"Building Something That Lasts"
Philippians 2:3-8
Sunday, February 4, 2007
(taken from "Seismic Shifts" by Kevin G. Harney)

Introduction: If you think about our world today, you realize that it is quite complex. Cars are now computerized, electronics are a regular part of our world, and we rely greatly on computers. So to make sure that things go along smoothly, it is important to give them attention and care on a regular basis. Tami and I make sure that we get our cars an oil change about every 5,000 miles. I have a program on my computer called Fix-It Utilities, that allows me to run regular checks so that I can keep my computer functioning properly. And for our bodies, it is a good decision to get a regular physical check-up.

This morning, I want to talk about how our relationships are important, and to keep them going well, we should take the time to give them the care and attention they need. I also want to talk about how the way we use our words and actions will help to avoid unnecessary pain, and lead us to greater depth of health and vitality in all of our relationships.

I. From Burning to Building- (James 3:5-6, 8; Proverbs 12:18, 18:21)

The first shift I want to talk about this morning is burning to building.

a. A great force- On January 9 of this year, there was a wind-blown fire

that swept through the ocean front homes of Malibu. The fire was believed to have started across the street from Pepperdine University, off of Pacific Coast Highway. Going to Camarillo last weekend with my family, we passed right by where it started. It is amazing to see how a small fire can become a huge blaze that is out of control./ Just like a damage from a fire, our words can cause damage and get out of control fast. As we are told in James 3:5-6, “…How great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire! And the tongue is a fire…” The tongue can cause great harm, as we are told in Proverbs 18:21- “The tongue has the power of life and death…” and Proverbs 12:18- “Reckless words pierce like a sword...” You may remember the little saying, “Sticks and stones will break your bones but words will never hurt you.” It sounds good, but isn’t true. That is why God gives us many warnings in the Bible about how we use our words.

The Bible tells us that King Solomon was the wisest man that ever lived, and he understood that words have the potential to burn or to build. They can pierce or they can heal. They can bring death or life. And if we are not careful, it is easy for us to get very negative in the way we use our words. So to keep our relationships healthy, we need to learn to control our speech.

Isn’t it interesting how often times the harshest words we use are to those who we love the most? Our spouse, our children, our parents, our brothers or sisters. Maybe it is because we know that they will still love us and be with us after we speak to them in those ways. But sometimes that is not even the case. We can drive people away with our words; we can turn people against us; we can hurt people’s self-esteem.

Example- In his book “Seismic Shifts,” which we are using for this sermon series, the author Kevin Harney tells of a time that his fourth grade teacher was instructing the class to turn in their reading book to page 57. She then announced that there was a picture of Kevin Harney on that page. Kevin was excited that he got his picture in a school book, and so he was trying to quickly turn to the page. Some of the other kids got there first and started to laugh. When Kevin got there, what he saw was a picture of a monkey in a cage. The teacher, who didn’t like Kevin, thought this was a funny joke. It wasn’t. It wounded Kevin for many years.

We may think our harsh words are justified, but they never are. We were not created by God to harm anyone with our words, especially those whom we love.

b. Guard your mouth- You may have had some experience like this in

your life; an experience where someone hurts you with their words. With me it was at my last church. There were some problems with the staff, and so we tried to deal with it as best we could. In the end we had to fire the custodian, who was the husband of the choir director. This caused great problems with some members in the church who blamed me for the firing. I ultimately ended up leaving the church. And on my last day, as I was standing at the door greeting people, a woman from the choir, who had caused me great turmoil, approached me. I could tell she was going to say something, and I wondered if her last words to me might be words of encouragement. But they weren’t. Her last words to me were: “You know that this was all your fault.” And then she left. It took me a few years to get over those words and forgive her. WE NEED TO LEARN HOW TO GUARD OUR MOUTHS!

And yet James also tells us in 3:8, “No one can tame the tongue…” It is like Siegfried and Roy’s tigers in their magic show; they thought they were tamed. But one fateful day, one of the tigers attacked and almost killed Roy. But should we be surprised? They were playing with tigers!! The tongue cannot be fully tamed, but we can exercise self-control. If we are mindful to how the tongue can damage, then hopefully we will be more careful with our words.

This means that we should seek to keep from criticizing, grumbling, complaining, and deceiving. Rather, we should seek to speak words of encouragement, blessing, positive suggestions, and truth. As we are told in Ephesians 5:29- “Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but rather that which is good for building up, according to the need of the moment, that it may give grace to those who hear.”

II. From Served to Serving- (Philippians 2:6-7; John 13:3-5)

The second shift is from served to serving.

a. To serve or be served? In life we start out by being served. Our diaper

gets changed when it is dirty, we are given a bath, and our food is fed to us. And so as we get older, it is hard to move from this attitude that we should be served. How nice is it when someone else serves us?

In business this can be true as well. The higher you move up the more people you have to take care of your needs. But Jesus turns this thinking on its head. Jesus came and gave us an example of what it means to serve others. Paul tells us this in Philippians 2:6-7, “being in very nature God, He did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant…” One of the greatest examples of this was from John 13:3-5, “Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.”

And then He said to the disciples, “You call me ‘teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet.” / The dilemma is that our world gives us such a different message. However, if you long for healthy relationships, then decide to serve others. It takes strength and confidence to serve others. And when you serve others, you actually feel better about yourself, and draw others into a closer relationship with you.

b. Serving those outside the church- We are called to serve as

individuals, and we are called to serve as a church. In fact, this call to serve is not just about us serving each other in the church. It is a call to serve those outside of the church as well; service in the community. To do this we have to make this as a priority. We can’t get so caught up in the work of the church that we don’t have time to serve outside.

Example- I got a great example of this when I was in high school. My high school youth group decided to do a service project to the community. We contacted a community leader, and told them we wanted to help clean-up the community. So they gave us a few projects, and on a Saturday, we went out in different groups fulfilling these projects. One was to clean-up a field that was overcome with trash. Another was to paint the dugouts of a baseball field at the local park. And at the end of the day, we gathered together to share our stories!

Two weeks ago our church had a wonderful experience of service. We went to the church “His Nesting Place,” which is a church that helps and houses unwed mothers, and we cooked and served them a meal. It was wonderful to give them a night off, and to watch as they entered the dining room, sit down, and have their meal served to them. They were so thankful for the love we showed to them. We had 16 youth and 12 adults go on this outing. And everyone I talked to had an amazingly positive experience!! This is what our Mission Field Trips (on the fourth Monday of each month) are allowing us to do; serve our community.

There are so many possibilities for this, and if you have any ideas, please share them with me. We make a great impact in the lives of others when we serve them, and we draw people to us into deeper relationship.

