"Is God Hiding?"

Isaiah 64:1-9

First Sunday of Advent; 12/2/07

Introduction: I want to begin this morning by reading to you some newspaper headlines: #1) “Bio-terror Threat Strains County;” #2) “U.S. Scientists Use Cloning to Create Human Embryos;” #3) “Suspect in Cellmate’s Death Was Termed Dangerous Before Killing;” #4) “Two Teens Face Murder Charges;” #5) “Mother Kills 3 Sons.”

Do you ever read the newspaper, or hear the news, and wonder if God is hiding? Do you ever look at our world and wonder where God is in all of this? Do you ever question whether God has chosen to sit back and let us just destroy ourselves?

In the book of Isaiah, 64:1, we hear the prophet Isaiah say: “Oh, that you would tear the heavens and come down…”/ In this verse you hear a sense of hopelessness. I don’t know about you, but sometimes a get a feeling that the world we live in is hopeless and beyond saving. And yet, in the midst of all of this, we desire to experience the presence of God!

I. Longing for God- (Isaiah 64:1-9)

a. The darkness of God- As we move into the advent season, we need

to realize that advent is first and foremost a season of hope, where we anticipate the coming of Christ. The challenge in this, is that often times people don’t feel like God is present.

It could be when they pray…and they feel like they are talking to themselves.

It could be when a loved when is suffering…and they wonder where God is.

It could be when they come to church…and they don’t feel God’s presence.

It could be when they are all alone…and they feel like not even God loves them.

T. S. Eliot wrote a poem entitled, “Darkness of God,” and it goes like this:

‘I said to my soul, be still and let the dark come to you,

which shall be the darkness of God…

I said to my soul, be still, and wait without hope,

For hope would be for the wrong thing; there is yet faith.

But the faith and the love and the hope are all in the waiting.

Wait without thought, for you are not ready for thought;

So the darkness shall be light, and the stillness the dancing.’

There a many times in life when we long for God, and yet don’t feel like God is there, and in this time, there is the need for waiting. This is the prayer that Isaiah is praying, a prayer that states of this feeling that God is far away.

Isaiah 64:7- “No one calls Your name or strives to lay hold of You; for You

have hidden Your face from us and made us waste away because of our sins.”

Did you hear what Isaiah said; ‘for You have hidden Your face from us…’? The Israelites had just returned from being in exile, and have returned to a city that is in ruin. As they think about their lives, their world, their existence, they feel like they themselves are in ruin. Isaiah is crying out to God on behalf of the people: Where are you, God? You have hidden Your face from us.

But the truth is that God is there, but not always in obvious ways; not always in the ways we are expecting God to be there. Often times God speaks in whispers, not shouts. Often times God is found in the shadows, not in the blinding light. Often times God needs to be searched out. And sometimes these whispers may be very low whispers, and the shadows very dark shadows.

b. Opening up to God- And this is what keeps us longing for God. So

when we open our ears to the whispers, and our eyes to the shadows, then we will see and hear God, and our longing will be satisfied.

EX. It was exciting to see how we were able to connect with Denny and Leesa Bellesi last week. It was a move of God that allowed us to receive that $1000, that I gave away, in such a short time. In this experience, we saw God, and heard God./ OR, the opportunities we have to give to the WomenShelter have been tremendous. And you have all responded so wonderfully. This is the voice of God, and the power of God at work. When we look in these ways, we will see God.

Illustration- “The Burning Hut,” More Hot Illustrations, p. 47

There is a story of a man who was the only survivor of a shipwreck. He had washed up on an island, and was desperate to find a way to be rescued. He prayed every day to God, but many days went by without it happening. Finally giving in to the realization that he wouldn’t be rescued, he built a hut to live in, and to store his few possessions. One day, after returning from hunting for food, he discovered that his hut was on fir;, smoke rolling up to the sky. Now, not only was he stranded, but without shelter; everything was lost. He was so angry at God that he shouted out: “God, how could you do this to me?!” Early the next day he was awakened by a sound; not knowing what it was at first, he bolted upright, only to see that the sound was that of a ship. IT HAD COME TO RESCUE HIM. As he was boarding the ship, he asked his rescuers: “How did you know I was here?” To which they said: “We saw your smoke signal.”

It is when we begin to see God, in subtle ways, that we can echo the words of Isaiah 64:8- “Yet, O Lord, You are our Father, we are the clay, You are the potter; we are the work of Your hand.”

II. The Grace of Christ- (1 Corinthians 1:4-9, 15:10;

1 John 1:9; Philippians 4:13)

a. By the grace of God- We long for God, yet there is also a need for

us to understand and receive the grace of Christ. EX. The apostle Paul, writer of about 1/3 of the books in the New Testament, talks much about the grace of Christ. Before Paul became a follower of Christ, he was a Pharisee; a religious leader, who sought God and taught about God. Yet, he didn’t know Christ. God was far away from Him because of this.. But in his pursuits of persecuting Christians, on the road to Damascus, he saw a blinding light, and he heard the voice of Christ. In this moment, Christ asked him why he was persecuting those who were followers of Christ. Paul was challenged in his behavior. Because of this experience, Paul’s life was changed forever. Paul, from this moment on, began to experience God. God was no longer far away. We hear Paul, himself, say it in 1 Corinthians 1:4- “I always thank God for you because of His grace given you in Christ Jesus.” ALSO, in 1 Corinthians 15:10- “But by the grace of God, I am what I am..”

There are many people who are far away from God, because they haven’t opened themselves up to the grace of Christ. The grace of Christ; we experience it when we stray from God, and then come back to Him to learn that He never left us in the first place. The grace of Christ; we experience it when we commit sin over and over, and yet still hear the words: “If you confess, you will be forgiven.” The grace of Christ; we experience it when we seek our own will and desires, thinking that our way is better than God’s way, and then after many struggles, finally turn to God for help, and God is there waiting with open arms. IN THE MIDST OF THE WAITING; GOD IS THERE. IN THE MIDST OF THE DARKNESS; GOD IS THERE. IN THE MIDST OF THE WONDERING AND WORRYING; GOD IS THERE.

We know that God is there by the way we experience the grace of Christ!

