SUNDAY, JANUARY 28, 2007
LET US PRAY:
WE GIVE YOU THANKS O LORD FOR YOUR WORDS THAT THEY MIGHT
PENETRATE OUR HEARTS AND TRANSFORM OUR LIVES.
THAT IS OUR PRAYER IN CHRIST'S NAME.
AMEN.
JESUS HAS JUST FINISHED HIS 40-DAY INTERNSHIP IN THE
WILDERNESS AND IS TEMPTED IN EVERY WAY.
AND HE PASSED.
AND HIS MINISTRY BEGAN AND HE STARTED TO PREACH, PREACH THE
GOOD NEWS, AND AS HE PREACHED THE GOOD NEWS, WORD GOT OUT
THAT HE WAS A PRETTY GOOD PREACHER WHO HAD A DIFFERENT KIND
OF MESSAGE AND PEOPLE FLOCKED FROM EVERYWHERE TO HEAR HIM
PREACH.
AFTER HE FINISHED A CERTAIN CIRCUIT OF PREACHING HE DECIDED
TO GO HOME.
SO HE GOES HOME, AND HE GOES TO CHURCH LIKE A GOOD BOY DOES
WHEN HE GOES HOME.
HE STANDS UP AND READS THAT PASSAGE.
THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS ON ME, BECAUSE HE HAS APPOINTED ME
TO PREACH GOOD NEWS TO THE POOR, HAS SENT ME TO PROCLAIM
FREEDOM FROM THE PRISONERS, TO RECOVER SIGHT FOR THE BLIND,
TO RELEASE THE OPPRESSED, TO PROCLAIM THE YEAR OF THE LORD'S
FAVOR.
AND HE ROLLS UP THE SCROLL AND SITS DOWN AND SAYS, "THIS IS
FULFILLED."
NOW AT FIRST WHEN HE GOT BACK HOME AND PREACHED AND SHARED
THAT SCRIPTURE AND PREACHED HIS MESSAGE THEY WERE LIKE WOW,
THIS IS GOOD STUFF.
IS THIS JOSEPH'S KID?
SURELY THIS ISN'T JOSEPH'S KID.
AND THEN HE TALKED SOME MORE.
AND HE REMINDS THEM THAT THAT MESSAGE IS NOT FOR THEIR
COMFORT.
THAT THE MESSAGE IS REALLY ABOUT OUTSIDERS, AND HE REMINDS
THEM ABOUT ELIJAH, AND ELISHA.
AND THEN THEY ARE NOT SO HAPPY ABOUT THAT MESSAGE,E, AND
THEY TURN ON HIM, AND THEY REALLY WANT TO DO JESUS BODILY
HARM LITERALLY -- HIS OWN PEOPLE -- THE PEOPLE NOT MOMENTS
BEFORE THAT SAID, "IS THIS JOSEPH'S KID?"
WE HAVE BEEN HEARING ABOUT JOSEPH'S KID AND THEN HE ACTUALLY
COMES AND SHARES THE MESSAGE, THE GOOD NEWS AND THEY WANT TO
DO HIM BODILY HARM.
WHAT DO WE LEARN FROM THAT MESSAGE THAT HE SHARES FROM THE
SCRIPTURE THAT HE STANDS AND READS?
I THINK THAT ONE THING WE LEARN IS GOD IS PERSONAL.
NOTICE THE LANGUAGE: UPON ME, APPOINTED ME.
JESUS CAME TO SAY THAT GOD IS NOT SOME COSMIC FORCE OUT
THERE.
GOD IS HERE.
BREAKING INTO THIS KINGDOM TO GIVE ALL OF US A NEW
PERSPECTIVE.
IT IS NOT SOMEONE WE WORSHIP OUT THERE, BUT SOMEONE WE
WORSHIP IN HERE.
GOD IS PERSONAL AND GOD HAD APPOINTED HIM, AND HIS ANOINTING
WAS UPON HIM.
SECOND, THAT GOD IS PROVIDENTIAL FOR HE PROVIDES FOR THOSE
WHO CANNOT BRING ABOUT THEIR OWN RESCUE.
