Immitating Immanuel

The following is from Montrose Baptist Church's AM worship service on October 25, 2009.

James Baldwin once said, “Children have never been good at listening to their elders, but they have never failed to imitate them.”

As a young and naïve parent, I never understood the truth of that statement. However, I am coming to learn the prominence of imitation over instruction.

Through the years, I have watched our children with amazement. The little things that they pick up on are both incredible and scary at the same time.

Perhaps one of my favorite memories involves Kate and her attempt to mimic Mom and Dad at bed time. I am certain that the parents in this room understand the difficulty of that dreadful hour. It is that time when parents become completely and utterly exhausted and the kids catch a second wind. At our children's current ages, it involves at least five or six trips to the bedroom to place a child back in bed and it is typically followed by an instruction, or perhaps a borderline threat, that they WILL NOT get back out of their bed.

For our kids, bedtime is often mistaken for the allotted time of the day to trash the bedrooms. They drag out clothes while looking for pajamas, move entire libraries worth of books and then might even try bungee jumping off of the beds using suspenders.

Now, Emily and I have really tried to work with our children. We have repeatedly given instruction. We have repeatedly offered discipline and correction. And without fail, it reaches that point where Mom or Dad walk into the room and make the following statement: “What happened in here?! Wait, I don't want to hear it! Y'all get in bed and lay down. Do not make me come back here again or everyone is getting a spanking.”

Now, have any of you other parents ever had an experience similar to that?

A few weeks ago, we were going through the normal nightly routine. The kids were going to the bathroom before climbing in and Sarah's room looked like they had already performed their nightly duty of destruction. Sarah climbed into bed. Eli made a pallet on Sarah's floor and Kate walked through the door on her way to her bed. Suddenly, Kate stops, puts her hands on her hips and then begins gesturing and speaking in her foreign language Pappy calls Swahili. I am still not certain what Kate said to Sarah and Eli, but I'm pretty sure she was taking care of Mom and Dad's address to the inhabitants of the pink bedroom.

Her familiarity with Mom and Dad's bedtime speech led to her imitation.

We could share all kinds of examples of kids that imitate their parents or elders. But that is not my express purpose this morning. Rather, I want to ask the question: What would happen if we began to imitate Immanuel- if we imitated Christ with the same kind of passion and accuracy as young children? What would happen in our churches and communities is God's people were true imitators of Christ?

We are going to look at the early church this morning and discover what happens when God's people are faithful to imitate Him.

Read text. (Acts 4:1-13)

By this time in the ministries of Peter and John, the face of the Christian church is rapidly growing and changing. Peter and John have witnessed the ascension of Christ. They have been gifted with the Holy Spirit and participated in the Day of Pentecost. Then, in returning to their worship and ministries, they have healed a lame man at the temple gate. You might recall their famed words, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” For all practical purposes, they are faithfully and powerfully imitating the ministry of Jesus. They are doing the things that He did in their midst and instructed them to do as well. They are answering their call to ministry and evidencing God's power.

Yet, it is not received by all. Through their example, we come to understand an important truth. The first thing that we must grasp about imitating Christ is this: If we are faithful to walk in His ways and follow His example, we will find...

1.) Adversity

“As they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to them, being greatly disturbed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. And they laid hands of them and put them in jail until the next day, for it was already evening.” (v. 1-3)

For Peter and John, and for the rest of the disciples at some point during their ministries, faithful imitation of Christ was going to produce adversity and strife.

At this point, Peter and John have only done good and proclaimed the name of Jesus. They have just bestowed the gift of new life to a lame beggar from the temple gates. However, it is not producing praise and adoration from all those around. In fact, the Sadducees, the priests and the temple guards immediately seize them. They determine that they must stop this madness and blasphemy before it can go any farther.

Now, can you see this? The disciples, those that were teaching the truth of God and declaring the name of Jesus as God's Son, were met by the religious elite and essentially told to be quiet.

Now, there adversity didn't even come from outside the religious establishment. Rather, it can from God's own people. It came from people that should have understood the person of Jesus. It came from people that had devoted their life to studying the Scriptures.

When God's people were faithful to imitate His Son, they found adversity.

And this should not surprise us. Look at Jesus. He has been labeled as the most controversial figure in world history.

When Jesus spoke, taught, or demonstrated his power, He was attacked and threatened because of it. There was the time that He was led to a high place on a hill so that they could throw Him off. (Luke 4:29) Multiple times the Jews picked up stones to attempt to stone him. (John 8:59, John 10:31) He eventually surrendered His life on Calvary- as a direct result of the opposition and adversity of God's own people.

