What Do People Find When They Come To Viewmont?

WHAT DO PEOPLE FIND WHEN THEY COME TO VBC

October 28, 2012 Jay Robison PS 16:1-11 HEB 10:19-25

If the department of transportation is to be believed and

They ought to know, each week over 150K pass by VBC

Knowing that must ask ourselves few Qs who are they?

What are needs? How are we touching them? Imagine some

He’s 35 tires screeching, late for work again, fought with wife

She’s 28 single w\3 kids may be evicted no job dad no pay

He’s 19 never been so far from home lonely getting lost at LR

At 72 this is 1st fall without beloved wife of 50 yrs grieving

She’s 16 pregnant boyfriend said loved her but only that night

At 45 they told him you’ve got cancer, she’s 52 went to VBS as kid but never grew up in the faith can all that stuff help

What about the cynics, those who have been abused ex-cons

Broken people, shattered families, what about up and out

Passages today tell of what we find at Viewmont

1. Find God

Know God is everywhere but when we come here holy place

Common human Q is there a God if so what is god like?

We hear about all that is wrong with the world does God care

Pray that when we come to VBC have experience with God

To know not forsaken, if at service or coming for other reason

Know that we seeking to live God ways something different

Worship focused not on politics, our ideas, or needs on God

Like way Psalmist said I’ve run for dear life to you,

Be my Lord! Without you nothing makes sense Ps 16:2 Msg

Hebrews 10:22 says let us draw near to God

Bible lists all kinds of people running from God

Adam Moses those at the cross assurance we can run to God

When come to VBC do we invite them to holy place with God

If you go to London could be directed to Buckingham Palace

But does not mean audience with the queen

Jesus does not just direct us to God but opens way to God

At Viewmont we want to be a bridge to God for people

Because of Jesus the veil which represented divider us\God

In Temple to show not in holiest of holies

Has been removed so in Jesus we have a new life giving way

Ps 16:7 I will praise the Lord who counsels me

Even at night my heart instructs me TNIV

2. Find significance to life

What is the greatest threat to human life today?

Is it racism? Materialism? Terrorism? Poverty?

All of these are significant, but greatest threat is sin

Medical advances have forced the question of what we can do vs what we should do

Human sin effects all of us, and our relationships

Heb 10 tells us that Jesus has provided once for all sacrifice

For our sins, so we take sin seriously, our sins,

Vs 22 now we can approach God with thanksgiving

Because of forgiveness found in Jesus

Psalmist said as far as the east is from the west

So far have our sins been separated from us.

Are we the kind of church that loves sinners?

Or do we judge them? Jesus loved sinners as matter of fact

Accused of being friend to sinners associating too closely

We are called beyond our sins to relationship with God

That is why we have been created to know and love God

John Paton was translating Bible into New Hebrides language

Frustrated with no word for faith; one day many came in

Flopped down on a big chair asked word for that

Flopping down in chair ultimate dependence

Psalms 16:5 My choice is you God first and only

And now I find I’m your choice. Message

Hebrews says it let us hold tightly without wavering

To the hope we affirm for God can be trusted

To keep his promise. Heb 10:23 NLT

In other words our faith is not just series of affirmations

But a way to life to be embraced

At VBC should find a challenge to live God centered life

Will find those who have gone a little farther in faith

Than we have who help us take next steps with God

3. Find Encouraging Community

It is becoming increasingly hard to find community

We are so divided over political, racial, educational, income

Differences that threaten the fabric of our society

But God has created us as social beings

Majority of us will marry at one time or another

We live in cities, work as teams

When people come to VBC to they find community here

Are we permeated with a cooperative spirit

Do we have a sense in which we lean on one another

Great example for the world which is so divided