Really, the grace of Christ is discovered in the cross of Christ. As we look to the cross of Christ, we remember that it is not about us, but about what God wants to do in and through us. In his great devotional, “My Utmost, for His Highest,” Oswald Chambers says in his November 26 devotion: “If I talk my own talk, it is of no more importance to you than your talk is to me; but if I talk the truth of God, you will meet it again and so will I. We have to concentrate on the great point of spiritual energy—the Cross, to keep in contact with that center where all the power lies, and the energy will be let loose.” If we want to experience the power of God, and ultimately the hope of God, we need to focus on the grace of Christ, which is found in the cross.

b. God believes in us- Illustration: “Grandma’s Gift,” More Hot

Illustrations, p. 75. There is a story about a boy named Dave, who in ninth grade was the smallest kid in his high school. But at 5 feet tall, and weighing only 90 pounds, he was the perfect candidate to wrestle in the lightest weight class for the school’s wrestling team. He started out on the Junior Varsity team, but then was able to move up to the Varsity team when the boy in that spot moved away. However, being that he was still young, and inexperienced, his first year was a forgetful one: in 6 matches, he was pinned 6 times./ Dave’s one dream was that one day he would become a good enough wrestler to receive his varsity letter. He wanted to be able to put a letter on his letterman jacket to show people that he could be excellent, even though he was small. But unfortunately most of his teammates just laughed at this thought. This just made Dave all the more determined. Every day, Dave would spend time in the weight room trying to build up his strength; and he spent time running trying to increase his stamina; and he spent time in the gym trying to improve his technique./ There was ONE PERSON who believed in Dave; that was his grandmother. Every time she saw him, she would remind him that he could do it if he stayed focused, and gave his talent to God. She would often quote Philippians 4:13 to him: “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.” The day before the next season began, Dave’s grandmother passed away. He was heartbroken, because more than anyone, he wanted his grandmother to see him reach his goal. As the season went on, everyone could tell that Dave wasn’t the same wrestler as the year before; he was determined and ferocious. Because of this, Dave won 9 of his first 10 matches. Midway into the season, the coach called Dave into his office to inform him that he would be getting his varsity letter!! Dave was so excited by this, but then a wave of grief came over him. When the coach asked what was wrong, Dave explained that he had wanted his grandmother to experience this with him……….Just then, the coach smiled and presented Dave with an envelope. The envelope had Dave’s name on it, written in his grandmother’s handwriting. Dave opened the envelope, and read the letter:

“Dear Dave, I knew you could do it! I set aside $100 to buy you a school

jacket to put your letter on. I hope you’ll wear it proudly, and remember,

‘You can do all things through Christ who gives you strength!’”

Congratulations, Grandma

After Dave finished reading the letter, his coach reached behind him and pulled out a brand new jacket with the school letter attached, and Dave’s name embroidered on the front. Dave realized then that his grandmother was sharing this with him after all!

It makes a difference when we know that someone believes in you. This story helps us to remember that God believes in us. That is what the grace of Christ is all about; God giving us another chance to do what we were created to do and to live the way we were created to live. No matter what we think or do, we are all children of God, and He believes we can achieve all He desires for us.

Conclusion: I would like to close with a very familiar poem titled “Footprints”:

“One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord.

Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky. In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand. Sometimes there were two sets of footprints, other times there were one set of footprints. This bothered me because I noticed that during the low periods of my life, when I was suffering from anguish, sorrow or defeat, I could see only one set of footprints. So I said to the Lord, “You promised me Lord, that if I followed you, you would walk with me always. But I have noticed that during the most trying periods of my life there have only been one set of footprints in the sand. Why, when I needed you most, you have not been there for me?”The Lord replied, “The times when you have seen only one set of footprints in the sand, is when I carried you.”(Mary Stevenson)
This sermon is titled, “Is God Hiding?” Maybe you feel like He is. But maybe today’s service and sermon have helped to renew your hope that God is there. My prayer for you this Advent season, is for you to know that God believes in you, and that His grace is there for you. This is where hope is found. This is where hope becomes strong. This is where hope carries you forward. Let us give thanks to God for the hope that is there for us, this day, and forever. Amen.

"The Best is Yet to Come"
Luke 12:54-56
Sunday, November 25, 2007
(Taken from "The Externally Focused Church," by Rick Rusaw and Eric Swanson)

Introduction: There is an interesting dynamic about our minds, and that is, that we can read misspelled words, as long as the first and the last letters are correct. If the first and the last letters are correct, then the mind helps to fill in the rest. Look at the following paragraph, in your outline and take a moment to read it:

“Aoccdrnig to rsearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn’t mttaer

in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is

taht the frist and lsat ltteer be at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a

total mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae

the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as

a wlohe. Amzanig, huh?”

It is amazing that we can read this paragraph with all these misspelled words as if they were spelled correctly. The reason is that the mind can focus on patterns of letters more than on individual letters within words.

This morning I want to finish our series on the themes from the book “The Externally Focused Church,” by talking about how you don’t have to know the whole picture or have complete understanding, before you get started with being an externally focused Christian, or an externally focused church.

I. Being Useful- (Exodus 2:1-9)

a. Using volunteers- Probably the greatest amount of volunteer work

happens in a church. Churches handle this issue in different ways. Some churches, that want to see their volunteers be more “externally focused,” expect that all of the staff and all of the areas of ministry will have an externally focused mindset. The plan for each area of ministry needs to include ways to serve the community.

Other churches have a hired staff person whose job it is to find work for volunteers to do. They will seek ways for the church to be more community minded, and then try to deploy volunteers into the community. The staff person is looking for big-hearted people who want to transform their community.

Some churches are even going so far as to hire a “paid volunteer.” This term “paid volunteer” sounds like an oxymoron. But the idea is to find someone who has a passion to get others involved in their passion. They are basically hired as a 10- hour per week part timer (so they are a volunteer in that they usually give more than 10 hours a week to the position). And it doesn’t have to be just large churches that hire part time volunteer coordinators. Most churches can find some money to do this if they make it a priority.

The goal really is like what I talked about last week: finding a point person to help people in the church to engage their passion with community involvement.