Jesus Himself promised the disciples that they were going to face adversity. John 7:7 says, “The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify that what it does is evil.” And then in John 15:18 we find Jesus saying, “If the world hates you, keep in mind it hated me first.” While it might seem that these passages are contradictory, they are actually complimentary. The overall picture is simple. If we love Jesus and seek to imitate Him, the world is going to hate us. We are not going to be well-received.

As we are talking about imitating Immanuel this morning, we need to understand from the start that our imitation is not going to be without adversity. In fact, the more accurately you imitate Christ, the more severe the adversity is going to become.

While many view Christianity as a way to gain respect and good-standing in the community, true and complete imitation of Christ is going to cause some problems. It is going to produce a lack of understanding. If we truly and completely imitate Christ, there are those, even within the church, that are going to think that we are charismatic and crazy.

If Jesus was rejected, what makes us believe that we should be accepted and loved by all?

There will be adversity. However, while some don't understand our imitation of Christ, there will also be those that see its...

2.) Attraction

“But many of those who had heard the message believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand.” (v. 4)

Peter and John were taken into custody because of their faithful imitation of Christ. However, while some didn't understand, others noted the attraction of their message and lifestyles.

While Peter and John were facing reprecussions for their faithful service and declaration, God was using them to build the church and further His kingdom.

We are told that the number of men came to be about five thousand. Now, there is some debate as to what this means. Some suggest that there were five thousand that were saved as a result of the miracle and Peter's declaration, while others contend that there were less than that.

If you recall, in Acts 2 through the Day of Pentecost, there were three thousand souls added to the number. Some might suggest that there were two thousand more added while others would argue that there were another five thousand. I don't know if the number is really that relevant. Rather, there is a promise that we find.

Because Peter and John were faithful to imitate Christ and serve Him faithfully, regardless of the immediate adversity they faced from some, there were those that were drawn to the hope and message of Christ.

I believe they perfectly illustrate the fact that loving imitation of Christ will produce results. Where some will view the message of Christ and His followers as threatening or even foolishness, there will be those that come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ because of the faithful imitation of God's people.

Just consider how effective they were without a thirty minute sermon. Their lifestyles- their imitation of Jesus when coupled with the power of the Holy Spirit led either two thousand or five thousand to be converted that day. Either way, when was the last time that you heard of a mass conversion such as that?

Imitation of Christ will produce adversity with some. Its attraction will be noted by others. While imitation of Jesus will produce a wide array of responses, our actions must also be coupled with...

3.) Attestation

“When they had placed them in the center, they began to inquire, 'By what power, or in what name, have you done this?' Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, 'Rulers and elders of the people, if we are on trial today for a benefit done to a sick man, as to how this man has been made well, let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead- by this name this man stands here before you in good health. He is the stone which was rejected by you, the builders but which became the chief cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.'” (v. 7-12)

We must remember, even while there were multitudes that responded to the message and demonstration of Peter and John, they are still in the custody of the religious leadership. They are still going to face accusation and questioning from those that don't agree with their testimony or cause.

They are held in protective custody- like criminals to face the accusation of the rulers. However, we do not find men that shrink from the opportunity. They do not abandon their responsibility when they are put in a difficult situation.

Rather, while looking the accusing, condemning audience in the eye- in a vulnerable place, Peter became overwhelmed by the Holy Spirit and declared the truth.

Now, I love Peter's address to the Council that he is facing. Peter begins by questioning what they are on trial for. He says, “if we are on trial today for a benefit done to a sick man...” Peter basically calls into question the purpose and motivation of this trial. I am certain that he is trying to get this audience to question their own hearts.

But in typical Peter fashion, he follows this question with a rather bold declaration. He essentially says, “If we are on trial for a benefit done to a sick man... then just know that it was Jesus' name and power that performed this miracle. If you want someone to blame, keep on blaming Jesus.”

And while Peter was bold in his declaration, he continues to move into more dangerous territory. When standing before this council- probably the Sanhedrin that was made up of the high priest and seventy others- both Sadducee and Pharisee, Peter turns the finger of accusation.

He makes an exceedingly bold statement in the light of the company he was in. He assures them that this miracle was not done in the name of Satan or a demon- which is ironic considering the Sadducees on the council wouldn't have believed in them anyway! Instead, it was done in the name and power of Jesus Christ- the man that they had put to death. He is declaring Jesus' true messiahship here. And then to add a couple of exclamation points, he adds that it was “by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead...”

Once again, Peter is taking another jab at the Sadducee presence. The Sadducees were convinced that there were no angels or demons. Yet they questioned the disciples under what power they operated. Then the Sadducees also refused to believe in the idea of resurrection or eternal life- and so Peter adds for good measure that the person that grants them power is He that God raised from the dead.

But even still, the Holy Spirit is not done with Peter. Rather, through the power of the Holy Spirit, Peter argues with the very authority that the Sadducees and Pharisees claimed. He went forward further and quotes Psalm 118:22 speaking about the the stone the builders rejected.

