"The Power of A Crisis"
2 Corinthians 1:8-12
Sunday, August 5, 2012

Introduction: Illustration- In 1970, the spacecraft Apollo 13 was sent on a mission bound for the moon. This was to be a routine mission, but the  trip went very wrong. There was a malfunction caused by an explosion which ruptured oxygen tank no. 2 in the service module. The explosion also ruptured a line in the no. 1 oxygen tank, causing it to lose oxygen rapidly. All oxygen stores were lost within about 3 hours, along with loss of water, electrical power, and use of the propulsion system. Ron Howard made this true event into a film in 1995 showing the trials and tribulations of the Apollo 13 crew, mission control, and families/ after a near-fatal accident crippled the space vehicle. The astronauts were stranded 205,000 miles from earth, and they were in a major crisis. Mission control had to find a way to bring them home or be marooned  in an enormous orbit around the Earth. In the end, Mission control was able to find a way to bring them home safely. It is an amazing story!

            In our lives we will face times of crisis. In times with the church we will face crises. Some crises will be major, others minor. But we need to know how to respond to any kind of crises if we want to learn how to live fully for the Lord; if we want to learn how to live focused lives for God. It is about being able to process the deeper life pain while seeking to live for the Lord.

I.                   Crisis Processing- (1 Peter 5:8-9; 2 Corinthians 1:8)

a.      Types of crises- When we step out in faith, we often face times of

crises. This crises causes people to either question whether they want to “fully” live for God. Or it can even cause some to question their faith. Twice a year we used to run our “Alpha” program, which is basically Christianity 101. It is a wonderful series on the basics of the Christian faith, which is helpful for everyone to get a good reminder and foundation about the Christian faith. But I have seen this happen many times, where someone comes to Alpha who has gone astray in their faith. They are now coming back to church to try to get “right” with God. They come and really enjoy what they learn at Alpha. But a couple weeks into the class they start to experience some bumps in the road. Whether it is pressure put on them by their family, or a loved one, or whether it is moral choices they have to make, or maybe it is struggles that come about unexpectedly, it is not uncommon to see these crises occur.

            In times of counseling and mentoring with people I have seen this same thing occur. People start to make decisions based on biblical principles and they find that Satan throws some obstacles in the way.

   I would like to challenge you to not let these crises cause you to question God, your service to God or your faith, but rather learn how to process these crises, with God’s help so that you can overcome all challenges and challengers that come against you.

            Let me first give you a definition of crisis processing: “Crisis processing refers to those special, intense moments when God tests and develops character and teaches dependence.”/  So we see that a crisis can help us to develop character and learn to depend more on God. The key to processing crisis is recognizing that God uses crises to test and to teach. That doesn’t mean that God is always causing these crises, but it does mean that God uses them to achieve good in us and to strengthen us. We need to acknowledge God’s sovereignty even in times of crises. When we can do this we will see growth occur in our lives! Let’s look at types of crises we face:

1. A threat to life, property or way of life./ When we are threatened or part of our life is threatened, then our response is to fight against it.
2. Conflicts in relationships./ Conflicts in our relationships can be quite painful.
3. A current situation which requires urgent change./ Any kind of change, even if it is for the best, can be difficult to go through. But sometimes the way we are living is not good and must be changed. The sooner the better!
4. Inner turmoil or frustration./ When you are not at peace in life, then you are in turmoil.
5. Past abuses or dysfunctional relationships that have not been dealt with./ It is easy to want to avoid our past pain or abuse, but at some point in life, for us to be healthy for God, we must deal with it.
6. Personal sickness or a sickness in the family./ Health issues are always disruptive to life.
7. Mid-life struggles regarding loss of focus or direction./ We all want to know what life is about, and so when we struggle to understand God’s will or direction for our lives, it can be quite uncomfortable maybe even lonely.

The key to all of these is to let them move us deeper into God’s heart. It is wrong to try to face these crises alone.

b.      Crisis and spiritual warfare- But there is another kind of crisis, and

that is the crisis of spiritual warfare. I alluded to it a little when I talked about the “Alpha” example. We must realize that there is an enemy of God, and that is Satan. Satan is real and active. We are told in the scriptures, in 1 Peter 5:8- “…Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around, looking for someone to devour.”/  Because we have aligned ourselves with God, we are Satan’s enemy as well. You know that when a lion is on the prowl, he is looking for the weak and the stragglers to attack. So Peter tells us in 1 Peter 5:8-9, “Discipline yourselves, keep alert… Resist him, steadfast in your faith…” If we follow what Peter says here, being disciplined in the Lord, we will indeed be strong; not someone the devil will want to attack!

In a Peanuts comic strip Snoopy is sliding along the frozen pond on his

bare little paws. He’s having a great time. And then along comes Lucy. She skates out onto the pond with her ice skates on. Snoopy sees her, skates toward her, and does a twirl stopping right in front of her. Lucy looks at Snoopy for a moment and then says: “That’s not skating, that’s sliding. You don’t have any skates on. Skating is when you have skates on. You’re not skating at all. YOU’RE JUST SLIDING!” And then in the last frame Snoopy is walking off the ice and says to himself: “How could I have been so stupid. And I thought I was having fun.”

            The enemy, Satan, wants to discourage us. The enemy might even throw roadblocks (crisis) into our path to try and discourage us. And through this crisis, if we take our eyes off of Jesus, then we will focus on the crisis and we will indeed get discouraged; discouraged in our faith, discouraged with our life, discouraged in our purpose for God.

          But the apostle Paul gives us some important words to combat this in 2 Corinthians 1:8, “We do not want you to be unaware…of the affliction we experienced in Asia; for we were so utterly, unbearably crushed that we despaired of life itself…..”/  You can see here how Paul and his companions we in a real crisis. They were suffering an affliction in Asia where they despaired life itself!

            As we move to our next point, we will learn from the example of Paul on how to deal with the crises we face in life, and the power that comes out of this battle and victory. That is why it is spiritual warfare, because it is a battle to see whom we will follow in the end; if we choose to not follow God, then by default we are following Satan!

II.                The Power of a Crisis- (2 Samuel 15:13-31; 2 Corinthians 1:8-12)

We can see in scripture how God time and time again uses crises to develop his leaders. Let us look for a moment at David and Absalom….

a.      David and Absalom- In the book of 2 Samuel, in the Old Testament,

in chapter 15, we see a struggle going on between King David and Absalom over the power of the kingdom. In Verse 13 a messenger comes to David and tells David that “The hearts of the Israelites have gone after Absalom.” So David understands his crisis and tells his men that they must flee from Absalom so that they will not be caught and killed. But as he is leaving Jerusalem, he is carrying the Ark of the Covenant. He is riding out with many of his people behind him. King David shows his trust in God, even in the midst of this crisis. We see in verse 25 David says to Zadok, the assistant to the High Priest who attended to the ark: “Carry the Ark of God back into the city. If I find favor in the eyes of the Lord, he will bring me back and let me see both it and the place where it stays.”