GOD IS NOT ABOUT RAISING YOURSELF UP ON YOUR OWN BOOT
STRAPS.
GOD WILL PROVIDE FOR THOSE WHO CANNOT PROVIDE FOR THEMSELVES
THEIR OWN RESCUE, FOR WHATEVER REASON, FOR WHATEVER REASON.
AND THIRD THAT GOD IS PREFERENTIAL TO THE POOR AND TO THE
NEEDY.
JESUS SAID, "THE
IT IS NOT JUST A PLACE YOU GO TO AFTER YOU DIE.
IT BEGINS NOW -- WHICH -- IF YOU ARE POOR, IF YOU ARE NEEDY,
IF YOU ARE UNDEFENDED HAS TO BE GOOD NEWS BECAUSE IF YOU
THOUGHT YOU HAD TO SUFFER YOUR WHOLE LIFE AND WAIT TO GET TO
THAT PLACE, THAT SOUNDS PRETTY MISERABLE TO ME.
BUT IF YOU FIND OUT THAT GOOD NEWS, THIS
THAT GOD IS BREAKING INTO OUR LIVES BEGINS RIGHT NOW, THAT
GIVES YOU HOPE.
WHY DOES THE
BECAUSE I THINK THAT JESUS UNDERSTANDS THAT A MESSAGE THAT
HAS NO REAL POWER TO SHAPE THE WORLD IS A MEANINGLESS,
USELESS MESSAGE.
IF YOU CAN'T TRANSFORM NOW, THEN WHAT IS THE POINT?
I HAD A TRANSFORMING EXPERIENCE THIS WEEK.
AND I HAVE TO SAY UP FRONT I DIDN'T WANT TO HAVE THAT
TRANSFORMING EXPERIENCE THIS WEEK.
I WAS INVITED TO ATTEND A LECTURE, IF YOU COULD CALL IT
THAT, BY A YOUNG MAN NAMED SHANE CLAIRBORNE.
TRAVIS AND SONDRA HAD READ ONE OF HIS BOOKS, AND HE WAS
SPEAKING AT
ATTEND THE LECTURE.
SHANE CLAIREBORNE IS FROM
AND HE IS SOMEONE WHO UNDERSTANDS THE POWER OF THE MESSAGE
OF GOD'S LOVE IN JESUS.
SHANE WANTED TO MAKE THAT MESSAGE OF GOD'S LOVE A REALITY.
NOT JUST SOMETHING WE TALKED ABOUT. NOT JUST SOMETHING WE
GAVE LIP SERVICE TO, BUT SOMETHING WE ACTUALLY LIVED OUT
EVERY DAY.
AND HE WENT SEARCHING.
HE WENT TO DIFFERENT CHURCHES.
HE ACTUALLY SPENT SOME TIME WITH MOTHER TERESA BEFORE SHE
DIED IN
BUT RIGHT IN HIS OWN COMMUNITY WHERE HE LIVES IN
PHILADELPHIA, IN THE SECTION THAT THEY CALL THE BADLANDS,
WHERE THERE IS CRIME AND POVERTY AND NEED BEYOND BELIEF,
THAT IS WHERE HE DECIDED ALONG WITH SOME OTHER PEOPLE TO
MAKE THIS STAND TO DEMONSTRATE THE LOVE OF JESUS.
TO MAKE IT REAL, TO REACH OUT, TO FEED PEOPLE, TO COMFORT
PEOPLE, TO HELP PEOPLE OUT OF THEIR POVERTY, TO HELP THOSE
WHO ARE UNDEFENDED.
AND HE SHARED HIS STORY, AND IT IS INTERESTING THAT HE HAD
NO RESOURCES, OTHER THAN THE POWER OF THE MESSAGE OF JESUS.
THE NAME OF HIS COMMUNITY IS CALLED THE
EVERY DAY THEY WAKE UP AND THEY INTENTIONALLY LOVE THOSE WHO
SEEM TO BE UNLOVABLE TO MANY OF US.
SHANE CLAIRBORNE AND HIS COMMUNITY, THEY ARE ABOUT SERVICE,
NOT LIP SERVICE, TO THE MESSAGE OF JESUS.