EX. In the Old Testament, the book of Exodus, chapter 2, we have the story of Moses’ mother. She gives birth to Moses, and tries to hide Moses, because the Pharaoh at that time was killing the male babies. To keep her son alive, she puts him in a basket, and floats him down the river. Moses is found by the Pharaoh’s daughter. We pick the story up in Exodus 2:7, “⁷ Then his sister asked Pharaoh's daughter, "Shall I go and get one of the Hebrew women to nurse the baby for you?"

⁸ "Yes, go," she answered. And the girl went and got the baby's mother. ⁹ Pharaoh's daughter said to her, "Take this baby and nurse him for me, and I will pay you." So the woman took the baby and nursed him.” Here we see Moses’ mother gets paid for what she was born to do; care for her child. Whether we are paid or we volunteer, it is a great blessing to live out what we were created to do!

b. Utilizing the whole church- Now of course, the word volunteer

refers to those who are engaging in ministry of any type, and who do not get paid for the work they do. To be an “externally focused” volunteer is to be in shoulder-to-shoulder, face-to-face relationships with those who are yet to become Christians. And many who are volunteers start out reluctant, hesitant, maybe even fearful.

I think one of the most exciting parts of my job is to help someone who has a passion, but doesn’t quite know how to do the ministry that fits with this passion. As I help them learn how to serve, they begin to grow, and understand, and learn how to give their lives away; they realize that they can indeed do great work in the church. For example; I have had the opportunity to help many people become teachers: for Bible Studies, youth groups, and Alpha classes. At first they are fearful to stand up and teach. But in time, they find it energizing and fruitful to teach!

It is important to understand that it is not only people who are trained, that are called to serve. The church has to see, that the more who are mobilized to action, the more the blessing the church will be in its own setting, and in the community. That is the beauty of being a volunteer in a church, you don’t have to have any special training before you get started. Everyone can do it, because everyone is gifted by God, to serve God, for the benefit of the Kingdom of God.

c. Being motivated- In becoming a volunteer, probably the most

challenging aspect is to motivate yourself to take that first step of saying that you will get involved. But even more than that, once you take that first step, you need it to be a good experience, or you won’t continue in your serving.

This is why the recruiting experience is so important.

EX. I have known many churches who recruit people through needs. What I mean by this, is that a church will have a need (let’s say they need a Sunday School teacher), and they will have people who want to volunteer, and so they will place the volunteer as a teacher. But the problem with this, is often times the gift of the volunteer doesn’t match where they are placed. Maybe this person who is supposed to teach kids, has the gift of administration. The result is that neither the person who serves, nor those whom they serve, are blessed by the experience. I TRULY BELIEVE THAT PEOPLE SHOULD ONLY BE PLACED IN THE AREAS WHERE THEY ARE GIFTED!

A second thing that helps is for people to have a clear idea of the need, and the length of the need. People want to know if they are volunteering for a week, a month, a year, or for the rest of their life. They also want to have some direction they are to take, and some idea of the expectation of the result desired.

I believe that if you know that you will be doing what you love to do, and you know exactly how long you will be doing it, and with whom, and what is expected, the chances of you volunteering will increase. And this is how we seek to involve people in ministry here at Community Presbyterian Church. I want you all to know that I value every volunteer we have, because without our volunteers, we could not have an effective church, and we would not be making the difference we are making!

d. Partnering- But sometimes the need is bigger than what one

church can do. For example, I have been talking about making a difference in our community. But we cannot transform this community by ourselves. To really transform this community, we need to partner with other churches and organizations. But to do this we have to acknowledge 2 things: (1) As I just said, we have to acknowledge that the job is bigger than what any one church can handle; and (2) We need to acknowledge that God is already at work through other people.

I have shared many of the partnerships we have formed: with food finders; with WomenShelter; with Neighborhood Watch; with WOW jam (the evangelistic rally last summer that was supported by many different churches in and beyond Long Beach). I have talked about how our councilman Val Lerch has talked to churches about partnering together. And the churches and schools in our area need to start talking together and finding ways to partner.

When many people in the church hear about this idea of partnering, they begin to think that the church is selling out. But the truth is, we don’t have to water down our beliefs to partner with other churches and organizations. The partner-ships are not formed around statements of faith or doctrine, but rather out of common love and commitment to our community. As Rick Rusaw said in the book “The Externally Focused Church” (chapter 5): ‘We may not always agree with other community service groups on the cause or the cure, but we do agree there is a problem.’

For example, the issue of homelessness may be an issue where people don’t believe in themselves to be able to work and support themselves. Maybe if they were people of faith they would be motivated to live differently. But regardless of whether they have faith or not, the problem exists, they are homeless, and it is an issue that affects everyone in the community. If the government, and the churches, and the community organizations worked together, maybe this would be less of a problem.

e. Measuring- But another issue is that of measuring. When you have

no way to measure, you can get frustrated very easily and lose your motivation for serving. So we need to develop language that helps us to measure. This is especially true when you are working with other groups as well. In the book they give a list of terms that can be helpful to define: some of the ideas include:

· What does it mean to touch the lives of people?

· What does it mean for each group to be involved?

· What does it mean for each group to be partnered together?

· What kinds of decisions are expected by each group?

We will have difficulty communicating with each other and working together if we don’t agree on some basic principles and definitions. Because the cultures of “for profit” organizations and “nonprofit” organizations are different, we must be able to translate to the outside world what we do and what we are trying to achieve, and how what we are trying to achieve coincides with what they are trying to achieve.

One measurement is need verses input. It is good to measure how much need there is, verses what we can give to that need. For example, WomenShelter has many families who are in need of receiving help in giving their children a nice Christmas with some Christmas gifts. I know that our church could not take an unlimited amount of families, but I also know that many times people have expressed a desire to help in this way. So I told the volunteer coordinator of WomenShelter that we could probably help 2 families. In this way, we are seeking to help meet the need in a measurable way within our means.

A second measurement is outcome. It is important to regularly measure the results of our efforts and use of our resources. How effective are we in this partnership? This measurement is not always so easy. In the business world they have a tangible bottom line on its profit and loss statement. But what is the bottom line for churches? Usually the bottom line is changed people. So if we can help to change people’s lives, then we are being successful. But ultimately it is lives that are changed to believe in Jesus. In our serving, we trust God will make this happen.