            A couple of things are going on here. King David believes that Absalom, in taking over Jerusalem, will do no harm to the Ark of the Covenant. And Jerusalem is where the Ark belongs. So David is going to leave it where it belongs, trusting that God will protect the Ark from harm. But David is also trusting in the Lord that he will be able to come back to Jerusalem to again be king and again see the Ark of the Covenant. David believes that the Lord is his shield, his sustainer, and his deliverer. And so in the midst of the crisis with Absalom, David doesn’t trust in his power, or his position, or his fighting skill. No! David in the end puts his trust in God and seeks God to deliver him from this crisis.

David is submissive to the holy will of God concerning all that is going on. Even to the point of realizing that if he is to no longer be king, then that would be God’s will. God chose David to be king, and if it is no longer his time, David will trust God in this decision. Even though David is a king, he comes before God as a servant willing and waiting to receive instructions. David believes that God’s hand is in all events (he trusts in the sovereignty of God), and in this he is not afraid.

David then goes out of the city. Then he hears more news, and that is that Ahitophel is now counseling Absalom./  So David prays this in verse 31: “… ‘O Lord, I pray to you, turn the counsel of Ahitophel into foolishness.’” We see David’s faith here very strongly. First of all, David is again putting his trust in God, not in himself. Second, David is not praying against the person of Ahitophel, but against his counsel; that his counsel will be foolishness. If Ahitophel gives foolish counsel, Absalom could be defeated.

b.      Paul- Let us now look at how Paul dealt with his despair in 2 Cor. 1?

Illus.- It is like the cartoon, where a man is lost in the desert, he has been without food and water for days. His lips are swollen, his tongue is swollen, he’s all beat up and bloody. He has been scraped and beat up by the cactus and sand and sun. He’s blistered. As he’s crawling over this little hill he comes across this little plant. He props himself up on one bloody elbow, looks down at the plant, and says to himself: “You know, if things keep going like this, I might get discouraged.” (…the Tardy Oxcart, p. 164)

            Going back to 2 Corinthians, Paul is talking about despairing for his life. In fact he goes on to say that they felt like they had received the sentence of death. But then he says some amazing, powerful, and important words in verse 9- “Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death so that we would rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.” WOW! Did you hear the “so that”? This crisis, Paul says, was leading him and his companions to rely not on themselves, but on God. And not just any god, but our God who “RAISES THE DEAD.” This indeed is a reminder of the work that God the Father did in the Son, Jesus Christ, by raising Christ from the dead. And a God that can raise the dead should surely be the kind of God that Paul, Paul’s companions, and you and me can trust to lead us out of our crises!!

            But Paul doesn’t stop there; he goes on in verse 10. “He who rescued us from so deadly a peril will continue to rescue us again.”/ Paul recognizes that God has rescued him. Paul understands that God will continue to rescue him. The crisis he is facing is allowing him to move into a deeper resolve into God’s heart. Paul, like David, was not trusting in his own name, or his own skills, but in God!

            Later in this same book, 2 Corinthians 4:7-11, Paul says it like this:

“But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing greatness of the power may be of God and not from ourselves; we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus' sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.”

            Do you see how Paul wants God to receive the glory? Do you see how Paul understands that with God at his side, he might be afflicted, but he won’t be crushed. He might be struck down, but he will never be destroyed. And this is so that Jesus can be seen in and through our lives.

Conclusion: So how should you and I deal with crisis? Well, don’t be so concerned with trying to understand the lesson or lessons to be learned in the crisis. It is important to focus on and deal with the crisis. But as you seek to deal with the crisis, don’t think that you have to do this on your own power; trust in God as David did, and as Paul did. Also, remember that there will be others who will come to you to give you answers. Make sure the counsel you get is wise, Christian counseling. Make sure that you are being led to God. And then after you have allowed God to walk with you through your crisis, seek God for some wisdom. Ask these questions: “God, what did I learn?” “God, how do you want me to apply this to my life and/or to my ministry?” “How have I grown as a result of this experience?” And as you work through these questions, you will begin to see the “Power of a crisis.” In turn, as we, the people of God let God lead us through times of crises, we will be able to trust Him in all that He is doing with the church and its ministry. Amen.

"The Power of A Team"
Ecclesiastes 4:7-12
Sunday, July 29, 2012

Introduction:  A few years ago I worked with a group called “Christian Resource Ministries” receiving training on how to help myself and our church become more focused in our living for God. In this training I learned about the  Biblical purpose, values, and goals that God wants me to have. Yet, even though my individual goals are important, I also need to remember that as an individual I must find a way to join together with the family of God;/  I need to become part of a team.

            Example- There is a little game where you work with a group of 4 people. You have 2 chairs that are about five feet apart. Standing behind the chair you need to build a bridge from one chair to the other only using newspaper and masking tape. The other team you are competing against is standing behind the other chair needing to do the same thing. However, soon into the game, even though you are competing with another team, it becomes apparent that without the 2 teams working together, neither team can complete the project. In the end, both teams have to work together to join strips of newspaper. In doing this, both teams in essence win.

            This is often how it is in church life. We might feel like we have to do it on our own, or we might not feel comfortable working with others. This morning I want to help us discover the “power of a team;” the great work that God can do in and through us when we work together as the “body of Christ.” I want to look briefly at 6 different areas of cooperation that makes a good team (these 6 characteristics are found in Pat MacMillan’s book “The Performance Factor”).

I.                   Common Purpose- (John 17:20-21; Ecclesiastes 4:9-12)

First and foremost it is important to have a common purpose. I think that it

should be pretty self-evident that teams that are strong are the teams that understand their purpose, and have defined roles for the different members of the team. They are very aware of their common purpose. This isn’t always easy, because it takes finding a way to mold together all of our individual purposes into a common purpose. To do this we need to find that common ground, that common thread that weaves its way through the purpose God gives to each one of us.

            Second, this purpose can’t simply be dictated by a leader, but rather it needs to become a part of the passion of the whole team. The more members of the team that become passionate about the purpose, the more energy, enthusiasm, and purposeful work will go into making this vision a reality. So the teams that will be the most successful, are the teams that have the most members participating on the same track and going in the same direction. That is why it is worth struggling together to achieve this common purpose!/

In John 17, Jesus  prayed a prayer before He was arrested and crucified. This is the prayer He prayed as He anticipated leaving this earth, He said these words: “My prayer is not for (just those who believe in me). I also pray for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.”/ In this prayer we see that Jesus knew that only by being unified in purpose could we do the work of winning people to Jesus. And the common purpose is to bring people to know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. And as new people are added to the kingdom, as they believe, they too need to become one in the purpose. This can only be done if we are one with God!

Thirdly, it calls for us to support, encourage, and help one another. Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 says, “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up the other; but woe to the one who is alone and falls and does not have another to help…… A threefold cord is not quickly broken.”