I WAS THINKING ABOUT OTHER PIONEERS WHO LIVE OUT THAT
MESSAGE.
I REMEMBER THE STORY OF JOHN WESLEY.
HE WAS INVITED BY GEORGE WHITFIELD TO COME AND PREACH
OUTDOORS AND JOHN WESLEY WROTE IN HIS JOURNAL, HOW VILE A
THING TO ACTUALLY LEAVE THE CHURCH AND GO PREACH ON SOME
STAND TO SOME PEOPLE.
HE COULDN'T FATHOM THAT IDEA -- THAT THERE WERE PEOPLE OUT
THERE THAT NEEDED TO HEAR THAT GOOD NEWS, BUT HE WENT AND HE
NEVER CAME BACK INSIDE ACTUALLY.
AND HE PREACHED OUT OVER THE COUNTRY, ALL OVER
IN
AND THAT FIRST SUNDAY HE PREACHED OUTDOORS HE PREACHED TO
3,000 PEOPLE, AND HE PREACHED ON THIS PASSAGE.
AND PEOPLE WERE TRANSFORMED.
PEOPLE HAD NOT HEARD THAT GOD WAS PERSONAL.
PEOPLE HAD NOT HARD ABOUT THE PROVIDENTIAL CARE OF GOD AND
THEY SURELY COULD NOT FATHOM THAT THEY -- THEY WERE
PREFERENTIAL.
IF YOU COULD KNOW -- LISTEN -- IF YOU COULD KNOW WHAT GOD IS
DOING IN THE WORLD, IF YOU COULD KNOW WHAT GOD IS DOING IN
THE WORLD, AND THEN JOIN IN THAT WORK, WOULD YOU BE
INTERESTED?
I DON'T WANT TO BE TOO PRESUMPTUOUS, BUT I THINK WE KNOW
HERE AT FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH.
EVERYTHING WE ARE SHOULD BE ABOUT REACHING OUT TO THE
CAPTIVE, TO THE BLIND, TO THE DOWNTRODDEN, AND TO THE
OPPRESSED, AND TO DEMONSTRATE TO THEM THAT THE TIME OF THE
LORD'S FAVOR HAS COME IN THE PERSON AND THE POWER OF JESUS,
AND THAT WE ARE HIS INSTRUMENTS.
BECAUSE OUR COMMUNITY OF FAITH IS ABOUT SERVICE, NOT LIP
SERVICE.
YOU WILL BE SEEING AND HEARING THAT OFTEN HERE AT FIRST
CHRISTIAN CHURCH, AND I HOPE THAT TOGETHER WE CAN LIVE OUT
THIS MESSAGE BECAUSE WE HAVE OPPORTUNITIES.
AND OPPORTUNITIES ARE BEING CREATED AND YOU CAN ACTUALLY
CREATE YOUR OWN OPPORTUNITIES.
TO BE A PERSON TO BE A PART OF THE CHURCH THAT IS ABOUT
SERVICE, AND NOT LIP SERVICE.
YOU KNOW JESUS WENT HOME AND THE PEOPLE WANTED HIM TO MAKE
THEM FEEL GOOD.
BUT HE COULDN'T BECAUSE HE KNEW SO MANY PEOPLE FELT BAD, AND
HE WAS HERE TO CHANGE THAT FACT.
WE HAVE TO ASK OURSELVES, BROTHERS AND SISTERS, IS JESUS OUR
PERSONAL CHAPLAIN?
OR HAS HE COME TO REALLY CHANGE THE WORLD, TO CHANGE OUR
HEARTS AND TO MAKE US INSTRUMENTS OF HIS GRACE AND HIS LOVE.
AFTER SHANE CLAIREBORNE GAVE HIS LECTURE, THE BEST PART FOR
ME WAS THAT I WAS WAITING OUTSIDE AFTER THE LECTURE.
AND I SAY THESE YOUNG PEOPLE COMING OUT OF THAT LECTURE, AND
I SAW SO MANY OF THEM AFFECTED, SOME CRYING, SOME JUST IN
SILENCE, STUNNED BY THE SIMPLICITY AND THE POWER OF HIS
MESSAGE.