II. Being the Best You Can Be- (Luke 12:54-56; Matthew 25:14-30)

a. Understanding the times- STORY- There is a Taiwanese fable

about a frog who lived in the bottom of a well. When the frog was thirsty, he drank a little bit of water from the well, and when he was hungry, he ate some insects that flew into the well. When he was tired, he lay on a little rock at the bottom of the well and looked up at the sky above him. Because of this, the frog thought of the sky as being just a small circle of blue. Since this was the only world he knew, he was happy in this world…….One day a bird came and landed on the edge of the well. The frog tried to get the bird to come down and play with him, but instead, the bird told the frog many stories of an endless expanse of sky. The frog did not want to believe the bird, and in fact argued with the bird that the sky was small and round. So the bird tried to get the frog to come out of the well and see for himself. But the frog just sat on his rock convinced he was right. In time, tired of the arguing, the bird flew away……One day a yellow sparrow swooped down into the well, put the frog on its back, and flew up into the sunlight. For the first time the frog saw the flowers, trees, animals, mountains, and the SKY. The frog enjoyed what he saw so much, that he never returned to the well.

Of course, this fable is about perspective. A church that stays within its four walls will have a limited perspective like the frog in the well. There is a big world in which to minister, but the church doesn’t see it. There is risk to go out, but it is worth it!

In our scripture reading this morning, we read a passage where Jesus complimented his followers on their ability to forecast the weather. But then he asks in Luke 12:56, “You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky. How is it that you don't know how to interpret this present time?”/ This passage is a reminder to the church that to do ministry for Jesus, we need to know the trends around us. What are the influences in our community? What is people’s willingness to hear the good news of Jesus?

Do we know that the current statistics show that our community in the 90805 zip cope is 10.5 % white, 20.3% African American, and 53% Hispanic? Do we know that in 5 years, in 2012, that it will change to be 8.1% white, 20.3% African American, and 58% Hispanic? As Jesus says, You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky. How is it that you don't know how to interpret this present time?

Did you know that within 10 years ago, a study was done, and in a 2 mile radius from our church, only 3% of the people thought themselves to be Presbyterian or reformed in their religious belief? On top of this, 17% were not interested in religion at all, and 18% percent were staunchly Catholic? This is important to know as we reach out into our community.

b. The power of small things- Illus. In 1987, Mike Hayes was a

freshman at the University of Illinois. He was having trouble paying for his college. One day he came up with an innovative solution. The solution was this: he wrote to Chicago Tribune columnist Bob Greene, and asked if Mr. Greene would ask each of his readers to send him one penny. Greene liked the idea, and so he asked his readers if they would do this. THOUSANDS RESPONDED. In less than a month, the “Pennies for Mike” fund contained 2.3 million pennies! Some of the readers actually sent nickels, dimes, or quarters. Some even sent checks. In the end, Mike Hayes raised over $28,000 which paid for his 4 years of college (now remember this was back in 1987)………Mike didn’t asked for a lot; he only asked for a little from each person.

The truth is, we don’t have to be a big church, with lots of money to make a difference. We just have to be willing to give a little, and to work together. You just have to move your desire into action. You just have to find an opportunity for your inclination.

c. A Kingdom assignment- There is a wonderful little book called

“The Kingdom Assignment.” (Show the book). It is by Denny and Leesa Bellesi. Denny Bellesi is the pastor of Coast Hills Community Church in Aliso Viejo. One day Denny did a stunning sermon illustration. He had $10,000 that he was going to give away to people that day. First he read Matthew 25:14-30. This passage is where Jesus talks about a landowner giving money to 3 servants and going away on a trip. When the landowner returns, he praises the first and second servants for making money on the money he gave them. But he was angry with the third servant, because he just hid the money away. After preaching on this sermon, Denny called 100 people forward, and gave them each $100. For them to receive this money, they had to agree to find a way to “invest” this money for the kingdom of God. Four months later the volunteers reported how the money had been spent. Through this money the hungry had been fed, ministries had been started, churches had been built, and many, many other God-directed ventures came about. Some felt that this was the most significant thing they had ever done………I encourage you to read the book. What resulted from this money is astounding!

This led another church to do this same “Kingdom Assignment.” One family took its $100 and sponsored a dog wash. They made $1300 and gave the money to the safe house for battered women. Another family planted a garden and sold vegetables. One 11-year-old boy asked for a dollar, made up fliers advertising his willingness to do yardwork that summer, and raised $273, which he donated to the “lost boys of Sudan” who live in Boulder, Colorado.

The point is, that God can take $100 (or less) and do amazing things with it. It’s not about size, it’s about impact. God wants us to impact our community. God wants us to impact people for Jesus.

Conclusion: God is moving the church beyond the four walls of its building and into the community. The results of those churches that are being faithful to this call are wonderful. People are coming to faith, lives are being changed, and Christians are growing. The truth is, the challenges and opportunities of our world are too massive to rely on doing it the way its always been done.

If we want to see a future of prosperity for God and the Church, we have to have the vision to see, the passion to feel, and the courage to do. Poet Ralph Waldo Emerson once said: “The voyage of the best ship is a zigzag line of a hundred tacks.” A sailboat doesn’t go in a straight line. It has to tack back and forth, in a zigzag pattern, so that the sails can catch the wind.

We may not have a map that shows us the details of the journey, but we do have a compass; Jesus Christ. Jesus was one who loved people, and gave His time for people, and gave His life for people. It is really more about the journey, than it is about the destination. God calls us to be faithful on the journey. He will take care of getting us where we need to go. Let us trust God in this. Let us get started, and know that God will provide the solutions as we go. Let us join the journey. Amen.

"Good News and Good Deeds"

(Taken from "The Externally Focused Church" by Rick Rusaw & Eric Swanson)

Luke 4:16-19

Sunday, November 18, 2007

Introduction: Exercise. When I say that word, it brings up different thoughts for different people. There are some who are fanatics about exercise. They go to the gym every day. They are obsessive about their bodies. In many ways, being in good shape dominates their thinking. For them, exercise is about looking good…. For others, it is more about health. There are those who will exercise to help their bodies to be more healthy…. And still for others, they don’t want to have anything to do with exercise. To them, exercise is getting up off the couch to walk to the refrigerator and get something to eat.