II.                Clear Roles- (1 Corinthians 12:7)

MacMillan then says in his book: “If a clear, common, compelling mission is our

reason for cooperation, then appropriate division of labor and clear roles is our strategy for cooperation.” What MacMillan is saying here is that a common purpose helps to unify us and lead us toward the goal, but not everyone can do the same thing. It is important to understand that we all play a role, and each of us must accept our role, get excited about our role, and do the best we can in our role.

            Example- The best teams aren’t just the ones that have the best players. The best teams have players on the team who are willing to play a role. The two years I coached the all-star teams were challenging, because a few of the kids did not want to give up their primary position to help the team. Only when they finally became “team” players was the team able to be successful. Not everyone can pitch all the time. Not everyone can bat first! The team is strongest when you figure out who is your best lead-off hitter, and who is your best pitcher.

            So it is in a church. We must each have a clear sense of the role we play. And yet it is equally important to have a clear sense of the roles of others as well. By doing this we can understand how our role fits into the role of another. It also helps us to see if our team is complete. We may have a lot of helpers, but not many teachers.

            On top of all of this, the role needs to be compatible; meaning that the role should match the members’ strength. I talk about the importance of this at every new members class, and mention it often in my sermons, because I know the Bible teaches this. To have someone do a task they are not gifted to do is not only bad for the person, but bad for the ministry as well. We need to involve ourselves in the ministries and areas where we are gifted!

            So as we seek to carry out our role, we work together to support and complement each other, and we can come to an agreement that each of us is important and essential for the purpose to which God has called us. As the apostle Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 12:7- “Now the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.”/  These gifts are given to us by God’s Spirit to be used for God’s kingdom to bless one another for God’s glory!

III.             Accepted Leadership- (Hebrews 13:17)

Now I said before that this purpose should not just be dictated to the group by a

Leader. It is a stronger purpose and better carried out when the purpose is formed by the members of the team together. This doesn’t mean that leaders are not needed. I think it is pretty obvious that a group without a leader or leaders will be a group that will quickly fall into chaos.

            Example- I happen to watch the reality series “SURVIVOR.” This show is

about 18 people coming to live on an island trying to live and compete and ultimately be the last to “survive” without being voted off. It is always inter-

esting when the people come together on the first day, and are formed into a tribe. In the first few minutes of the tribes’ existence you begin to see the jockeying of who will be the leader; because until a leader is determined, not much fruitful activity will happen.             LEADERS ARE IMPORTANT!

We are told in Hebrews 13:17- “Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you.”/ Paul says some important and powerful things here. First, leaders are important and need to be followed. Second, when you follow them willingly it helps them to enjoy their leading and keeps them from getting overburdened. Third, when leaders are happy, they do their work better and it is more enjoyable for those who are being led.

            So leaders are important and need to be willingly followed. But good leaders understand that the overall team is what is important./ Jon R. Katzenbach and Douglas K. Smith, in their book The Wisdom of Teams say this: “Successful team leaders instinctively know that the goal is team performance instead of individual achievement. They genuinely believe that they do not have all the answers so they do not insist on providing them. They believe they do not need to make all key decisions so they do not do so. They believe they cannot succeed without the combined contributions of all the other members of the team to a common end and so they avoid any action that might constrain input or intimidate anyone on the team.” /  So we see that getting people to work together depends on the critical attitude of putting team performance first.

IV.              An Effective Process- (Luke 14:28-30)

We next move to “effective process.” What is effective process? “Effective

process” is the pathway enabling the team to carry out its defined purpose. To have a written purpose is good, but this purpose needs to be defined further. To define the purpose you first must come up with a plan. Jesus said in Luke 14:28-30- "Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? [29] For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, [30] saying, 'This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.'”/ To carry out any purpose, we have to have a plan.

Next, the “Effective process” includes implementation. Meaning, that we begin to outline the goals that will help us to carry out the plan; the goals that will help us to implement our plan. And remember, as we talked about last week, the trick to living out these goals is to make them specific, achievable, time-oriented, AND get them into the calendar. By following these steps, we can then move forward in carrying out our call by God.

And finally, there is the re-evaluation of the process. As we begin to live out our call, there will be some bumps in the road; there will be some struggles; there will be some failure. These are not bad, because they help us to refine the process; they help us to understand what we are called to do and what we are not called to do. We may have the goal to reach out into the community, but does that mean we turn our church into a “soup kitchen?” There will be ministries that will be effective, and others that won’t. As we re-evaluate along the way, we can constantly be determining what God is calling US to do at this time and in this place. The re-evaluation keeps the team focused giving significant attention to HOW a team will work toward its goals by breaking things into properly sequenced and manageable steps.

V.                 Solid Relationships-

EXAMPLE- “The 1000-Mile Dog Sled Run”- Every year in Alaska, a 1000-mile dogsled race, run for prize money and prestige, commemorates an original “race” run to save lives. Back in January of 1926, six-year-old Richard Stanley showed symptoms of diphtheria, signaling the possibility of an outbreak in the small town of Nome. When the boy passed away a day later, Dr. Curtis Welch began immunizing children and adults with an experimental but effective anti-diphtheria serum. But it wasn’t long before Dr. Welch’s supply ran out, and the nearest serum was in Nenana, Alaska—1000 miles of frozen wilderness away. /  Amazingly, a group of trappers and prospectors volunteered to cover the distance with their dog teams! Operating in relays from trading post to trapping station and beyond, one sled started out from Nome while another, carrying the serum, started from Nenana. Oblivious to frostbite, fatigue, and exhaustion, the teamsters mushed relentlessly until, after 144 hours in minus 50-degree winds, the serum was delivered to Nome. As a result, only one other life was lost to the potential epidemic. Their sacrifice had given an entire town the gift of life. (Source unknown; found on internet, bible.org)

The goal of a team should always be “high performance.” To be a “high

performance” team, teams have to do life and work together. As Katzenbach and Smith say in their book: “What sets apart high-performance teams, however, is the degree of commitment, particularly how deeply committed the members are to one another. Each genuinely helps the others to achieve both personal and professional goals.”

When we are committed to each because we are all children of God, and when we are committed to each other because we all want to see God’s kingdom grow, then we will be motivated to become a high-performance team. When you go to a church, you can tell if that church is high-performance based on their attitudes toward one another, and on how well they are working together. This doesn’t mean that there isn’t conflict or struggle, but it does mean that we need to learn how to love the way God loves, and forgive each other the way God forgives us!!

VI.              Excellent Communication-

Illus. “John and Alice,” Amusing Grace, p. 27, #50. There is a story of a man and woman (John and Alice) who were sitting together on the couch drinking lemonade. At one point Alice turned to John and asked: “John, do you think my hair is soft and shiny?” John responded: “Yep.” Then she asked: “John, are my eyes bright and beautiful.” “Yep,” he said. After a few minutes she then asked: “Do you think my skin is smooth and white like porcelain?” Again he simply said: “Yep.” At this she smiled and declared: “John, you do say the sweetest things.”