III. From Flattery to Truth Telling- (Proverbs 18:17; Matthew 18:15-17)

The third shift is from flattery to truth telling.

a. Telling the truth to ourselves-

Example- On April 21, 1980, Rosie Ruiz won the Boston Marathon with the

third fastest time ever recorded by a female runner. She finished the 26-mile race in just two hours, thirty-one-minutes, and fifty-six seconds. The crowd watched as she accepted the victory with raised arms. In a manner of minutes, questions began to rise about her win. Authorities reviewed the video evidence, and could not see her running the race at any of the checkpoints. None of the competitors remembered her passing them. No one could produce even one photograph of her running. Finally, they found some spectators who admitted they saw her jump into the race in the final half mile. Rosie Ruiz was stripped of her victory. Rosie continued to insist she ran the race, and to this day has never admitted any wrongdoing.

If you have ever watched court TV, you know that in the end, both sides are bending the truth to get the verdict to go their way. Proverbs 18:17 says, “The first to present his case seems right, till another comes forward and questions him.” Human nature never changes. We are willing to bend the truth to get our way.

There is a wonderful little cartoon titled: “What he sees, what she sees.” In the first frame is an overweight man looking at himself in the mirror. But as he looks at himself, he sees Mr. Olympia. In the second frame is a woman with a lean and shapely figure looking at herself in the mirror, but she sees an overweight woman. In both cases, they do not have an honest perception of themselves. We too often will tailor our opinion to how we perceive things. But we need to make the seismic shift of believing the truth about ourselves. And the reality is the truth isn’t as bad as we think. In Christ, we are wonderfully created. And in Christ, we can achieve great things!

b. Telling the truth to others- And yet we also need to learn how to tell

the truth to others. I don’t mean being mean. I mean being straight with people. For example, if someone you knew had a piece of food stuck in their teeth, would you tell them? If we love people, we will tell them when they have food in their teeth. And this principle applies to all areas of life. But in our honesty, we need to be diplomatic. For example, if my wife asks me how she looks in an outfit, I might comment on the color, or whether or not it is her style. Again, I am talking about speaking the truth in love. And in love we seek to be supportive and kind, while still being honest. The same is true for Tami with me. If I am wearing something that does not look good on me, I would prefer Tami to tell me this.

Another important area of being truthful with others, is being able to tell people when they have hurt you. The process has been laid out by Jesus in Matthew 18:15-17. The process goes like this: First, you don’t say anything to anyone until you have first gone to the person who has hurt you, and talk to them. Then you share humbly and honestly how what they have done has hurt you. After you share, be ready to listen and reconcile. Second, if you have difficulty reconciling it with them one on one, take someone with you and meet with them again. The person you take with you should be someone who knows them, and loves them, and wants the two of you to be reconciled. Sometimes a third party can be a good mediator. Third, if that doesn’t work, see if they will meet with you and your pastor. Hopefully by this point you have reconciled. But if you haven’t, then you will need to separate yourself from them for a while to give time for cooling off. In this time, still pray for them and love them. Remember, there is no place in this process for gossip.

There is no truth in gossiping about others.

Conclusion: God wants us to have healthy relationships. But relationships take work. In our relationships we need to seek to speak words that build up, not tear down. In our relationships we need to give of ourselves in service, not expect that others will serve us. And we need to be truthful with words of love. You might be living in this way already in your relationships, and the sermon today is just a check-up for you to keep them healthy. Or, this sermon today may be challenging you to do more in your relationships. Either way, I encourage you to reflect on the important relationships in your life, and make sure that you are living in a way God calls us to live. By doing this, we will glorify God, and will set an example for others to live in this way as well. May God bless us as we seek to live for Him, today and always. Amen.

"Bringing About Health"
Sunday, January 28, 2007
Philippians 4:6-7
(taken from "Seismic Shifts" by Kevin G. Harney)

Introduction: There is a joke which says: “You know when you have crossed over from childhood to adulthood. A child must take a nap, but doesn’t want to. An adult wants to take a nap but doesn’t have the time.” People laugh at this joke, but there is great truth to it. We live in a culture filled with people who long to feel rested, but most often are not. We live in a culture where people want to be healthy, but don’t do the right things to be healthy.

While the truth is that even though life spans are getting longer, the quality of life is not getting better. We have more medications, treatments, and surgical procedures to keep us going, but so many people don’t seem to be feeling healthier. According to the Daily Health Policy Report, medical spending in the United States went up over $314 billion dollars between 1987 and 2000. With all this money spent, you would think that people today should feel more rested, healthy and at peace.

Unfortunately, we have become like what the little girl who declared in exasperation: “The faster I go, the behinder I get.”

This morning, as we continue in our Seismic Shifts series, talking about the small shifts we need to make to create positive change in our lives, I want to talk about how rest and health really is available to us.

I. From Rushing to Slowing- (Matthew 11:28-30; Genesis 2:2-3;

Exodus 20:10; Mark 2:27)

Robert has no time to spare in his schedule. From the moment he gets up in

the morning, he hits the floor running. He knows there is no way he can move fast enough to accomplish everything on his schedule for the day. After a quick breakfast he moves from one commitment to another. He doesn’t get home until 7:30 p.m., but even then he can’t rest because he has another 2 hours of work to do. The surprise here, is that Robert is not some protégé working for a Fortune 500 company, Robert is a normal high school freshman who works hard to get good grades, play in the school band, and excel at 2 sports!!

a. A God of rest- We live in a pathologically busy culture. We live frantic

lives. But into this frantic life, God speaks words of hope. Jesus says to us, in Matthew 11:28-30, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." In this verse, God is speaking to us about some core issues: weariness, burden, and rest.

God has good news for us who struggle in any of these areas, and that is we can overcome. But to overcome we must slow down; maybe even take a nap. We need to discover that the Lord is still the Shepherd who can lead us to green pastures. And on top of all of this, God has given us the example we need to follow. Listen to Genesis 2:2-3, “By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.” Why did God rest? Was He tired? Did He need a day off? Was He fatigued from all the creating He had done? Did He need to recharge His batteries?

The answer to all of these questions is NO!! God rested, He took a day off, as an act of love. He rested so that He could model for you and me how rest is essential for our health and well-being.

Most people live frantic lives because it keeps them from having to evaluate the health and productivity of their life. Or they live frantic lives because it makes them feel like they are making a difference. Or they live frantic lives because they don’t know how to say “no.” But God wants us to stop running, turn around, and face Him. He wants us to discover the peace that can only be found when we rest in Him!

b. Understanding Sabbath- What I am talking about is referred to in the

Bible as the Sabbath. Keeping the Sabbath is one of the 10 commandments. As we are told in Exodus 20:10- “But the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work.” But people down the ages have tried to sidestep this command by asking: “What is work?” The bottom line of the command is not to do it because it is required of us, but to do it because it is helpful for us. That is why Jesus said in Mark 2:27- “The Sabbath is made for people, not people for the Sabbath.”

So to live out the Sabbath as more than just a rule or law, we need to understand the Sabbath. By definition, “the Sabbath is the God-ordained discipline of setting aside one day out of seven for the sake of refreshing worship of the Lord, joyful community with His people, and rest-filled activity that is different from what we do on the other days of the week.” In short, it is to help us grow closer to God, to God’s people, and to find some rest and refreshment.