The truth is, we all need some kind of exercise for our physical health. But even more, we need spiritual exercise for our spiritual growth. Spiritual exercise is doing service for others. This morning I want to continue on our theme of growing in our spiritual maturity.

I. Irresistible Influence- (Matthew 5:13-14)

a. Influence- There are many who believe that the best way to

influence people to change, is by their hearing about the benefit of change. It is along the lines of the thinking: “Given enough time and truth, people will grow and change.” But the truth is, people rarely change from what they hear. Change really happens when people see others around them changing. We are most influenced by what we see happen in others. When we make a difference with our lives, then others see this and want to change so that they can make a difference as well.

This is why service is so important. Service helps to get people out of their comfort zone so that they can grow. Service helps people to bond with others who are growing. Service provides an environment where goodwill can happen in the community. Now, just like people can gather information without really learning, likewise people can serve without growing. But as I’ve said before, people can’t fully grow without serving.

EX. Erwin McManus is the pastor of a church in Los Angeles called MOSAIC. In describing the church their website says: “We are a community of followers of Jesus Christ, committed to live by faith, to be known by love, and to be a voice of hope. The name of our community comes from the diversity of our members and from the symbolism of a broken and fragmented humanity which can become a work of beauty under the artful hands of God.” The focus of their church is to be externally focused. The people in their church meet in 3 different locations, and the church is 1500 members…….Pastor Erwin McManus has this to say about service and growth: “Some people believe that growth is like a series of steps—first you teach them for several months, then you put them in a training program for a while, then finally you give them some service opportunities. I don’t believe that. I believe that as every baby is born with everything it will need as an adult…every child of God is reborn with everything he or she needs to grow and serve Christ. So from day one, and even before a person becomes a Christian, we get them serving in the community…. Discipleship is not what happens within the four walls of this church…A person who attends but does not begin to serve will usually drop out within a year.”

b. Being irresistible- Mosaic church is a church that is noticed in its

community. And the truth is, most churches that are noticed by their communities are churches that are involved with their communities. But it is one thing to be noticed, it is another to be an irresistible influence. Being an irresistible influence is about doing things that will cause people to marvel and say: ‘God is at work in a wonderful way, for no one could do these things unless God were with them.’

In the gospel of Matthew, 5:13-14 we are told: “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. ¹⁴"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.” We are called to be salt (to enhance the flavor of our world); we are called to be light (to shine the light of God’s ‘good news’ to the world). Being irresistible is about being salt and light in creative ways; in ways that cause others to not only notice, but notice in a way that they want to get involved as well.

EX. Every Christmas season we go out and carol in the neighborhood. Last year we decided to go south on Orange Ave. At one of the first houses we came to we had the opportunity to sing to a family. This family had a little girl (about 5 years old) who was so taken by our being there and singing that she came outside and joined us in our singing. Even more, she decided to join us as we continued down the street singing (her mother came as well because the girl wanted to do it so much).

In the book The Externally Focused Church, it asks these important questions: “What if ministry to others is not just a potential avenue of growth but absolutely essential to our spiritual growth?… What if 100 percent of Christians were ministering in some capacity inside the church or in our communities? Can we even imagine all that would change? Communities would change, churches would change, and those within the church would be changed.” (p. 81)

To affect change like this would be seen as irresistible.

II. Not Being Idle- (Ephesians 2:10; Matthew 20:1-16)

a. A great asset- You might have heard this statistic before, it is the

statistic about church volunteers. The statistic says that 20% of the people do 80% of the work. Every year the U. S. Labor Department releases the unemployment figures quarterly. If the number ever goes over 7% it is viewed as a crises. And yet, we don’t think much of it when we hear that 80% of the people in a church are not involved in service. That statistic should bother us. It should cause us to want to see that figure climb to 100%. As I said before, what kind of impact could be made if 100% of the people were involved in service inside and/or outside of the church?

There are always needs within the church and in the community. And churches have a great asset—people. And because of this, there is a great opportunity; the opportunity of helping and serving our community. There are people with desperate needs outside of the church, and there are people who long to make a difference inside of the church. The challenge is figuring out how to link them together.

The best way to make this link, is by engaging people’s passions. When we are able to live out our passion in meaningful ministry, then we are blessed, and those whom we help are blessed. EX. I have been helping to coach Tyler’s baseball team this fall. It is not only nice to be there for Tyler, but for the other boys (and one girl) on the team. I love being able to share my understanding and experience of the game with these kids. I love helping them to become better baseball players, and even more, better people. Last week I got the ultimate encouragement. Tami was talking to the team mom (who has a son on the team), and she shared how her son Brandon wanted to play on the same team that I would be coaching on this next spring!!

b. Passion in action- You see, every person is born with a passion. So,

every person who follows Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior (and is reborn) has a passion to share. We are called to take this passion and do good works with it. As we are told in Ephesians 2:10- “For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

In Matthew 20:1-16, Jesus tells the story of a landowner who went out to hire workers for his vineyard. The owner hired some workers early in the morning, but then realized that he needed more. So he went out and hired more about 9 a.m. Needing more he went and hired more at noon, and then 3 o’clock. At 5 o’clock he went out again, and found workers standing there idle. He asked them this question “‘Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?’” And they responded, ‘Because no one has hired us.’” Then he hired them to work the vineyard with all the other workers.

This story reminds us that there are workers here in the church, and they are not working because they haven’t been asked to do a job that is fitting with their passion. I encourage you to not wait until you are asked. Look around the church, look around our community, see where you can get involved. Maybe there is something that needs to be done that isn’t being done now. Initiate the program with me or with another member of the staff or session or deacons.

Until we discover our place of service, we will not feel the joy of Ephesians 2:10. How great would it be each Sunday to hear stories of the service people had done the previous week?!