The last characteristic of a successful team is that of excellent communication. Excellent communication is not just about the sharing of information, but it is making sure that the information that is shared is complete and accurate. When the information that is shared is not complete or accurate, problems will occur; conflict will happen; mistakes will take place; teams will get frustrated and derailed. To be complete and accurate in your sharing takes effort and practice, but can be fairly easily achieved. And when information that is shared is not complete, or not accurate, then the person who received the information needs to be diligent in seeking out the important information that was left out or mis-communicated. This does not mean that we should get angry at the person who made the mistake, but rather in love we go to them and explain what was left out and why it caused a problem.

It is also important to have an environment where people feel comfortable and confident to share. This means that all ideas are important, all people are important, and mistakes will be expected. It also means that not all ideas will be implemented and we will seek to grow from our mistakes and mishaps. As I said in the last point, and it is important here as well, to create this environment we must have an attitude of love, acceptance, and forgiveness.

Conclusion: As a church we can choose to just  “function together.” Functioning together does not make us a team, but basically just enables us to “get things done.” God wants so much more from us as a church than to just get things done. God wants us to be unified in purpose, and performing together as a team, because God knows that there is “power in a team.”

            Do you know the mission statement of this church? If not, you can see it on the back of the bulletin. Let me give you an easy way to remember it. Think of a baseball diamond. Going from first to second is the important point of “bringing people to know Jesus”. Going from first to second is about “helping people grow in their faith”. Going from second to third is about “becoming responsible members”. And going from third to home is where we “share God’s love beyond the church”!

            An effective team will happen when we together have the conviction that God has placed us here together to minister for Him, and love for Him with this purpose in mind. An effective team will happen when we live together in “authentic community” seeking to truly care for and pray for each other. An effective team will exist when we seek to use our gifts as a way to fulfill a “ROLE” on the team/  and encourage others to use their gifts as well.

            So let us join together in commitment to accept all who God brings to this church, to do what God calls us to do together, and to give forth the energy and involvement that needs to take place for the work of God to be lived out here at Community Presbyterian Church. Amen.

"The Power of A Goal"
Philippians 3:12-16
Sunday, July 22, 2012

Introduction: (Illustration: “Crucial Decisions,” Illus. Unlimited, p. 153)- On the top of a hill, in a Midwestern state stands a courthouse. The interesting thing about this courthouse, is the way it is situated. It is situated in such a way that when it rains, if the raindrops fall on one side of the roof they travel down to one of the Great Lakes and on into the Atlantic ocean. If the raindrops fall to the other side of the roof, they fall into the Ohio and Mississippi rivers and on into the gulf. Just a slight bit of wind can push the raindrop to one side or the other; the Gulf, or the Atlantic.

            So it is with decisions we make in life! They can push us to follow the will of God, or not. What we believe, and the values that we hold, will determine what decisions we make and the goals we set for our lives. And goals are so important for us to set, because they give us the destination of where we are headed.

            How do we ultimately know what our values and goals are? All we have to do is to look at our calendar; our calendar, what we do in our lives, will help us to see what our goals are. You may want to argue that this is not true, but in the end, you spend your time and your energy on those areas of your life that you feel are most important at this time!

I.                   Roles To Goals-

The following words were written on the tomb of an Anglican Bishop in the Crypts of the Westminster Abbey: (It says) “When I was young and free my imagination had no limits; I dreamed of changing the world. As I grew older and wiser, I discovered the world would not change, so I shortened my sights somewhat, and decided to change only my country. But it too seemed immovable. As I grew into my twilight years, in one last desperate attempt, I settled for changing only my family, those closest to me, but alas, they would have none of it. And now as I lie on my deathbed, I suddenly realize: If I had only changed myself first, then by example I would have changed my family. From their inspiration and encouragement, I would then have been able to better my country, and who knows, I may have even changed the world.”

We need to understand that we can only change ourselves, and by changing ourselves, through our life and example, we can impact others. So we must understand what role we play if we are going to set worthy goals. There are two main roles in life: life roles, and ministry roles.

a.      Life roles- Each of us is called to fulfill significant life roles in

relationship to the people who mean the most to us. It is in our life issues that God most often fashions our character. So we need to ask ourselves: what are my most significant life roles? We play many roles, but what are the most significant roles we play? For me it would be disciple, husband, father, and friend. Other possible roles for you could be: grandparent, parent, student, neighbor, spouse, son, daughter, and worshiper.

Now this is not an exhaustive list by any means, but hopefully it gets you going in the right direction. It gets you to think about the roles that are most meaningful to you. So I encourage you to take your outline, and under letter (a) of Roman numeral I, write down 2 or 3 life roles. Remember, that this distinction will help you as we move to developing and living out our goals. Again some possibilities are… disciple, husband, parent, friend, grandparent, student, neighbor, spouse, son, daughter, and worshiper.

b.      Ministry roles- The second role we play in life is a ministry role.

Whether or not you are active in a particular ministry in church is irrelevant, because as a Christian you have a ministry role. Ministry roles describe the functional roles that fit a leader’s calling and enable him or her to make the greatest contribution. And when I speak of a “leader’s calling” I am using the term leader in regards to “anyone who has influence over another.” So when you are determining what your ministry roles are, remember that these are not “positional titles,” but rather a function that you serve for the Lord. So identifying these roles will not only help you pursue the right goals in your life, it will help you say “no” to those roles which detract you from living a focused life for God.

            Before I list the goals, let me say something about the word “NO.” This can be a very good word. And when we know our values, and our purpose, and our goals, then we can know when to say “yes” and when to say “no.” You should learn to say “no” when something doesn’t fit with how God has gifted you, or when saying yes would take you away from something else God is calling you to do. You shouldn’t say no just because you are feeling unmotivated or lazy. You shouldn’t say “no” just because it might not be in your comfort zone. You should seek the Lord in prayer when opportunities arise to see if this is something God is leading you to do!

            So what are your ministry roles? Well, let me share mine with you first, and then give you a list of other possible roles. My ministry roles are: teacher, team leader, encourager, and developer./  Some other possible roles are: evangelist, administrator, small group leader, coach, catalyzer, care-giver, facilitator, problem solver, helper, and writer.

II.                Developing Goals- (Philippians 3:12-16; 1 Corinthians 9:24-27)

Goal setting can be extremely valuable throughout our lifetime. Goals give us a timeline and a roadmap to help us determine 4 important things:

1.      What do you want in life?

2.      Why do you want it?

3.      When do you want it by?

4.      What do you choose to do in order to achieve it?

Numbers 1 and 2 we will focus on here, & 3 and 4 we will talk about in our third point.