So, the Sabbath is to be a day that is different from our other days. So work and rest are different for some than for others. EXAMPLE- I discovered this when Tami and I got married. When we got married, Tami was a professional golfer. When she was not traveling and, playing in tournaments, she would be at the golf course practicing all day. The first time we were to go on a vacation, we talked about what we might want to do. I suggested we go golfing. But in our discussion, I realized that for Tami, this was her work. She wanted to get away from her work on our vacation. What for me would be leisure, to her was work.

So what is rest? Let me show you some pictures, and you tell me if you think it is rest and acceptable to do on the Sabbath. (View slide show- Picture 1, cooking; Picture 2, beach; Picture 3, racquetball; Picture 4, sleeping; Picture 5, riding; Picture 6, worship.) Any of these could be restful and good for the Sabbath depending on the person. When we rush through life, we miss much of what God has for us. We skim over relationships, fail to go deep with God, and fail to experience what God has for us.

II. From Stuffed to Satisfied- (1 Corinthians 6:19-20; Romans 12:1-2)

a. A living sacrifice- EX. When I started seriously dating Tami, I got

invited to her house to eat. When you eat at Tami’s parents house, there is always a lot of food! Not only that, but they have desert at almost every meal. It is not hard to get stuffed. You know stuffed, right? Stuffed is when you eat so much that you feel uncomfortable. Stuffed is when the food is so good you can’t stop eating until you realize you have had too much. I finally realized that I had to be smart in how I approached my eating. I decided that I could enjoy all of the different dishes, but in moderation; only a little of each one. In this way I could be satisfied with what I ate, but not be stuffed.

We are called by God to honor God with our bodies. God made our bodies, and He makes it clear that He is concerned about how we care for them. As we are told in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own, you were bought with a price. Therefore, honor God with your body.” The Holy Spirit takes residence in the body of each person who follows Jesus. God cares about how we treat our bodies, and so should we. We are His temple, His dwelling place.

We are called to offer all of ourselves to God. As Romans 12:1-2 says: “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” This means that we enjoy the good that God offers us, but we don’t over-consume. Eating too much can harm our bodies.

Since God dwells in us, He wants us to keep His temple in good repair; a fit place for the King of Kings to make His throne. So what I am talking about here is not just for those with eating disorders. It is for all of us, because eating right is important for us to maintain good health. What I am talking about are commonsense steps that we can adopt so that we might keep our bodies at the right shape and size that will honor God and bring us joy.

b. Maintaining God’s temple- As I said before, you don’t have to eat

until you are stuffed. Learn to eat until you are merely satisfied. Now, even though I say that, I have to confess that I broke that rule a couple of weeks ago. EX. Tami and I, our kids, and my aunt and uncle went out to eat at the Rainforest Café. This restaurant is like all others today, and that is they serve too much food. I ordered the fajitas, and ended up eating 4 of them. I also helped myself to some of Tyler’s French fries. And then after that, I ordered dessert. The dessert was huge, and while I had help from everyone, I ate most of it. At the end of the meal I was stuffed, and I felt terrible the rest of the evening! This is not God’s plan for our bodies.

Unfortunately, this is too common for people. And it isn’t just once in a

while. Our society has forgotten how to eat to just be satisfied. To eat to be satisfied means that we learn to listen to our bodies. If we are in tune with our bodies, then we will notice when we feel satisfied, long before our plates are empty. At this point we need to learn how to stop eating.

But another reason that we get stuffed is because we eat too fast; we gulp down our food instead of taking the time to taste it and enjoy it. God has given us food to enjoy. So let me tell you three ways to take time to enjoy your food. First, by saying grace at the beginning of every meal, we remember that this is a gift from God, and we are more thankful for it. This prayer helps us to slow down and think about the meal we are about to enjoy. Second, we need to let the meal be an experience, not a race. Take the time to smell your food. Take smaller bites. Chew your food completely. I have to confess that I eat my food too fast. I am speaking to myself as much as I am to you. By slowing down, we can realize better when we are at that place of being satisfied. Third, we can teach ourselves to slow down by putting down our food, or our fork, in between each bite. At the end of the meal, you will have a much better feeling when you realize you aren’t stuffed.

A couple other suggestions for being healthy with our meals is to drink more water (this helps to curb our appetite some), exercise (this helps us to work off some of the calories we consume), eat at regular times (when we eat at irregular times we tend to snack more), and eat less fast food (fast food is less healthy and are more fattening).

III. From Anxiety to Peace- (2 Corinthians 11:26-28; Philippians 4:6-7)

The last shift I want to talk about this morning is that from anxiety to peace.

This is more of the issue of rest for our minds.

a. The God of all peace- If I were to ask you “Do you want peace?” I’m sure

your answer would be yes. None of us want to be worried and stressed. As much as you and I want peace, God wants it for us even more. God wants us to replace worry with peace; anxiety with peace; stress with peace. God takes this so seriously that He sent the Holy Spirit to be with us and in us. This has been expressed in many ways: a number of years ago there was the popular song called “Don’t worry, be happy.” The Australians have a unique way of saying this, they say: “No worries, mate.” And in the movie Lion King there is the phrase “hakuna matata,” which means “no worries.” In Jesus Christ we can have a “no worry” attitude.

In the movie “What about Bob?” Bill Murray plays a highly manipulative obsessive-compulsive patient. Bob is worried about getting sick from germs, so he tries not to touch anything. Bob is worried about crowds, so he rarely goes out. Bob is worried about just about everything, and so his life is basically dormant.

All too often, we live with this kind of anxiety; we worry about going to work, we worry about our economy, we worry about our past, present and future. While there is plenty of things to worry about, God doesn’t want us to live lives of worry. To overcome our anxiety, we need to focus on God and trust God. God holds the key to set us free from all worry and anxiety.

b. From worry to prayer- The first, and greatest anxiety buster is the power

of prayer. The apostle Paul had plenty of stress in his life. He gave a partial list of what he faced when he wrote to the church of Corinth. After telling about all of the physical abuse and pain he had suffered, he listed some of the mental and emotional turmoil he faced. Paul said in 2 Corinthians 11:26-28, “I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.” If anyone had the right to live an anxious life, it was the apostle Paul. But with all the legitimate reasons he had to be worried, Paul refused. Instead, he traded his worry for prayer. Paul says it this way in Philippians 4:6-7, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” The answer to the stress, worry, and anxiety of this world is not to run away or try and escape what causes us worry, but to go to God in prayer.

EX. I’ve shared this example before, but when I was in my twenties all my friends were getting married and having kids. I was wanting to be married, to find that special person, but it wasn’t happening. Every year that went by the more I worried about whether it would ever happen. Finally in my late twenties I decided to give it to God; I mean really give it to God. I prayed fervently that God would take this worry from me and help me to focus on the life He had given me. It was wonderful how God lifted this burden from my life. I finally met Tami when I was 29, and got married when I was 30. But beyond the getting married was the fact that in prayer I was able to overcome my anxiety, and live more fully for God!