III. Rolling Up Our Sleeves- (Jeremiah 22:15b-16; Galatians 2:9b-10)

a. Being remembered- Joan of Arc once said: “I know this now. Every

man gives his life for what he believes. Every woman gives her life for what she believes. Sometimes people believe in little or nothing. One life is all that we have and we live it as we believe in living it. And then it is gone. But to sacrifice what you are and live without belief, that’s more terrible than dying.”/ One of the important aspects of life is to end it knowing that you made some kind of a difference. If you mention the name Abraham Lincoln you might think of how he freed the slaves or held together the union. If you say the name George Washington you might think of his being known as the father of the this country. If you say the name Martin Luther King Jr., you would think of one who helped to bring the dream of ridding our country of bigotry and racism.

You and I probably will never have names that are as well known as these that I have mentioned. But the truth is, if you live a life of unselfishness and service, you will be remembered as one who made a difference in the lives of others…. I have done many funerals. None have been for people who are famous. But many have been for people who were unselfish, and who did give their lives in service, and the memories that are shared are memories of how their lives deeply impacted the lives of others around them……In Jeremiah 22:15b-16 we read Jeremiah’s words about King Josiah: “‘He did what was right and just, so all went well with him. ¹⁶ He defended the cause of the poor and needy, and so all went well. Is that not what it means to know me?’ declares the LORD.”

b. Sleeves rolled up- I remember when I was a kid, I always wanted

to help my dad with the chores. Now of course, this was before I was old enough to have to do the chores. And like any little kid, I always wanted to help my dad wash the car. I would go out with my dad, and we would roll up our sleeves, and then dip the cloth into the soapy water and apply the cloth to the car.

This is a picture of someone who is eager to do the work. We see this idea mentioned in Galatians 2:9b-10, “…They agreed that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the Jews. ¹⁰All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do.” This word “eager” is like the word “passion.” Just as you aren’t passionate about everything, so you are not eager to do everything. It is in those things with which we are eager to do that we should seek to get involved in, and get others around us involved as well. Those things we are eager to do are the things we roll up our sleeves and get ready to work hard.

And how do we become eager to do things. It is Christ who makes us eager. When we become Christians, we are given a new heart; a heart that is eager to make a difference. A heart that is willing to work for the kingdom of God. A heart that is willing to make a positive impact on this world.

There has been some wonderful examples over the years of how the church has rolled up her sleeves and made an impact in the world.

EX. 1- During the devastating plagues of the first 3 centuries in Europe, many fled the cities. But those who were Christians chose to stay and minister to the sick and the dying. As Dionysius, bishop of Alexandria said: “…They held fast to each other and visited the sick fearlessly, and ministered to them continually, serving them in Christ…” They were eager to do this for the name of Christ.

EX. 2- The early Christians were eager to minister to others and showed hospitality to the poor, orphans, the elderly, the sick, mineworkers, and prisoners. Because of this, the church played an important role in community transformation, and led the way in meeting social needs and curing social ills.

EX. 3- In the fifth century, Celtic Ireland was believed to be too barbaric for the Romans to conquer or civilize. Along came Saint Patrick, who with his followers planted about 700 churches and ordained 1000 priests. Within his lifetime, he saw 40 or more of the 150 tribes of Ireland become Christian.

(The Externally Focused Church, p. 114)

IV. What Good Deeds Accomplish- (Galatians 6:10; 1 John 3:17-18;

Hosea 11:4; Matthew 5:16; Luke 5:20-25, 4:16-19)

So we see that God calls us to eagerly and passionately combine good deeds with the good news of God’s love. I want to finish by talking about what good deeds accomplish.

a. Benefit others- First, good deeds benefit others. As the apostle

Paul tells us in Galatians 6:10- “Let us do good to all people.” Good deeds are about making the lives of others around us better. We are called to bring to this world love, mercy, compassion and justice. By doing this we help to bring physical and emotional wholeness to a broken world. Ministering to others to benefit them is something that the Lord requires of us, regardless of whether the people we help come to faith or not. We love and serve because we are followers of Christ.

In 1 John 3:17-18 we read, “¹⁷If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? ¹⁸Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.” And Hosea 11:4 tells us, “⁴ I led them with cords of human kindness, with ties of love; I lifted the yoke from their neck and bent down to feed them.”/ People are often led to a saving faith through the kindness of God’s people.

b. Glorify God- Second, good deeds glorify God. As Matthew 5:16

says: “Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your father in heaven.” Jesus’ good works brought praise and glory to the Father. This should be our goal as well. Throughout the centuries, it has been noticed when God’s people have stood strong to shine the light of God in troubling times. As I mentioned before, this happened during the plagues of Europe. Also, during the plague that hit the Roman empire in the early fourth century, Christians shone the light of God by being the only ones willing to bury the dead, and by giving food to those who were hungry. As the church historian Eusebius recalls: “….When this became known, people glorified the Christians’ God, and convinced by the very facts, confessed the Christians alone were truly pious and religious.”

c. Move people towards Jesus- Thirdly, good deeds help move people

towards Jesus. Often times people are not in a place where they want to hear about Jesus, or talk about Jesus. When we come into people’s lives and do good for them, it helps them to move to a place where they are more receptive to who Jesus is.

EX. In the gospel of Luke, 5:20-25, we have the story of the paralytic. Here you have a man who is paralyzed, and he hears about this person (Jesus) who can heal. So his friends carry him to the house where Jesus is, but they can’t get in because there are so many people. Determined to see Jesus, his friends lower him down through the roof so that he is laying right in front of Jesus! When Jesus sees this man, Jesus says, in verse 20, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.” / Jesus knew that it took great faith to do what he did. But Jesus is questioned on his authority to forgive sins. So Jesus then says in verse 23-25, “Which is easier: to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up and walk'? ²⁴But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins...." He said to the paralyzed man, "I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home." ²⁵Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God.” / The man is healed, and because of this good deed Jesus does for him, he goes out praising God. Remember back to Matthew 5:16? “Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your father in heaven.” It is through good deeds that people see the good news of God’s love and are willing to praise God.

This all works because of what Jesus tells us in Luke 4:16-19- “He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read. ¹⁷The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: ¹⁸"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, ¹⁹to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."

CONCLUSION: Jesus was about good news. But often He spoke of His good news through His good deeds (healing the paralyzed man; feeding the 5,000; touching and healing the leper; and on and on His good deeds went). As Jesus’ followers, we need to find ways to speak the good news of Jesus through our good deeds. Let us do this with passion and eagerness. Amen.