The amazing thing is, that in the United States, less than 95% of all Americans have a written set of goals, which cover these four areas. One reason that so few peoplehave written goals is that they have never really been taught how to set them by putting them down in writing. Another reason, is that they may have set ambitious goals in the past, but have failed to achieve them and have given up.  A goal is to be memorable, achievable, and time oriented. Remember, while reaching the goal has its importance, the most important thing is to enjoy the journey forward.

            The apostle Paul said in Philipians 3:12-14, "Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to talk hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." 
            a. What do you want in life?- So what do you want in life? This question helps you to determine what is important in life. It helps you to think through what you value. Now the challenge here may be that you might not like the answer you give, in which case you should seek to change yourself (remember we talked about this in point 1), changing yourself so that you can be more in line with God's purpose for your life. Be careful here not to set selfish goals, because they will not bring fulfillment.
            The other part of this, is to set goals for both your life roles and your ministry roles. And my encouragement to you here is to not set more than one or two in each area. For example, as a father I have set a goal to spend time with Tyler and Tiffany each month one-on-one. This is memorable, (it is about spending time with my children), it is achievable, and it is time oriented (it happens at least two days in each month).
            b. Why do you want it?- The second question is why do you want it? This is an important question because it forces you to evaluate the values behind your goals. This question allows you to understand why you want to do the things you are doing. Are these goals that you are setting
intentional ways for you to grow into the calling and purpose God has for your life? OR, are they goals that are selfish and worldly?

Because as I said last week, until we believe fully in Jesus, and believe that God’s call on our lives is important, and live as such, we won’t live fulfilling and purposeful lives. Making sure we are moving forward in godly goals will help us to live out the faith we express in God. Setting forth these godly goals will allow us to impact not only our own life, but the lives of others.

The apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave…” Knowing why we are setting our goals helps us to be self-controlled in our life. Paul knew that his prize was to live a life for God. He knew that like an athlete, he had to train his body to be diligent in seeking to do those things that would help him to attain this goal. He knew that to not have goals would cause him to run aimlessly, or to be like a person who beats the air with no purpose.

      It is easy to go through life without having any self-evaluation. I believe we might even be afraid to take the time to evaluate our lives, our values, our goals. We might not want to know exactly how we are living and why. But the truth is, it is far better to spend this time on ourselves: so that we can live the life God has set for us; so that we can seek the prize God has for us; so that we can fulfill the calling God has for us!

III.             Living Our Goals- (Philippians 3:12-14)

a.      Press on- Another important phrase that the apostle Paul states in

Philippians 3, was that he would press on to take hold of the goal. So what does it mean to press on?            [Example- “Dangerous Waters” Illus. Unlimited, p. 385]

            There is a story of a rich businessman who was hosting a spectacular party in which he filled his swimming pool with sharks, barracuda, and other assorted dangerous fish. It was quite the site! At one point in the party he announced a challenge to all his guests. The challenge was this: anyone who could successfully swim across the pool would receive a prize. The winner would have the choice between a new home in the mountains, a trip around the world for two, or a piece of his business. No sooner had he made the announcement a splash was heard and a man was seen swimming rapidly across the infested waters, successfully making it to the other side! The businessman was quite impressed as he said: “That was a stunning performance. What prize do you want?” The man answered with anger in his voice: “Before I claim my prize I want to know the name of the person who pushed me in!”

            You might feel like you have been pushed into life, and you are just swimming to save your life. Or you may feel like you have a great life. Either way, goals help to direct us to live (or continue to live) in God’s will and by God’s ways.

But the problem with setting goals, and I have to confess that this has happened to me many times as well, is that we set them, but then we don’t follow through. This usually happens because we don’t keep our goals visible enough. Either we don’t write them down, or we write them down and put them in a drawer where we forget about them. OR, we start to live them out, they get too hard, and we stop. We must make sure that we have incentive and help to make sure that we will achieve our goals. We set these goals for a purpose, so let’s find a way to succeed.

b.      Live it out- So if goals are so important, how can we not only set them,

but find a way to live them out?/  This is the million dollar question, isn’t it? Because if we can find a way to live out our goals, then we will be able to make huge strides in living focused, purposeful lives for God, in line with His will for us!!!

            The answer is this: to live out our goals we must get them into our calendar.

Let me say that again: to live out our goals we must get them into our calendar. Now for me, that means actually opening up my day timer and writing my goals into my schedule. So I have a list of my goals in my calendar, and at the beginning of each month I schedule my goals into my calendar. This has been monumental for me in being able to actually live out my goals! So I have a goal to memorize a psalm each month: at the beginning of each month I look at how many verses there on in that psalm and come up with a plan of how much I need to memorize each day. Some days I may have to memorize one full verse. Other verses I may be able to spend two or three days learning it. Because I get it into my schedule, I don’t have to worry about it. Each day I look at the psalm and work through the verse or portion of the verse. It is always before me, and because of this strategy I can then carry it out. I have been doing this now for almost 3 years, and I am currently working on psalm 39!

            Now for those goals that are longer term, say a year, it is good to break those down into monthly goals that will help you to achieve your overall yearly goal. These monthly goals then are the “pressing on” that the apostle Paul is talking about. By having specific goals like this, and having these goals in our calendar, we are able to follow the advice of Hebrews 12:1-2, “…let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus…who for the sake of joy that was set before him endured the cross…”

Even the most difficult goals can be achieved when we look to Jesus, because we know the joy that comes from succeeding in our goals, especially when they come out of the values that God wants us to have.

Conclusion: Since we do not have time to set these goals here in worship, I encourage you to go home today and write out one goal for each role you play. If you don't do it today, you will forget and time will go by, and you will not set the goals you need to set to be growing and living as God would have you to do. And then keep that list of goals with your calendar or the schedule that you keep. and most importantly, make sure that you write them into your schedule so that you will live them out. Make sure they are very visible to you, or you will forget about them! Maybe even tell them to someone else so they can help you stay on track.
             I guarantee you, that once you start living out God valued goals, it will be so exciting for you. You will begin to see great things happen in your life, role, and your ministry role. You will be able to experience the joy of living a focused, purposeful life. You will be blessed as God is doing wonderful things in and through your life. And most importantly, you will experience the power of a goal. Let us "press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me." Amen.

"The Power of Believing"
Sunday, July 15, 2012
Genesis 15:1-6

Introduction: (Illus.) Neil Marten, a member of the British Parliament, was once giving a group of his constituents a guided tour of the Houses of Parliament. During the course of the visit, the group happened to meet Lord Hailsham, who was then lord chancellor, and he was wearing all the regalia of his office. Hailsham recognized Marten among the group and called out, "Neil!" Not daring to question or disobey the "command," the entire band of visitors promptly fell to their knees!

            This is a humorous reminder of obedience. When they heard Lord Hailsham yell out his friends name “Neil,” they thought he was giving a command, and so they kneeled. This is indicative of where we should be in our life with the Lord. There are times when we need to kneel before the Lord physically, but in all of life we should be humble; we should have a willingness to mentally kneel before the Lord and be guided by Him. This morning I want us to understand that when we say we believe in Jesus Christ, it is a statement that should lead us to true obedience!