This is just one simple example of how prayer can overcome worry. When we find our minds and emotional worlds battling against us, it is time to pray. In the process, we ask God for help and strength. We thank Him for the many ways we see His grace at work in our lives. Then we rejoice as God’s peace replaces our anxious feelings.

In Luke 22:42, Jesus said to the Father- “Not my will, but yours be done.” In the book of James, 4:13-15, James says- “Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that."…. The best way to be anxiety free is to discover God’s will for your life. And the best way to do this is to seek God in the Bible and through prayer. It really does work.

Conclusion: We all want health in our lives. We can all live healthy lives. To do this we must make these shifts……….we must slow down and take a Sabbath break every week; we must eat better and enjoy what we eat; and we must pray more and worry less. If we do this, then we will enjoy our lives more, we will feel better about who we are, and we will trust God to work in and through us. Will you commit with me to living this out? I hope so, because it will make all the difference. Amen.

"The Expansion Factor"
Psalm 119:105-112
Sunday, January 21, 2007
(taken from "Seismic Shifts" by Kevin G. Harney)

Introduction: Not too long ago my family and I went to Disneyland. We had fun going on many of the familiar rides (to Tea Cups, Thunder Mountain, Splash Mountain, the Jungle Cruise). Then we decided to go on Space Mountain. Now if you don’t know, Space Mountain is a roller coaster, and my kids don’t usually do roller coasters. But they are getting older, and so they decided to go on it. As we were waiting in line, the kids got a little nervous (you know, sometimes waiting for something makes you more anxious than actually doing it). So we finally got to the ride, and as we got on Tyler decided to ride with me. Right before we started, Tyler wrapped his arms around my arm and held on tight for the whole ride! But at the end, when I asked him what he thought of the ride, he gave the ride a 10!!

Tyler’s strategy for the ride should be our strategy in life; to get through the highs and lows of life we need to hold on tight to our heavenly Father. And so today we are going to talk about 3 ways that we, by holding onto our Father, expand our faith and grow in our love for God.

I. From Me to God- (Isaiah 6:1; John 3:30; Matthew 17:20)

a. Overcoming myopia- You may have heard of the word “myopia.”

Myopia is a form of nearsightedness in which a person can’t see things unless they are very close. Another meaning of myopia is “one who can only see themselves.” The more they focus on themselves, the smaller the world becomes. It is not uncommon for people to be myopic in their lives. And when they are, they usually are unhappy when things don’t go their way. This carries over into their relationship with God, where they expect God to do certain things in their life, and when it doesn’t happen, then they get upset at God.

To makes sure that we don’t have a case of spiritual myopia, we need

to understand where we stand in perspective to this life and world.

This shift is turning our eyes away from ourselves as the center of the universe, and understand that God should be at the center. The prophet Isaiah experienced transformation when he “saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted.” John the Baptist had a very successful ministry, but he knew that the true focus of the ministry was to be on Christ, not himself. In John 3:30, we hear John the Baptist say: “He must become greater; I must become less.”

Everyone who follows Jesus wants their faith to grow. Because even the smallest of faith is powerful, as Jesus said in Matthew 17:20- “I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard see, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” And we need to know that our faith can grow as big as the God that we know. The more we know about God, the bigger we see Him, and the more we can accomplish.

If we worship a tiny and powerless god of our own making, one we keep tucked away in a box on a shelf, our faith will be small, and we won’t accomplish much that makes a difference. And beyond this, those whose faith is small usually live in fear. C. S. Lewis, in his book The Silver Chair, paints a picture of this desire to reduce God to a manageable size. In a section of this book, a young girl named Jill has met Aslan, the great lion (who represents Jesus). She wants to get to a stream so she can have a drink. But Aslan is blocking the way. So Jill makes this request: “May I—could I—would you mind going away while I drink?” Aslan just gives her a low growl, and she realizes she might as well have asked for a mountain to move. So she asks a second question: “Will you promise not to—do anything to me, if I do come?” Aslan responds: “I make no promise.” “Do you eat girls?” she then asks.

What are we to do with a God so big that we can’t manage? How do you relate to a savior that doesn’t follow your instructions?

THE ANSWER IS THAT YOU WORSHIP AND FOLLOW THIS GOD!

b. Growing as worshipers- But to worship God, we need to understand

how to worship. The problem is that too many people don’t come prepared to worship. One problem is that people are not connected to God the whole week, doing their own thing in their own way. And then on Sunday they come to church to worship. But they usually aren’t in the right frame of mind to worship. It is hard to worship a God you hardly know./ A second problem is that people think of worship as a time when God will help them to feel better about themselves, take away their sins, and give them their wants, needs, and desires.

But worship is much different than this. It is like the Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea. The Sea of Galilee is a fresh and pure body of water. If you open your eyes under water, you can see for quite a distance. It is filled with much life. Fresh water flows into it from the Jordan river, and then the water flows out.

But the Dead Sea is different. The Jordan river flows into it as well, but there is no outlet for the water to flow on. Consequently, it is filled with minerals. If it touches your eyes it will burn them. There is a terrible smell to the water, and if you lie in it, the water is so thick that you will float on top of it.

Here you have a contrast between one body of water that receives and gives away, and is alive, while the other only takes, but doesn’t give away and is dead.

When we come to worship, we must come to continue to receive what we have been receiving all week long, and with the desire to give away what we receive.

What is God looking for? He is looking for those who want to be focused on Him and who want to give Him praise, and glory, and thanks, for who He is and what He means to them./ If you want to be a person who can have meaningful worship, then you need to prepare yourself for this worship time.

First, come rested and refreshed. It is difficult to worship when you are tired. I rarely plan activities for Saturday night because I want to be prepared to worship on Sunday. If I do plan something, I make sure I get home fairly early so I can get to bed at a reasonable time. Second, get to worship a little early. If you are rushing to get to church and are running in late, then you will have trouble being in a place of quiet to receive from God. Third, come with joyful expectation. If you are anxious or worried about something, give it to God before the service starts. Rejoice in knowing that God will take your burden from you. And fourth, be prepared to worship with your whole heart. This means be ready to get involved. Worship is not a spectator sport where you watch others perform or entertain. Worship is where you participate. Sing the songs, even if you don’t know them, and try to focus on the words you are singing. When the scripture is being read, read along. When the sermon is preached, follow the outline and maybe even make notes so that you can look it over during the week for an extra pick-me-up.

Worship is about giving ourselves to God. Worship is about being refreshed by God. Worship is about experiencing God’s presence. Worship is about growing closer to God. Worship is about being filled with God. And then as we leave worship, we need to be ready to give away what we have received!