"The Power of Service"

(Taken from "The Externally Focused Church" by Rick Rusaw & Eric Swanson)

Matthew 25:35-46

Sunday, November 11, 2007

Introduction: On April 24, 1990, the Hubble space telescope was launched from the shuttle Discovery. With this telescope in space, it was expected that there would be many new discoveries. The Hubble project had cost over $1.5 billion to create this incredibly powerful and accurate telescope. The size of it was amazing: the primary mirror alone was 80 feet across; it weighed nearly a ton. Because it was 353 million miles above the Earth, it had an unobstructed view and could see into undiscovered galaxies. But there was a problem. Soon after the Hubble telescope began its orbit, the engineers discovered that the main mirror was flawed. It was sending back fuzzy pictures. The problem was not the size, nor the power, but the focus. The telescope had to be repaired. So in December of 1993, astronauts aboard the space shuttle Endeavor fitted the mirror with “corrective optics.” The mission was a complete success, and the telescope began to send pictures back with unprecedented precision and clarity.

This morning, I want us to talk about the importance of having the right focus!

I. Making A Difference- (Matthew 28:19-20a)

a. Broaden the focus- Few churches would say that they are not

interested in making a difference. I know that we want to make a difference as God’s people; God’s church. But the challenge is to find a way to really make a difference. Especially when things in the community and in society change. What it really takes is to learn how to be an entrepreneur for God. You know what an entrepreneur is; right? An entrepreneur is one who is “willing to assume the management and take the risk for the sake of profit.” So, to be an entrepreneur for God means that we need to be willing to take risks so that we might make a difference.

In Matthew 28:19-20a, we are told by Jesus what kind of fruit we are to produce: Jesus says, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you…” Christians are to go out and produce fruit; fruit of disciples, fruit of new Christians who will be baptized in Jesus’ name, fruit of people who obey God.

One of the benefits of being connected with a church, is that you can have the backing and resources of the church when you go out. It is one thing to go out and help someone out on your own, but another to say that you are with Community Presbyterian Church, and you are there to help them. There is a great sense of presence in this. This is part of the mission of the church; to go and make disciples.

A good way to do this is to broaden the focus. To broaden your focus is not about adding more ministries or programs, it is about clarifying what ministries and programs are needed at this time. This often means doing away with programs that have served their time. For example, when I first came, we did our “Praise and Prayer” meeting. This was a wonderful gathering. But there came a time when it wasn’t needed in the same way. So we stopped doing it, and instead we started the Alpha Class; which has now been successful for the last 6+ years.

Another example is the Harvest Carnival. While many kids and families came to this event, it seemed that it wasn’t meeting the need we envisioned. So it was decided to not do it, and instead put the money and effort into a program at Easter time. We are now in the process of developing a VBS type program for the Saturday morning before Easter. Hopefully, this will give the children and families something wonderful, but also give the church the opportunity to minister in Jesus’ name.

b. Don’t create anew- Another important aspect of making a

difference, is that you don’t have to always create new programs. There are many ministries and programs that are doing ministry for the Lord, and we can come alongside them and help to bless what they are doing.

For example, a couple of weeks ago I had a wonderful meeting with the volunteer coordinator from WomenShelter. WomenShelter is an organization that helps women (and their children) who are suffering from domestic violence. There are times when women come to our church who have suffered domestic violence. It would be difficult, with the limited resources we have, to try and set-up a program that could meet the needs of these women and their families. Instead, we can refer them to the WomenShelter (or Su Casa), and get them the help they need.

These partnerships enable us to be good stewards.

Another wonderful partnership is with Food Finders. We have seen the need in the community for people who struggle with not having enough food to eat. It is pretty obvious that we don’t have the resources at this time to be a soup kitchen, or to provide enough food for even one family to eat for a week. But we can give families a bag of food to help them for a day or two, and then direct them to other agencies who are set-up to meet their needs more long term. For a fee of $100 per quarter (which is paid for by a member of our church), we get extra food and items from Food Finders. This helps us to give some basic help to the people in our community.

c. Opening the door to others- If you were to look at the history of

the church, you would see that there was a time when the church was once at the heart of the community. The church would provide the entertainment, the community socials, or the community dance. But not only is the church no longer at the heart of the community, in many ways we have alienated ourselves from our community. The social climate around us often puts us at odds with the community.

To offset this and begin to make a difference again, it is good to open our doors to the community. And we have found ways to do this. We currently allow the Neighborhood Watch to meet here at the church. For a time we had a Girl Scout Troup meeting here, but they had to disband. Now, however, my daughter’s brownie troop will be meeting here a few times over the next 6 months. While we can’t let an unlimited amount of groups use our facilities, we can be wise in allowing our facilities to benefit our community.

From the time our computer classes were started, there was always a sense that it would benefit those in the community. In fact, at the beginning, I remember having a meeting with the head of Oasis (who sponsored our classes), and Val Lerch (the councilman for our ninth district) to tell Val about the classes. Since then, he has promoted our class in various settings, and to many people, as an example of community involvement.

To continue to do this, we should ask the question: what does the community need? As we understand this more, it will help us in determining what groups we might allow to use our facilities. It will also help us in determining what groups we might partner with. It is amazing how just providing meeting space for a group can make a big difference. And as we make a positive impact in this group, they then are more able to make a difference with what they bring to the community.

By doing this we are following the example of other churches who are externally focused; who have found that connecting themselves with the community makes a positive impact for them and those around them.

d. Innovative partnerships- A key to making this happen is

understanding that this can’t happen just with the church leadership. Initiating service opportunities and partnerships can happen through any church member. In fact, the connection with WomenShelter came from a suggestion from one of our church members. Because you are out in the community, you have as many, if not more opportunities to see what possibilities for partnership there are.

As we move outside of our church walls, it is amazing to see how we weren’t only touching the lives of those we were serving, but the lives of those in our church who served. I can’t tell you how many times people have come back from a service experience, and commented to me how good it felt to make a difference.