Essentially, Peter was faithful with the message he was given and tells them, “You know, you are the religious elite. You are supposed to dedicate your life to understanding the intracacies of the law. You should know, better than anyone else, the message of Word of God (which was the Old Testament at this point). However, even you fail to realize that you are fulfilling prophecy. You are the foolish builders that are refusing to accept the cornerstone. Even still you are questioning the stability and strength of Jesus. Why can't you wake up and see that the Word of God is true, and it is speaking about you?”

Peter couples his imitation of Christian lifestyle with faithful declaration of the truth of God. After pointing out the errancies and inconsistencies in their own arguments, he gives them the plain and simple truth. He declares that there is no other name but Jesus, by which we must be saved.

While we don't have modern-day Sanhedrin councils, we must still be prepared to give an account of the one that grants us life. We still face those that refuse to accept the plain truth that is right in front of them. Especially in our modern religious atmosphere, we must stand firm in our declaration of Jesus as the only way to be saved.

Our actions must be coupled with attestation. We cannot refuse to speak.

Peter and John found adversity in their attempt to imitate Christ. They also found those that were attracted to the hope of the gospel. They were faithful in their attestation before the council. And lastly we find a certainty or an...

4.) Assurance

“Now as they observed the confidence of Peter and John and understood that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed, and began to recognize them as having been with Jesus.” (v. 13)

Because of their actions and declaration, even the unbelieving council understood a very important truth. They were certain that these men had been with Jesus.

When the Sadducees and the Pharisees look on and heard Peter's declaration, they were certain of two things. They first noticed that these men were uneducated and untrained.

Now, this did not mean that they were illiterate or ignorant. It does not mean that they were completely uneducated. Rather, they were not formally educated in a rabbinical school like those that were serving on the council. They should not have been as steeped in the Word of God as they were.

However, because of their time with Jesus, and because of the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit, they responded and defended the faith in a manner that was not expected.

When faced with two ordinary men that presented such an extraordinary argument and declaration, there was only one way they could explain this occasion. They recognized the boldness, clarity, and directness from one other person. This was the same power that they saw in Jesus Christ.

Now, think about what that must have been like for these “religious” men. These were probably the same men that had met to hear and sentence Jesus Himself. These were the same leaders that thought they had succeeded in silencing this “blasphemous” message. However, they are discovering the truth of the power of God.

Even those that refused to accept the message of Christ could see and understand the source of the disciples' power.

That is my favorite part of this entire story. While I loved Peter's argument, while we celebrate the addition of lives to the kingdom of God, there is something about that statement that causes me to marvel.

Of all of the things that could have been said, of all of the explanations that could have been made, even the unbelieving council knew that their power came from Jesus.

Let me ask the question: what would this community look like if those around us- even the unbelievers saw the power that was present in our lives and knew that we had been with Jesus?

What would happen, what would our services be like if it was obvious that God's people had been fellowshipping with Christ?

The disciples knew how to imitate Christ- they presented an accurate picture of His power and gospel, not because they spent years in a fancy school learning all the right answers, but because they had simply spent time with Jesus.

I am firmly convinced that as a Christian people- as “little Christs,” we are expected to imitate our Master. We should love with His love. We should serve with His heart. We should declare the truth with His passion. We should live with His standard.

However, we are never going to accurately imitate Christ if we fail to spend time with Him.

As we come to our time of invitation this morning, I want to ask you: Are you accurately imitating my Jesus? Does your life resemble His? Do people see His power in your life and marvel? Do even the unbelievers around you know that there is something special and different in your life?

If not, why not? What is it that needs to change for you to be found like Peter and John? What must you do for someone else to know that you have been with Jesus?

Mission: Montrose (He Wants Me, but It is Not About Me)

This is from the AM worship service at Montrose Baptist Church on October 4, 2009.