II. From Snacking to Feasting- (Ephesians 3:12, 6:17; 2 Timothy 3:16-17;

Hebrews 10:19-22, 4:12-13; Psalm 119:103, 105)

a. Invitation to a feast- In the movie Hook, an updated version of Peter

Pan, there is a scene in which the lost boys are sitting down at a table with Peter to eat a feast. Peter has now grown up, and has forgotten what it is like to be a boy. He looks at the table, but doesn’t see any food. This table is a special table, and the food is only real if you believe. So the lost boys start to eat, and Peter sits and watches them, thinking they are pretending to eat. Everyone is having a great meal except Peter! This feast is before him, but he can’t enjoy it because he doesn’t believe.

This is all too true for many people today. The Bible has never been more accessible than it is today. Most people own more than one copy of the Bible. But people today are biblically illiterate more than at almost any other time in our history. The banquet table is set, in that the feast, the Bible, is there before us. But so few are taking the opportunity to feast on God’s word.

Our generation is facing a famine of God’s word. Even though the Bible has been translated into English, and even though we have so many types of bibles that make it easier to read, there are fewer and fewer people taking the time to read.

The invitation is here for us. In Ephesians 3:12 we are told- “In Him (Christ) and through faith in Him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.” And the writer of Hebrews, 10:19-22, we are told- “Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus….let us draw near to god with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith….” Again and again the Bible teaches that God desires for us to grow into a intimate relationship with Him. One of the best ways to do this is to read the Bible.

Maybe you are like a man named Brian, who once said: “I can’t read the Bible, it is way over my head and it has nothing to do with my life.” So his pastor gave him a suggestion to read the book of Proverbs. Brian decided to take the challenge, and then after a couple weeks met with his pastor. He then shared with his pastor that he felt like a fool. “Why is that?” his pastor asked. He responded, “Because, most of what Proverbs says about fools applies to me and those I hang out with.”

At this point pass out the tortillas. Take one and eat it if you want.

This is just a snack. Next week we will have a luncheon. But this is

a reminder that there is a difference between a snack and a lunch.

b. A lamp that lights our way- To let you know that the Bible is

practical, and real, and helpful, I want to show you how it lights our way to guide us along life’s path. 1. The Bible illuminates. Psalm 119:105 says- “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.” It is amazing if you read the Bible regularly, how you find that what you read provides for you the insight, wisdom, or encouragement you need for that day. 2. The Bible is sweet. Psalm 119:103 tells us- “How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” When we read the Bible, we taste of the sweetness of God’s love, grace, peace, and forgiveness. 3. The Bible equips. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 informs us- “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that all of God’s people may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” The Bible helps to teach us how to live this life God has given us. Not reading the Bible is like trying to put something difficult together without using the manual.

4. The Bible cuts to heal. In Hebrews 4:12-13 we are told- “For the Word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit…Everything is laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.” A surgeon’s scalpel is very sharp, so that it can make the cuts clean and deep. So the Bible sometimes cuts sharp and deep to uncover the actions, attitudes, and evil motives of our hearts. It can be painful, but it is necessary and helpful.

5. The Bible is a weapon for spiritual warfare. Ephesians 6:17 says- “Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” God has not left us unarmed. The Bible is our weapon when we are attacked. But to be able to use this weapon, we have to read it, know it, and live it.

III. From Monologue to Dialogue-

a. Hearing God’s voice- I briefly talked last week about how prayer is

listening to God and talking to God. I said that the listening part is a more mature spiritual concept, because God is not physically present to speak to us. Although some people have said that they have heard an audible voice of God speak to them, the majority of us have not, and probably will not. So it is important that we learn how to hear God’s voice, because if we don’t, then we will never be able to be in a dialogue with God.

Now think with me for a moment, about a special relationship that you have. It could be with your spouse, or your child, or even a close friend. Now think about how if every time you spoke with them, YOU did ALL the talking. What kind of relationship would you have if you were the only one to speak? Not very good.

AND YET, this is the kind of relationship most people have with God. Whenever they seek God out, THEY do all the talking. Now part of this is because people don’t know how to listen to God, and part is because people don’t necessarily believe that God still speaks to us now. They believe that God spoke to people in the Bible, but not anymore.

God speaks to us in basically 5 ways: 1. The Bible. As we just talked about, God can speak very well to us through the Bible. 2. Other people. Through the words, lives, and examples of others, God will give us some guidance, a challenge, or a conviction. 3. Circumstances. Sometimes in our lives a door opens or a door closes leading us to the next place God wants us to go. 4. A still, small voice. God can speak to us through a voice in our thoughts. With practice, this voice can become as clear as someone speaking out loud to you. 5. Dreams and visions. God has given us dreams for a purpose. One of those purposes is for God to speak to us.

One note: In all of these ways, make sure that they go along with what the Bible would say for us to do.

b. Aspects of speaking our prayers- On the other side of the coin is

speaking to God. But this is even more complex than you might imagine. It is to be more than just asking God to do things for us. It actually should start by speaking to God the things we adore about Him. Speaking about how we love Him and why we love Him. Then we move to confession; admitting where we have fallen short, and expressing our desire to do better. Next we make known to God how we desire to do His will for our lives and not our will (which is called submission). We acknowledge here that God, our creator, knows more about what our life should be than we do. Next is supplication, or making our requests known to God. We see here that our requests to God is only a small part of prayer. And last we ask for God’s protection; “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”

Prayer is a gift; a gift for communication; a gift for building relationship; a gift to connect deeply with our God. This kind of prayer actually teaches us how to dialogue with God, and not just talk at God.

Conclusion: What I have talked about this morning is about expansion. If we make these shifts in our lives…….focusing on God instead of ourselves; feasting on the
Bible; and dialoguing with God……..then we will expand on impact on the world, we will live our lives much more wisely, and we will be able to have a real relationship with God!! If we implement these three shifts, we will expand our faith, and we will have a much more positive outlook on life. Amen.

“A Shift of Celebration Proportion”

Sunday, January 14, 2007

Philippians 4:4-7

(taken from "Seismic Shifts" by Kevin G. Harney)

Introduction: If you are a parent, or a grandparent, or even an aunt or uncle, you know that babies are cute. It only takes the smallest thing to bring delight. I have to confess that when Tyler was born, every movement astounded me. I actually took 6 hours of video the first 6 months of Tyler’s life! How exciting it is to see their first smile, or when they turn over for the first time. In fact, Tami called me at work the first time Tyler turned over.

Then when they get bigger we marvel at their every accomplishment. How wonderful it is to see them take their first step and say their first words. We even make a big deal of it when they use the potty for the first time. And yet, it shouldn’t amaze us that we get excited when a baby or toddler does these things. Affirmation in these moments is important. These events should be celebrated because they mark growth in the child’s life. These “little accomplishments” are a big deal because they reflect God’s plan for growth and maturity in our lives.

This is true for us spiritually as well. God has it planned that we should grow and mature spiritually. We don’t start out mature. In 1 Corinthians 3:2 the apostle Paul says to the church in Corinth: “I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it…” They were not ready for solid spiritual food just as a baby would not be ready for solid food.