I.                   The Price to be paid- (Genesis 14:22-23, 15:1-6)

a.      The demand- In our life there is usually a pattern of what is known

as obedience checks. These obedience checks are usually the demand made on our lives to be obedient to God. In this demand there is always a price to be paid, and something that we have to give up.

            EX. “Remember the Titans”  is a movie of a true story of a high school that is changing. The school is becoming integrated, and for the first time African-American students will be attending the school. The school board decides to replace the very successful and very popular white football coach (Bill Yoast) with an African-American coach (Herman Boone). They believe that Boone will be able to integrate the team better. They do give Yoast and his coaches a chance to stay on as assistant coaches if they desire. For what he believes will be best for the white students, Yoast decides to stay on. This puts a lot of pressure on Boone to succeed. Boone basically has to win the state championship to keep his job. It is a struggle, but in the end Boone (with Yoast’s help) is able to unify the team, and they do go to the state championship game. But at this game, it becomes apparent that the referees are calling the game for the other team by calling excessive penalties against Boone’s team, because it has been worked out that if Boone’s team loses, Yoast will be hired on as coach again. Yoast realizes what is going on, calls a time out, and reprimands the head official for what is going on. In the end, Boone and his team win./  After the game, one of the main school board members, and father of one of the star white players says to Yoast: “You just cost yourself the hall of fame.”

            Yoast believed that what was happening was wrong, even if it would have gotten him his job back. The demand for him was whether or not he was going to stand back and watch this “wrong” take place, and allow it to happen. In the end he passed his “obedience check” by doing the right thing.

b.      Abraham- In our scripture reading we also saw the demand for an

obedience check in the life of Abraham, who in this part of the story is known as Abram. In Genesis 15 we read about how God calls out to Abram. This was a result of an earlier statement of faith from Abram, in Genesis 14:22-23, where Abram says to the king of Sodom, “I have sworn to the Lord, God Most High, maker of heaven and earth, that I would not take a thread or a sandal-thong or anything that is yours, so that you might not say ‘I have made Abram rich.’” In this statement, Abram is telling the king of Sodom that he has a strong faith to follow God and do what God leads him to do. Abram is saying that he trusts God to provide for him.

            Abram is then tested in this, when God comes to make a covenant with Abram. The Lord appears to Abram in a vision, and begins to speak to Abram. The demand is then made to trust God that He will give Abram an heir. Here we have Abram, who has left his country and shown obedience to the Lord, but now Abram is not so sure if he can still trust God. Many years have gone by, God had promised that Abram would be the father of many nations, and Abram wasn’t even the father of one child yet./  Abram’s plan was to try and have a son with one of his slaves.

            The challenge here is that God is calling for Abram to believe in spite of contradicting evidence. The evidence in front of Abram was that Sarai was not getting pregnant; it did not appear that he would have an heir by Sarai. Abram believed that time was running out for him. Abram was indeed at an obedience check. Was he going to stay faithful and do the right thing?

II.                The Commitment shown- (Genesis 15:6-11, 16:1-15)

a.      The test- So the call to commitment for Abram is to trust the Lord,

and trust that he and Sarai will have a child, an heir. And in verse 6 it seems as if Abram passes the test, for we are told: “And Abram believed the Lord, and the Lord reckoned it to him as righteousness.” It says that Abram believed the Lord./  Abram showed a commitment to the Lord that the Lord would do what He said.

            Often times when we are asked to show our commitment to the Lord this commitment is seen in how we use our resources: ….how we use our possessions or finances, how we right a wrong, how we surrender our vision to God’s vision…/   SO, how did Abram show commitment?/  In chapter 14 we saw him show his commitment by not taking anything from the king of Sodom that would make him rich. And then later in chapter 15 we see Abram sacrifice a heifer, a goat, a ram, a turtledove, and a pigeon.

Going back to the movie, “Remember the Titans,” we saw how Coach Bill Yoast sacrificed his reputation and his pride to move from head coach to assistant coach. He sacrificed his position by going from one who made the decisions, to one who followed the decisions of another. But ultimately he sacrificed his place in the hall of fame by not allowing an injustice to occur. As he saw the wrong being committed, he made the decision to step out and speak against it. He used his good standing in the community and with the referees/   to challenge them to do what is right. He used his resources to show that he was committed to the overall good.

            This is the commitment we are asked to show to the Lord as well. How are we using our possessions and finances; for selfish purposes or for the Lord? How are we standing up for injustices around us? How are we surrendering to God’s vision?

b.      The result- It is easy to think that the people in the Bible always got it

right. And as I said, it seems that Abram got it right again. But the truth is, at this point in his life, Abram doesn’t get it right. And in fact, there are many times in his life that he doesn’t get it right. If you were to continue the story, you would see that in chapter 16, there is more frustration from Abram, because Sarai is giving him no children. The frustration becomes so great that he goes back to his original plan of having an heir by one of Sarai’s servants. Only this time it is suggested to him by Sarai. (I guess this makes it right in Abram’s eyes)

And Abram has relations with Sarai’s servant Hagar, and she bears a son named Ishmael. Abram thinks that his problems are solved; he has now done what the Lord could not do, give himself an heir./   Oh how we fool ourselves into thinking that our plans can supercede God’s plans, and we can do what we think God isn’t doing.

The result doesn’t work out the way Abram hopes. And it never will for us either. When we seek to fulfill God’s results by our doing, it will never work out that way. We just mess up the situation./ And Abram did mess up the situation./ Abram messes it up for himself, for Sarai, for Hagar, and for Ishmael. Sarai gets upset at Abram and Hagar. Hagar feels betrayed when Abram and Sarai do have a son, Isaac. Hagar and Ismael are ultimately exiled./    You see how the problems come about, and don’t really ever end. All because of Abram’s disobedience.

Why do we think that disobedience will ever gain us anything? I wonder this in my children when they misbehave. They get in trouble, often times losing something of value for a time. And I ask them: do you ever get what you want when you argue and misbehave? “NO,” comes their answer./  And then I ask: then why do you do it. “I don’t know,” is usually the answer. I DON’T KNOW!/    WHY DO WE DO IT?/ Most of the time we don’t know, except to say’ “But God, you weren’t doing it, so I thought I had to!”

III.             How are we following?-

a.      Reality checks- Now I don’t want to give Abram too bad a rap, for in

the end he showed his commitment to the Lord by following him time and time again, even being willing to sacrifice his own son Isaac. But as I said before, these reality checks come into our lives to challenge us to follow the Lord more faithfully.

Example- In the book “The Gospel According to Peanuts,” (p. 84)- Linus and Lucy are walking along, and Lucy says: “Trees have many uses, Linus… They prevent erosion; their wood is used to build beautiful houses; they provide shade from the sun; protection from the rain.”/ And in the last frame they come upon Charlie Brown leaning his head against a tree, and Linus says to Lucy: “And when life gets too hard, they are very good to lean against.”

