting, and friendly people. If we love and believe in our church, then we will want others to come and experience the blessing of loving faith community. And when people visit, we should be eager to befriend then and help then find their fit.
Note: Can I be honest – our church members should be standing in line to see who can be the first person to meet a new person. Bro. Glenn’s phone should never stop ringing from all the people who want to be on the First Impressions Ministry. Yet if the members of our church all possessed an engaging and accepting attitude, would we even need a F.I. team?
Note: Cordial and nice are not the same as engaging and accepting. Cordial requires a handshake and smile, whereas engaging requires an investment of time and relationship. I don’t just shake a hand and sit down, I invite the family to sit w/ my family and introduce them to others around me. I don’t just say, “Good to see you today,” I deliver baked goods, invite them to small group, or give them a phone call.
Action: Sketch the difference b/w being friendly and being engaging
Note: I don’t wait for someone else to do it – I take personal responsibility for helping others connect w/ my church.
Insert: Who helped you connect? (Tell your neighbor) What did they do that you can do too?