Last week we touched briefly on the aspect of receiving God’s joy into our lives. This week we are going to talk about the small shifts we need to make to grow spiritually; and the more we grow spiritually, the more joy we will be able to receive.

I. From Infancy to Adulthood- (James 1:17; Galatians 6:2; John 13:34-35;

Matthew 22:37-38; John 3:16)

There are actually signs that we can discover, that will help us to see

ourselves moving from spiritual infancy to spiritual adulthood. This is the process of “growing up in the faith.” And the exciting news, is that just like we celebrate our own children’s growth, so God and all of heaven celebrates our spiritual growth.

1. Learning to feed ourselves- We all know that when a baby is born, that

baby can’t feed itself, nor can it prepare its own food. Without the help of the mom and dad, the baby would die. At some point in time, the baby is able to grow up to the point where they learn to eat on their own, but they are still dependent on their parents for getting them the food.

In the same way, God wants His children to learn how to eat regularly on the Word of God; the Bible. At first, we need to be fed through the sermon, or by going to a Bible study. But at some point, we need to learn how to read the Bible on our own. By reading on our own, we are able to increase the spiritual nourishment we get into our lives. This doesn’t mean that we stop coming to church or to Bible study, but our own reading time adds to what we are getting from church.

SO, the first step to spiritual maturity is reading the Bible regularly on our own.

2. Learning to talk and listen- A second wonderful accomplishment for

children is when they are able to speak their first words. These first words are the mimicking of the noises they hear from us. But even beyond speaking, is when they are able to learn the skill of listening, and then responding.

For us spiritually, it is a clear sign we are growing spiritually when we develop our ability to talk with God and listen to God. This is the art of praying; listening to God, and talking to God, and it is foundational for us to be able to have a spiritual life. Now, the talking part isn’t usually a problem for us, except that we might think we have to use special words to pray. That isn’t true. To pray, all you need to do is speak normal words expressing what you think, feel, and need.

Listening is a more mature spiritual concept. Because God is Spirit and not a physical being, it is more difficult to learn how to listen. But if you quiet your mind, God WILL speak to you through your thoughts.

So the second spiritual growth step is listening and talking to God.

3. Learning how to share- If you have ever been around children, you know that

one of the most difficult things for them to do is share…A great example that reminds us of this is the “10 Property Laws of a Toddler.” 1. If I like it, it's mine; 2. If it's in my hand, it's mine; 3. If I can take it from you, it's mine; 4. If I had it a little while ago, it's mine; 5. If it's mine, it must not ever appear to be yours in any way; 6. If I'm doing or building something, all of the pieces are mine; 7. If it looks just like mine, it's mine; 8. If I saw it first, it's mine; 9. If your playing with something and you put it down, it automatically becomes mine; 10.If it's broken, it's yours. (Deb Lawrence, Missionary to the Philippines)

WE ALL KNOW that once a child learns how to talk, one of the first words they learn is the word “mine.” So it takes great work and skill for a parent to teach their children how to share their toys with other children.

Spiritually speaking, a third indication that we are growing spiritually is that we take steps forward in our generosity. In the book of James, 1:17, we are told: “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights.” / God wants us to discover the joy of giving freely to Him and others. God wants us to learn how to share our resources!

4. Learning how to help others- As our children grow up, they learn that being a

part of the family means helping out. Whether it is taking out the trash or setting the table, they need to find ways to help do their share of the chores.

In our spiritual lives, to grow spiritually mature means we learn how to take our eyes off of ourselves, and look to the needs of others. We go from saying “Take care of me,” to saying “How can I help you?” As we are told in Galatians 6:2- “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”

A good example of this was when Pat Pendergrass had surgery. The Deacons stepped up and said: “How can we help them in this time of need?” Can you think of other ways that we help others as a church? (Have congregation share…)

5. Learning how to love people- In John 13:34-35, Jesus told His disciples: “A new

command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

It is quite obvious that God expects us to love people, and the way we love people shows how we are doing in becoming spiritually mature.

6. Learning how to love God- One of the greatest phrases that a parent can hear

from their child is when they say “I love you.” God longs to hear these words from us as well. We were created by God, in God’s image/ and after God created us the Bible tells us that God was pleased. When we tell God we love Him, and show God we love Him, then we are showing that we understand that first great commandment: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, ..soul, .. mind, .. and strength.”

7. Learning how to live in a bigger world- Before we are born, we live in the safe

confines of the womb. Once we are born, we live within the parameters of our home and our family. But at some point we have to learn to exist in the bigger world. This isn’t easy to do. This is best illustrated in the college student who moves out of their parents home, and is no longer under their roof or rules. And often times you see this college student making bad choices.

As we grow in our relationship with God, we follow a journey of moving into the bigger world. God is in the business of expanding our hearts with a love for the world. You

remember Jesus saying in John 3:16- “For God so loved the world, that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Brand new followers of Jesus spend time focusing on their own growth and lives. This is a natural starting point. But with spiritual maturity comes an expanding heart for those who do not know Jesus. Our world gets bigger when we start to see people who are struggling by making bad choices, or struggling with their joy because they aren’t living for God.

If you are struggling in not experiencing joy in your lives, it is probably because you are not feeding yourself with the Bible, and/or you are not listening to God, and/or you are not sharing and giving and helping, and/or you are not loving God and reaching out to the bigger world.

II. From Somberness to Celebration- (Philippians 4:4; Galatians 5:2;

2 Corinthians 4:16-18, 5:17; Romans 8:18)

a. A choice- At the beginning of every service I say these words from

Philippians 4:4- “Rejoice in the Lord always, again I say rejoice.” I say these words to remind us that joy is a choice; it really is a choice. If you doubt this, listen to this illustration of the lives of Betty and Esther:

As a little girl, Esther experienced the pain of severe burns on her chest and neck when her clothes caught on fire while playing with fireworks. The scars never went away. As a young woman, she fell in love and got married, but she ended up going through a painful divorce. Esther’s second marriage ended when she received a telegram from the United States government informing her that her husband had been killed in action in WWII. Her husband had bad vision, but he was mistakenly sent to the front lines. At the young age of 30, Esther found herself divorced, widowed, and a single mom. Esther moved from Flint, Michigan to Pasadena, CA. She pulled away from people and gave most of her attention to stray cats in the neighborhood. She didn’t smile much, and joyful was not a word people used to describe her.

On the other hand you have a woman named Betty. Betty fell in love at a young age and got married. Sadly, her husband fell deep into alcoholism, abandoned his family, and eventually died while living on the streets of New York. At only thirty-one, Betty became a widow and was left to raise 3 little boys alone. Eventually she re-married and had 4 more children. She had to raise 5 boys and 2 girls in a blended family. This was before there were books about how to do it. She faced another tragedy when her second son was killed in a car accident. Later in her life she had a severe heart attack.