            The problem is, all too often we try and wait until life is too hard until we seek out God; until we think that maybe following God is what we should do. We have to get to that place where we seek to follow God before life gets too hard. That is what obedience checks are all about; they either lead us to follow God more securely, or if we fail/   we are reminded of how we need to follow God all the more faithfully.

            I encourage you to look at your life. How are you doing at following God? How are you doing at being committed to the Lord?/  And then I also want to challenge you to take time, whenever you are going through a struggle, and write this struggle down. And as you write it down, look at it and ask this question: “Where is the obedience check in this struggle? Because chances are that either the struggle has come about because you haven’t followed God closely enough, or it has come about to help you follow God more strongly.

b.      Learning from our mistakes- Even though Abram failed obedience

checks along the way, it woke him up to how he had failed to trust God. And then when the next obedience check came along, Abram was more prepared and more committed to follow faithfully. Abram didn’t allow his failures to lead him away from God, but rather used them to teach him how to follow God all the more. These failures actually strengthened his faith.

            It all goes back to verse 6 where God says to Abram, “And Abram believed the Lord; and the Lord reckoned it to him as righteousness.” Being righteous in this world is not about knowing everything. It isn’t even about doing everything right. It is about believing. Abram was not righteous because of his works, but because of his faith. You and I are not righteous because of our works, but because of our faith. This faith will be tested and tried, but if we keep our focus on Jesus, we will stay strong!

     Ex. Let’s say that I had a hundred dollars that I was going to give away. But before I gave it away I proceeded to crumple it up. Would you still want it? I think so. Let’s say I then dropped it on the ground and started to grind it into the floor with my shoe. Would you want it then? Of course you would. The lesson is that no matter what I did to the money, you still would want it because it did not decrease in value. It is still worth $100. Many times in our lives, we feel like we are dropped, crumpled, and ground into the dirt  by the decisions we make, the circumstances that come our way, and the way we are unfaithful to God. This does not change our value. Dirty or clean, crumpled or finely creased, you are still priceless to God. The worth of our lives comes, not in what we do, what we have or who we know, but by...WHO WE ARE; children of God. And as children we are called to be faithful; to believe!
 

Conclusion: It seems to me that people are willing to believe in Jesus, willing to say that Jesus is the Lord of their life, but they don’t live like this is true. I know that this happens because of many issues: busyness, doubt, fear, alternative teachings, and on and on the list could go. The great news is that God doesn’t want us to go too far astray, before He calls us back to Himself./  EX. In another Peanuts Comic strip, Schroeder is playing Beethoven on his piano, and Lucy is lying next to the piano listening. In frustration she asks: “Schroeder, why is it you like Beethoven better than you like me?” To which Schroeder says: “Beethoven was Beethoven and YOU ARE… YOU!” Lucy thinks about this for a moment and then says: “That doesn’t even leave room for discussion.” I hope that as you leave here today, you would have the sense that I haven’t left you with any room for discussion. Meaning that the power in our life comes from believing. There is power in believing which comes from our faith, and this faith in God is the only thing that will lead us to live our lives in productive, fulfilling and purposeful ways. Don’t think that you know more than God. You don’t. Don’t think that your way is better than God’s way. It isn’t. Don’t let others lead you astray into thinking that the way of the world is better than God’s way. This is not true. Receive the power of God into your life by believing the truth of God this day. Amen.

"The Power of A Story"
Sunday, July 8, 2012
Acts 10:3-48

Introduction: The 18^th century Methodist minister John Wesley once said: “Give me one hundred preachers who fear nothing but sin/  and desire nothing but God/  and I care not a straw whether they are clergymen or laymen; such (men) alone will shake the gates of hell.”

            The amazing part of OUR story is that God is at work in US, at work in the world, seeking to reconcile the world to Himself. If you were to take the time to write out a time-line of your story, you would begin to discover that your life is a “story of grace.” Your life reveals to you and others the acts of grace that have occurred throughout your journey.

            But discovering your story isn’t just about you understanding how God has worked and is working in your life. It needs to go further. Your story is a tool for you to share Christ with others. Your story is a tool to impact others’ lives for Christ. The events and circumstances that God has used to reconcile you to Himself/  will help others to be reconciled as well.

I.                   Being Available- (Acts 10:30-33)

a.      God acts on our behalf- In the scripture we just read from Acts,

chapter 10, we see many things that help us to understand how our story can be powerful in touching the lives of others for Christ. The part of the passage where we began, in verse 30, we see a Gentile (a non-Jew) named Cornelius, who was praying. While he was praying, he had a vision, and someone in dazzling white clothes (probably an angel of the Lord) spoke to him in this vision saying: “Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your alms have been remembered before God. Send therefore to Joppa, and ask for Simon, who is called Peter;…”

            Cornelius, through prayer, was led by God to call for Simon Peter. This came out of a time of prayer. The truth is, that through prayer, either by someone who is praying for themselves, or someone who is praying for another in need, God will come to that person. Sometimes God will put your name, or my name on this person’s mind, or sometimes God will just lead us to this person. But either way, God works on our behalf to give us opportunities to be used by Him.

            But we have to be AVAILABLE. We have to believe that when we have encounters with others, these are divinely appointed. God has placed it on our heart to open up and share with others. We must let God anoint us for this time so that we might be used by Him.

            In the book of Acts, when Peter was summoned to go and visit Cornelius, he resisted. He resisted because he was a Jew, and Cornelius was a Gentile, and up to this point only the apostle Paul had been willing to share the gospel with the Gentiles. Peter did not want to make himself available to Cornelius. He was resistant to go to someone who was different than him.

            Has that happened to you? God has prodded your heart to talk to someone, and you resisted? Or God has placed you in a situation where you could reach out for the Lord to another, but you resisted? It is easy to do, because if we doubt that God wants to use us/  if we doubt that we have the skills or abilities/  if we doubt that God will anoint us for this experience/ or if we doubt that God would have us to talk to someone different than ourselves/   we will hinder God’s acting on our behalf!!

b.      We act on God’s behalf- You see, the exciting thing here is that God

acts on our behalf so that we have the opportunity to act on God’s behalf. And even more, when we have those opportunities to act, we will discover that God has prepared us for this time!

Let me give you a couple of examples:

Example 1- My father died in September of 2003. He had congestive heart failure, and had a heart attack. The paramedics came and took him to the hospital, where he was on a ventilator for 3 weeks, until his blood pressure got so low that we took him off the ventilator and he died soon after. It was difficult to watch my father die. And I have to be honest with you, there are times when I still miss my father. But it is amazing how after going through my father’s death, God led me to many people who were struggling with the loss of a loved one. Even though their situation is different from mine, I still was able to have a sense of what they were going through, and God was able to use this event in my life to reach out and comfort others and connect them with God.