HE DIDN'T TELL US TO GO TO CALCUTTA.
HE DIDN'T TELL US TO GO BE MISSIONARIES.
HE DIDN'T TELL US WE HAD TO BE A PASTOR OR A MINISTER.
HE SAID WHEREVER YOU ARE, YOU CAN SHOW THE LOVE OF JESUS.
EVERY DAY YOU CAN DO THAT, WE CAN DO THAT.
LET'S NOT LET THE FEAR OF INCONVENIENCE OR THE FEAR OF
CHANGE BECAUSE WHEN YOU ARE TRANSFORMED BY THE LOVE OF
CHRIST YOU ARE CHANGED.
LET'S NOT LET THAT FEAR KEEP US FROM LIVING OUT THE
POWERFUL, MEANINGFUL LIFE-CHANGING MESSAGE OF JESUS.
I HAVE A FRIEND WHO WENT TO ENGLAND, AND HE WAS GOING TO THE
STORE.
AND OUTSIDE THERE WAS A CHURCH GROUP AT A LITTLE STAND,
ASKING FOR MONEY.
AND HE AND HIS OTHER FRIENDS WANTED TO GO AND SEE WHAT IT
WAS ABOUT AND SEE WHAT THEIR CHURCH WAS ABOUT.
AND THEY WERE RAISING MONEY FOR SOME FUND, I AM NO SURE IF
IT WAS THE ORGAN OR PEW FUND, I DON'T KNOW.
AND MY FRIEND TRIED TO ENGAGE THEM IN CONVERSATION BUT THEY
WOULDN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH ANY OTHER CONVERSATION
OTHER THAN, "CAN YOU GIVE US MONEY FOR OUR FUND?"
MY FRIEND LEFT AND LATER HE TOLD ME THAT THE MESSAGE HE LEFT
FROM THAT LITTLE CHURCH BOOTH WAS WE ARE BROKE, CAN YOU SAVE
US?
WHAT IS OUR MESSAGE?
SAVE US, WE ARE BROKE, OR SERVICE, NOT LIP SERVICE.
JESUS HAS CALLED US TO DO SOMETHING GREAT TO BE A PART OF
SOMETHING BIGGER THAN OURSELVES.
TO DEMONSTRATE THAT HIS MESSAGE, HIS MESSAGE OF LOVE CAN
CHANGE THE WORLD.
I HOPE THAT WE ARE ABOUT SERVICE AND NOT LIP SERVICE, I
THINK WE ARE.
I THINK WE ARE ON OUR WAY.
9
BUT WE HAVE TO KEEP THAT IN FRONT OF US EVERY SINGLE DAY
BECAUSE IT IS NOT JUST DOING THIS IN THE NAME OF THE CHURCH,
IT IS ABOUT DOING IT IN THE NAME OF JESUS EVERY DAY, AT
HOME, AT WORK, AT PLAY, REACHING OUT IN THE SMALLEST OF WAYS
AND THE GREATEST OF WAYS.
IN HUGGING THE PERSON WHO NEEDS A HUG, IN SAYING A KIND WORD
TO SOMEONE WHO NEEDS A KIND WORD, MAYBE IT IS GOING TO
CALCUTTA, AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN.
THAT IS WHAT WE ARE CALLED TO.
THINK ABOUT SOMEBODY ELSE OTHER THAN OURSELVES.
AND I TELL YOU RIGHT NOW IT WILL NOT MAKE US POPULAR WITH
SOME BUT THAT IS OKAY.
BECAUSE GOD IS WITH US.
GOD IS WITH US.
GOD WILL CARE FOR US.
GOD WILL CARE FOR US.
AND ALL OF GOD'S CHILDREN SAID -- AMEN.
OUR HYMN OF INVITATION IS HYMN NUMBER 526.
THE GIFT OF LOVE
AS WE STAND AND SING THIS SONG AND REFLECT ON THE GIFT OF
LOVE THAT IS IN JESUS THE CHRIST, LET US REFLECT ON HOW WE
CAN MAKE THAT LOVE REAL FOR OTHERS EVERY DAY.
LET US STAND.