BUT, Betty’s response to her pain and struggles was different than that of Esther. She opened her heart and home to every stray boy and girl who needed a smile, a warm meal, and a hug. Laughter filled her home. Even after her heart attack, Betty’s compassionate love and joyful spirit drew people to her. At almost any time, if you walked into her home, you would hear her singing or whistling joyfully.

Betty and Esther both had their share of pain, but one became bitter and alone and joyless, while the other became loving, and sharing, and joyful!! This was not by accident, this was by choice.

b. People of joy- Followers of Jesus are people of joy. That doesn’t mean

that Christians are always happy and joyful, but it does mean that we can experience joy in all of life, and that we are to allow God to bring joy “out of our sorrows.” The first 2 fruits of the Spirit, found in Galatians 5:2, are love and joy. These 2 go hand in hand. When LOVE overflows, JOY is the natural by-product. Listen to these words from King David in Psalm 30:11-12- “You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing to you and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give you thanks forever.” God is delighted when He sees His children walk in joy. He celebrates when we dance, and sing. One of the greatest gifts we can give our heavenly Father is a life freely flowing with joy.

c. Joy busters- But you might want to say to me: “Pastor, if we are

supposed to be so joyful, how come there isn’t more joy in our world? OR If God’s children are called to be joyful like God, why is there so little celebration and so much somberness? Let me explain to you 2 joy busters:

1. In this world, there is the presence of pain and suffering that

can dampen our joy. God does not want us to pretend to be joyful when we are not. Over a third of the book of psalms are psalms of lament; psalms where the writers openly and honestly speak of their pain, hurt, loneliness, fear, spiritual struggle, and even anger. The key is knowing that these times will pass, and that God walks with us as we go through these difficult times. The joy comes in the confidence of knowing that God never leaves us nor forsakes us, and that God has placed this joy deep in our hearts.

2. The second reason there isn’t more joy expressed, is because

we trade authentic joy for cheap imitations. We love to be entertained and dazzled. But we don’t want to take the journey of faith that leads to ENDURING joy. We try to feed our pain. We try to find joy in the exciting, not understanding that we are looking for joy in all the wrong places. So to overcome these joy busters we need to make adjustments in our hearts and lives. And if we do this, we can experience the joy God wants for us.

d. The journey to joy- So let me tell you the journey we need to walk if

we are going to experience JOY, not sorrow; CELEBRATION, not somberness.

The first important task is to take our eyes off of the past. It is not healthy

to dwell on our past failures, poor choices, or even victories which can keep us from walking in the present. In the movie Napoleon Dynamite, Napoleon’s uncle Rico lives every day of his life thinking about one thing; his desire to return to 1982. 1982 was the year he almost became a football hero. He ends up living in emotional limbo because he can’t let go of the past…. When we live in the past we risk losing the race God has set before us.

The second task of the journey is accepting God’s forgiveness. As we live free from the past and race toward the future, we declare that we are forgiven and free. As 2 Corinthians 5:17 tells us- “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come.” Paul’s life was transformed when he realized that there was no sin, rebellion, or hard-heartedness that can’t be overcome by the love and acceptance of Jesus! Third, we need to keep things in perspective. We often lose our joy because we lose perspective of the real purpose of life. To keep perspective we need to keep our eyes focused on Jesus. In Jesus we see one who faithfully carried out His calling to the end, and not only experienced the fullness of joy, but is able to pass that joy on to all who follow Him!

Conclusion: If God’s people are supposed to be joy-filled, then the church should be the happiest place on earth. People should be drawn to our church because of the love we show, which fills us and others with joy. The joy should be famous for the extravagant joy that is experienced every time we gather.

The problem is, the church doesn’t always exhibit this joy. Too often we come not having given ourselves over to God and the joy God has for us.

Joy can’t be bought or manufactured. Joy is given to us by God. And this joy can only be received when we are seeking to grow in spiritual maturity as individuals, and as a church./ It is said that a team is only as strong as its weakest player. The truth is, a church is only as joyful as is least joyful member. So together we need to all seek to grow in our relationship with God, seek to give of ourselves freely, and focus on what God has for us in the present. Then, we will be able to celebrate this life, church, and ministry God has given us. Amen.

"The Little Things Matter"
Matthew 28:1-7
January 7, 2007
(taken from "Seismic Shifts" by Kevin G. Harney)
Introduction: Have you ever been in an earthquake? The last one I was in was the San Francisco earthquake. I was at a pastor’s conference, and the seminar for the day was almost done. Then, all of a sudden, the ground began to shake. It was actually kind of a rolling movement, not the jarring kind. I moved toward the door, but it was one of the extensions on a hotel, and so the doorway was not solid, so I continued on outside hardly able to stay up as I ran. Many people were outside with me riding out the earthquake. Over the next few hours there were many aftershocks.

In the over 4 decades of my life living in Southern California, I have experienced many earthquakes. And it is interesting how many California natives tend to not panic during an earthquake. It becomes just part of living in an area where seismic activity could happen at any time. You know that, if the earth starts shaking, you just move to the doorway, and then move outside as soon as you can.

The amazing thing about earthquakes is that such a relatively small shift along a fault line, in the crust of the earth, could have such a significant and widespread impact.

This morning we are starting a new series called “Seismic Shifts,” taken from Kevin Harney’s book with the same title. In this series we are going to learn how “little shifts” in our lives can make for big results./ I believe this will be a very exciting series for us!!

I. Seismic Shifts Everywhere-

a. Small movements- In life, seismic shifts are small movements that

have a surprisingly significant impact. These shifts can take place in our homes, our work, our church, our family, even in our spiritual life; these shifts can take place almost anywhere. Each time we identify a “small change”…… that makes a “big difference”, we see a seismic shift in action. If we pay attention, we will discover seismic shifts all around us.

There is a true story of a man who walked into a pharmacy one day to pick

up a prescription for one of his boys. As he was waiting at the counter, he

noticed by the credit card machine a pen with a plastic spoon taped to it. On

the spoon was a happy-face drawn on it. When the pharmacist came over, he

asked: “What is the deal with the happy-face spoon taped to your pen?” The

pharmacist answered: “Well, people were taking all of our pens, so I decided

to draw a happy-face on this spoon, and tape it to the pen. The pen has been

here ever since!”

This little shift, taping a happy-face spoon to a pen, made the big difference of the pharmacy not losing their pens. It was a small change that had a big impact!

b. Dramatic Impact- Seismic shifts can also have a dramatic impact on

our attitudes and actions. Take a woman named Nancy, for example. Nancy had grown up in the church. For seventy years, the music she had known was led by the organ. She had grown up listening to the old hymns and traditional worship. Then a new pastor came to town and introduced guitar into the worship service. She did not like guitar music. She felt that it didn’t help her to connect with God, or go deep in worship. She decided to go and talk to her pastor. Here is part of the real conversation she had:

Nancy: “Pastor, can I talk with you?” Pastor: “Of course, Nancy.”