Example 2- Because of the nature of my job, being a minister, I often get into discussions with people about God. Sometimes there are people I feel that God led me to for a specific purpose. As we talk I can see the opportunity God is giving me to share Christ with them! It is up to me to follow through in this opportunity and share with them about the love and salvation Christ offers them. OR, maybe I need to encourage them to commit their lives to God all the more!

II.                Lord of All- (Acts 10:34-43; Matthew 26:69-75; John 21:15-19)

a.      God is for all- As we look further into this passage in Acts 10, we

discover the wonder of this story. For Peter and so many other Jews, they thought that God was the God of only the Jews. But Jesus didn’t just come for the Jews, Jesus came for everyone. As Acts 10:34 says- “Then Peter began to speak to them: ‘I truly understand that God shows no partiality.’”/  Through this experience of being led to Cornelius’ house, Peter begins to understand the bigger picture, that God does not think more highly of one person than another; God does not love one race more than another; that God does not reach out to one nation more than another. As Peter says in Acts 10:36- “…Jesus Christ..is Lord of all.”

            What a great realization this is for Peter./  And for us./   If we realize that God shows no partiality, that God is the God of all, then we might begin to get to that place where we are motivated to tell others about this important news.

            Example- My son Tyler created his own prayer that he prays every night. Part of it went like this: “God thank you for everyone in the world and bless everyone in the world.” I thought this was a sweet sentiment, but one night I decided to have a talk with him about this. “Are you really thankful for everyone in the world?” I asked him. We began to talk about what the word everyone meant, and who fit into this category of everyone. Are you thankful for those in the world who are bad or evil? “NO,” he answered. So we decided to change the prayer to this: “God, thank you for everyone in the world who knows Jesus, that they know Jesus. And help those who don’t know Jesus to come to know Jesus.”/  Well, Tyler liked that prayer better, and now that is what he prays./   GOD IS THE GOD OF ALL!!

b.      Peter tells the story- So Peter tells the story of Jesus. A story that is

very real and personal to Peter. The story of Jesus being baptized, and then starting his ministry. The story of Jesus being anointed with the power of the Holy Spirit and going out to heal the sick and care for the oppressed. And then Peter adds the personal part: “We are witnesses to all that he did…” Witnesses to the crucifixion, and witnesses to His being raised from the dead. And even more, witnesses to Jesus telling them to “preach to the people and to testify that he is the one ordained as judge of the living and the dead.”

            Peter was WITH Jesus, and experienced the grace of God. Peter saw Jesus share the grace of God with others. Peter knows that the story of his life is a grace story. He tells Cornelius, Cornelius’ family, and Cornelius’ friends about this great story. And then in verse 43 Peter says: “…everyone that believes in Jesus receives forgiveness of sins through His name.” Peter tells this from the perspective of one who has experienced this grace of forgiveness, and now is passing it on to others.

c.      A more personal story- Let me deviate a moment from this passage in

Acts, and imagine for a moment Peter telling an even more personal story; another part of this grace story. What story might that be? The story of his denying Jesus 3 times found in Matthew 26:69-75. Imagine Peter talking about watching Jesus from a distance after he was arrested, and others ask: “Weren’t you also with the Galilean?” And Peter says: “I do not know what you are talking about.” Then Peter goes to another place, and a servant girl says to the bystanders: “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.” To which Peter says: “I do not know the man.”/  A little more time goes by, and some people come up to Peter and say: “Certainly you are also one of them, for your accent betrays you.” Interesting wording, huh; betrays you. And Peter responds emphatically: “I do not know the man!” Then as Peter tells the story, he talks about how at that moment he hears the cock crow, and remembers Jesus warning him about his denials./    Peter is crushed!

            But the story of grace doesn’t stop there for Peter. Peter is able to fast forward to after Jesus’ resurrection, to a time when Jesus and Peter have a one-on-

one. This part of the story is found in the gospel of John, 21:15-19. Here Jesus eats breakfast with Peter and then after the breakfast says to Peter: “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” And Peter responds: “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus asks a second time, and Peter again affirms his love for Jesus. Jesus asks a third time, and this time Peter sounds frustrated, but still affirms his love./     Three times Peter denied Jesus. Three times Jesus asks Peter to affirm his love for him. This was not for Jesus. This was God’s grace. Jesus is giving Peter the opportunity to be forgiven for his sin, not only by God, but so that he might be able to forgive himself as well. Jesus wants Peter to know that he will still be a leader in the kingdom of God./  What a powerful story Peter has to tell to let others know of God’s love and forgiveness and second and third chances.

III.             Part of the Family- (Acts 10:44-48)

What is the response to Peter’s story? The Spirit of God falls upon them and

they are touched by the power of God. And the scripture says in Acts 10:45- “The circumcised believers (that is the Jews) who had come with Peter were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles.”/ God allowed them to see His grace given to others because of their faithfulness. God allowed them to see His power shared with all who believe. God allowed them to see that when we tell the story of God, and when we tell our story of how God’s grace has been active in our lives, God will work in a way that others become part of the family too!

            So I ask you this: If you were to look at your life, what are some of the difficulties of your life where you have seen God’s grace at work? What are some of the difficulties of your life that might be a connecting point with someone who doesn’t believe; who isn’t a part of the family of God? What story of God’s grace can you tell to another?

            You see, it is about opening ourselves up, like Peter did, to realize that there are many who might seem like they are not like us, but who are not a part of the family of God, and we have the opportunity to share a part of our story with them. By sharing our story, we open the door for God to work in their life; we have the opportunity to build a bridge that will allow them to walk over to God. We have an opportunity to tell them about Jesus and the grace He has shown to us, and the grace He wants to give to them.

    -STORY- “Courage,” Stories for the Heart, p. 27/ In 1917, during WWI, a battle between the Germans and Americans was taking place. In the battle a German soldier rushes toward the American trench, and in the process gets shot, falls, and gets tangled in some barbed wire. He is screaming in agony. All the American soldiers just sit there, listening to him scream, not moving to help at all. Finally, an American soldier crawls out to help him. The Americans stop firing; soon after the Germans stop firing as they watch in silence. The American untangles the German and carries him back to his trench. As he turns he is grabbed by a German officer, who proceeds to take off his Iron Cross (which is the German highest honor for bravery) and pins it on the American!/  Everyone who is watching is stunned by this action!

Sometimes, it takes courage to share your story. In some ways it is like going onto a battlefield where others might be shooting at you. You might look at non-Christians as being the enemy. But really they are lost sinners just like you were once! If you share their story, they might just become part of the family of God.

Conclusion: If you see someone lost, or in pain, and no one is helping them, take some time to let them know how they are lost and where they need to go. If God gives you an opportunity, I encourage you to take advantage of it by sharing that part of your story of how God touched your life with His grace. By sharing your life with them I promise you, God will use it to make a difference. God will plant a seed with your story, and help it to grow to become part of God’s story. There is power in our stories. May we believe this, today and every day. Amen.