I encourage you to get involved whenever we do our service projects. I wish I could make it a requirement for membership. I believe it affects people that profoundly. As I said last week, we will not fully grow in our Christian faith until we involve ourselves in service. Example- Last February I was at a conference in San Diego. While at the conference I went to a session called: Developing a Spiritual Formation Strategy for your Congregation. This session was led by Randy Frazee, a minister at Willow Creek Church in Chicago. Now Willow Creek is a 15,000 member church. Randy Frazee was given the task of determining how to help their members fully grow in their faith. Frazee said this: We determined that “going to church and Bible study only work in the beginning of formation. To further growth they need to be involved in service and mission!!”

II. The Power of Service- (Psalm 127:1; Jeremiah 33:9; Isaiah 65:17-25;

John 13:1; Luke 18:41; Matthew 25:35-46)

a. A healthy community- If you have ever had the opportunity to

stay at a nice hotel, or go to a nice restaurant, you know the pleasure of experiencing good service. EX. I had this experience when Tami and I went to a restaurant called Roy’s, in Maui. Someone had told us about this restaurant, and so we were thinking about wanting to go there. It so happened that when we stopped at a McDonald’s for lunch, just down the street from the condo we were renting, Roy’s was right next to the McDonald’s. So we went over and made a reservation, and the first dinner of our vacation was at Roy’s. The food was some of the best I have ever eaten. But it wasn’t just the food that made the experience wonderful. The service was the best I had ever had. After I finished my salad, I looked over to say something to Tami, and when I looked back at my plate, it was gone! I accidentally dropped my fork, and within thirty seconds someone was there to replace it. As I have learned more about Roy’s, I have discovered that people not only go there for the food, they go there for the service.

This act of service has transformed the restaurant business. And like restaurants, the church should seek to transform its community through service. To do this, we need to be concerned with 3 aspects: the needs and dreams of the city; the desires of God; and the call and capacity of the church.

1. Every city has needs and dreams. In fact, with a city like Long Beach,

there are needs and dreams in each part of the city. The needs and dreams of north Long Beach will be different than in downtown Long Beach... Not too long ago I was at a meeting with our councilman Val Lerch and some other ministers. Val was sharing how he desired to see the churches in North Long Beach work together and partner together. I think it is great to see that a councilman feels that churches are a vital part of the community, and that partnerships are important. Some of the dreams we have for the city (like having it be safe, having people be neighborly, and being a place where you can raise a family) are the same as what others in this community would have.

2. Along with our desires, God has desires of what He wants for a healthy

city. As I talked about last week, God cares about cities, and calls the church to help the city be prosperous. But how do we know exactly what God wants for North Long Beach? Psalm 127:1 says, “Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain.” God can also bring health and healing to a city. In Jeremiah 33:9 we are told, “Then this city will bring me renown, joy, praise and honor before all nations on earth that hear of all the good things I do for it; and they will be in awe and will tremble at the abundant prosperity and peace I provide for it.” And in Isaiah 65:17-25 there are six characteristics listed for a healthy community: public celebrations and happiness; public health; housing for all; food for all; family support systems; and absence of violence. How great it would be if we could help even one of these happen in our community!

3. However, no church can or should do it all. With every church, there is a

limited capacity. The capacity of the church is what it can do well for its community. If a church tries to do too much, it will probably end up not doing anything well. We need to find a way to do a few things that bring the love, mercy, and power of God.

b. Looking at the intersections- If we were to think of each of these

aspects, the most interesting part of it is how the 3 intersect. To describe the area of the intersection, they use the term “Sweet Spot” in the book The Externally Focused Church. Service is the “sweet spot” where all 3 intersect. Service is something that the community needs, God desires, and the church has the capacity to do.

Churches that seek to serve in the community are actually being invited by others to do it more. EX. When a teacher at Jordan High School was thinking of taking her biology classes to the Huntington Library, she discovered that she needed a ratio of 4:1 for students to chaperone’s. She realized she needed more adult helpers. So she called churches in this area, believing that churches might be willing to serve others…. This opportunity of connection can in time provide opportunity for the church to be a bridge of salvation to people in the community, and maybe even the community itself.

As you enter into the life of the city through service, the opportunity to engage people with whom you would not normally come into contact with increases. Because of our computer classes, I had the opportunity to meet and get to know Val Lerch. Because of this, I have now had several opportunities to meet and talk with him in a variety of settings! Through offering our service to Grant elementary, I hope to have an increased opportunity for contact with the children and parents of the school as well. Because we allow the Neighborhood Watch to meet in our Fellowship Hall, we have opportunities to connect with the people in our community. This happens because selfless service gets people’s attention.

c. Incarnational ministry- On the night before Jesus was to be

crucified, He met with His disciples for a Passover meal. But even more, the Bible tells us that Jesus wanted to show the disciples the “full extent of His love” (John 13:1). Even though Jesus had been with the disciples for 3 years and loved the disciples, He wanted to show them how much He loved them. So, to show them this, Jesus decided to play the role of a servant, and wash their feet. Jesus washed their grimy, dirty, muddy feet.

Service is always about meeting others’ needs. When Jesus met the blind beggar, He asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?” (Luke 18:41) In asking this, Jesus was demonstrating the heart of a servant. Service is the action that causes us to move toward others in love. Through Jesus’ example, we see that God is a servant. To be more like God we too must be servants. For our church to be a church of God, we must be a church that serves others.

You might not have heard of the word “incarnational,” but it is a word that describes God taking on flesh and coming to this earth for us to see. Through Jesus Christ, we see who God is. Likewise, the phrase “incarnational ministry” means that the church is to go out into its community so that by our lives and actions the people will see God. Jesus gives us a profound example of this in Matthew 25:35-46, “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, ³⁶I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.' ³⁷"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? ³⁸When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? ³⁹When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' ⁴⁰"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' ⁴¹"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. ⁴²For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, ⁴³I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.' ⁴⁴"They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?' ⁴⁵"He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.' ⁴⁶"Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

Conclusion: Often times churches are kept from serving by raising these questions: “But what if we serve and nothing happens? What if we do all this stuff for people and they don’t respond?” Galatians 6:9-10a gives us a good answer: “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. ¹⁰Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people…” You have probably heard the saying: “No good deed goes unpunished.” God will bless us and reward us for faithful service. We serve first and foremost for God. Let us seek to reach out more and more for the Lord, and seek to be a blessing to our community. Amen.