Nancy: “I just want you to know that I don’t like the guitar music. It does not help me to worship. I like the old music.” Pastor: “Well, Nancy, thanks for your honesty. Could I ask you a question?” Nancy: “Sure.”

Pastor: “Do you think we should use only the organ and not use guitar in church?”

Nancy: “Oh no, Pastor. I think we should use the guitar as well. I think that it will reach some of the young people and draw new people to church. I just wanted you to know that I don’t enjoy it.”

As Nancy left the pastor’s office, she realized that she had had a seismic shift. Even though she didn’t like the music, she realized that it would be beneficial in reaching people for Christ. A small movement of understanding, helped her to have a big change of supporting the pastor and the church in their new outreach./ Also, she made a shift of not just thinking about herself, but also thinking about others who needed Jesus. She made a choice, an intentional SHIFT, a willing sacrifice for the sake of others. This shift “transformed her heart.”/ Rather than becoming bitter and resentful, she rejoiced that lives were being touched and a whole new generation of people would be coming to love and worship Jesus.

In the church, there are many seismic shifts that create shock waves of transformation. These little changes have a wonderful impact by moving a congregation toward God’s vision and purpose.

Example: You may have heard the story of a woman who was frustrated

that her husband never told her that he loved her. One day she got up the

nerve to tell him her frustration. After she told him, he looked at her and

said: “Honey, I told you that I loved you on our wedding day, and if I ever

change my mind I will let you know.”

This isn’t exactly the answer she was hoping for. Many men believe they show love by their actions; by working hard and providing for their family. But what if he were to look in his wife’s eyes, and see the pain that comes from a lack of communication? And what if he realizes that he needs to express himself more to her? And then one day……..he takes a hard swallow…….and says….: “I love you.” After this, it becomes a regular part of his vocabulary. A small shift; a BIG CHANGE.

II. Dominos Are Falling-

a. Dominos- I want to ask you to help me with something right now; I

WANT TO ASK YOU TO MAKE A LITTLE SHIFT; AND THE SHIFT IS THIS….I WANT EVERYONE TO GET UP AND MOVE ONE ROW FORWARD; JUST GET UP NOW AND MOVE ONE ROW FORWARD. As you make this shift, I know it is a hard one to make, because we get so used to sitting in the same place. But I believe this little shift illustrates something important: by making this little shift, you will have a different attitude and perspective.

Have you ever seen a display of dominos, where someone sets up

hundreds or even thousands of dominos in a design for the purpose of knocking them down. Right before it is time to knock them down, the anticipation is amazing. People know that if even one domino gets slightly bumped, it will knock them all down. It would create a chain reaction.

I myself did this some when I was younger. I never set up thousands, but I would set up maybe a hundred, and then once they were all set-up, I would gently push the first domino, which would fall into the second, and the second falls into the third, and so forth all the way to the end. If you have ever seen this done you know it is a wonderful effect. THIS TEACHES US THAT ONE LITTLE PUSH IN THE RIGHT PLACE CAN START A CHAIN REACTION!

b. Big change- Seismic shifts is about change. Big change. But it focuses

on the small shifts we need to make if we want to experience transformation. So to get us thinking about transformation in our lives (and the first Sunday of a new year is the perfect time to think about change and transformation), I’m going to ask you some questions, and you answer to yourself “yes,” or “no.”

· Do want to experience deeper levels of joy?

· Do you desire to be more deeply connected with God?

· Do you want to have greater discipline in your life, not just spiritually, but how you care for your body, your eating habits, exercise, and your emotional life?

· Are you longing for better relationships in your life?

· Do you want to be able to express your faith to others?

These are just a few of the things we will be discovering over the next few weeks in this series. God offers the power needed to experience transformation in every area of our lives. And each week we will walk forward together to discover the little changes we have to make to create big differences in our lives.

III. Shifts That Bring Greater Joy- (Psalm 4:7, 5:11, 30:11; Luke 2:10;

Matthew 28:1-7)

a. Too much fun?- As God looks down at us here on earth, do you think

that God thinks we are having too much fun? Do you think that God thinks that any second now we are in danger of exploding with joy? The great Christian writer C. S. Lewis didn’t think so. He believed God has far more joy in store for us than most of us can imagine or dream. Lewis says it like this: “We are half-hearted creatures, fooling around with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in the slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday by the sea. We are far too easily pleased.”

This thinking is supported over and over again in the Bible. We read King David say in Psalm 4:7- “You have filled my heart with greater joy than when their grain and new wine abound.” King David wrote this in a time of great harvest, which had brought celebration for the community. A great harvest always brings about celebration and joy for an agricultural setting. And yet, King David says that God brings about an even greater joy than an abounding harvest!

In the very next psalm, Psalm 5:11, King David writes: “But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you.” King David was one who would regularly run to God for protection, and King David knew that God was always there to offer protection, and in this protection one could experience joy. King David believed that God was his source of joy, in good times and bad, as he says in Psalm 30:11- “You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy.”

b. Bring you good news- We just finished celebrating Christmas. But the

Christmas story fits into what we are talking about today, and throughout this series: GREAT JOY! When the angel appeared to the shepherds to announce the coming of the long-awaited Messiah, this news of Jesus’ birth was characterized as “good news of great joy.” Luke 2:10 tells us, “But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.’”/

Did you catch that? First of all, don’t be afraid. We live too much of our lives afraid. Afraid we won’t have the money to pay our bills, afraid that our relationships aren’t right, afraid of the sins we have committed, afraid of what others think of us, afraid that we don’t have the right job. But the message to us, is that we don’t have to be afraid. WHY? Because the Messiah, the Savior, Jesus Christ, IS FOR ALL THE PEOPLE; all the people! Jesus isn’t just for the rich, or confident, or the person who has it all together. Jesus is for ALL the people; for you and for me.

This message of joy was culminated when Jesus was crucified, but then was raised from the dead. When Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to visit Jesus at the tomb, an angel visited them. The angel’s message was the same as before Jesus’ birth: “The angel said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid/ , for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said’….So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy…”

From the Old Testament to the New Testament, the Bible declares this message: in the good and hard times, those who walk closely with God can and should experience life-transforming joy.

Conclusion: Today is Epiphany Sunday. An “epiphany” is having that “aha” moment in life when you finally understand something important. EX: Have you ever seen this book, THE MAGIC EYE BOOK? In this book there are a display of colorful designs. But the magic is that if you look at it just right, you can actually see a picture. On page 36 of this book, you see the colorful design. But if you hold the book about a foot away, and let your eyes zone out, then a picture of a plane and a skydiver come into plain view. NOW, it took me a while to learn how to see these pictures, and when I finally did, I shouted out “AHA!” I finally understood how to see the pictures.

What I am preaching on each week will hopefully be some “Aha” experiences for you. As we talk about experiencing joy, expanding faith, providing rest, building relationships, unleashing riches in our lives, and changing the world. Do these sound like huge goals? They are, but they are possible by our making small shifts and trusting in a God who is capable of creating transformation which makes a difference. Amen.