The families in the Sahel, a four thousand mile wide stretch of savannah just south of the Sahara Desert, understand the cost of the harvest. That particular area receives all of its precipitation in a four month period: May, June, July, and August. After that, not a drop of rain falls for eight months. The ground cracks from dryness- as will your hands and feet. The winds of the Sahara pick up the dust and throw it thousands of feet into the air. It then comes slowly drifting across West Africa as a fine grit. It gets inside your mouth. It gets inside your watch and stops it. For those areas, the year’s food must all be grown in that four month period. The natives grow sorghum or milo in small fields.
October and November are beautiful months. The granaries are full, the harvest has come. People sing and dance. They eat two meals a day.
The sorghum is ground between two stones to make flour and then a mush with the consistency of yesterday’s Cream of Wheat. The sticky mush is eaten hot. They roll it into little balls between their fingers, drop it into a bit of sauce and then pop it into their mouths. The meal lies heavy on their stomachs, and sleep comes easily.
December comes and the granaries start to recede. Many families begin to omit the morning meal. By January, perhaps one family in fifty is still eating two meals a day. By February, the evening meal begins to suffer. The meal shrinks even more in March and children begin to succumb to illness. You don’t stay well on half a meal a day. April is the month that haunts the memory. In it, you hear the babies crying in the twilight. Most of the days are passed with only an evening cup of gruel.
Then, inevitably, it happens. A six or seven-year-old boy comes running to his father one day with excitement. “Daddy! Daddy! We’ve got grain!” he shouts. “Son, you know we haven’t had grain for weeks.” “Yes, we have!” the boy insists. “Out in the hut where we keep the goats, there’s a leather sack hanging up on the wall. I reached up and put my hand down in there. Daddy, there’s grain in there. Give it to Mommy so she can make flour, and tonight our tummies can sleep!”
The father stands motionless. “Son, we can’t do that. That’s next year’s seed grain. It’s the only thing between us and starvation. We’re waiting for the rains, and then we must use it.”
The rains finally arrive in May, and when they do the young boy watches as his father takes the sack from the wall and does the most unreasonable thing imaginable. Instead of feeding his weak family, he goes to the field with tears streaming down his face, and takes the precious seed and throws it away. He scatters it in the dirt! Why? Because he believes in the harvest.
The act of sowing that seed hurts so much that the sower cries.
But we must realize that this is God’s law of the harvest. Don’t expect to rejoice later unless you have willing to sow in tears.
How much would it cost us to sow in tears? Now, I don’t mean out of our abundance. Are you willing to get to the point where you say, “I believe in the harvest and so I am willing to do what makes no sense”?
As we continue to look at our call to missions, we must realize that it is not about us. It is not based on our desires or feelings. It is not determined by our abundance or lack. It is simply a call that we must answer.

Read text. (Luke 10:5-12)

If you remember two weeks ago, as we began to deal with this passage, we have discovered the personnel. We have been reminded that you and I are called to serve as active missionaries to our community. We also discovered the partnership that is present between fellow workers and Christ personally. We considered the prospect of the harvest. Remember, approximately 85% of our state is not in service this morning. And we also looked at the petition that we are expected to make for more workers.
Last week, we added an understanding of the authority of the Person that sends us. Because Jesus sends us, we do not have a sufficient excuse for neglecting our mission. We also noted the adversity of the sinful. Our message is not always going to be well-received. We discovered the adornment of those that are sent. We are not to carry a money belt, bag, extra shoes- or anything that would hinder us or relieve our dependency on God. And then we saw the appearance of snares. We were reminded that our mission is so important and urgent that we are not to be entrapped in meaningless chatter.
As we continue to investigate Christ’s call to those that He sends out, we are going to amend those things that we already understand.
The first thing that we find is the proper…

1.) Disposition (v. 5)
“But whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’”
As Jesus is addressing this “other” seventy, he tells them how to approach potential hosts and converts. Rather than coming with an overbearing, powerful attitude, He instructs them to come in peace. He commands them to have a peaceful disposition.
Specifically, Christ tells these that they are to immediately greet those potential helpers with the statement, “Peace to this house!”
Now, when we look at that particular greeting, it was not uncommon during that time. In fact, it was understood much like you and I understand it today. It was a pleasant greeting that promised good intentions and desires for those that dwell in a particular house.
It was a simple address that anyone in that time would have understood. However, when it came from one of the servants of Christ, when it came from one of these men that were entrusted with the greatest treasure on the face of the earth- the gospel of Christ, the meaning was much deeper.
The Greek used was “eirēnē.” Where most would understand it to simply mean peace and rest, it actually carried a larger connotation. The word referred to peace, tranquility, harmony, safety, welfare, health. It had a special emphasis on a lack of strife in a relationship.
For these commissioned ambassadors, their offering of “Peace to this house” actually offered a hope of intimacy and lack of strife in that family’s relationship, not just with themselves, but with God.
Do you realize that is what we are essentially offering as we carry the message of Christ to a lost and dying world? We are offering reconciliation and intimacy in a relationship with God Himself.
When these men went out, they were to go with a peaceful disposition.
Where I’ve said that there are elements we’ve lost through the years, I believe that this is one of them. Instead of going in peace, we are taught to be confrontational. Instead of offering reconciliation, we believe that we go in condemnation.
Let me illustrate. We believe that the best way to evangelize is (in the best old country preacher tone and drawl we can manage) to attack those that we are witnessing to. We come with the, "THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS AT HAND! REPENT YOU SINNER AND SAVE YOURSELF FROM THE FIERY PITS OF HELL! IF YOU DON'T PUT DOWN THAT BOTTLE AND GET BACK TO CHURCH, YOU ARE GOING TO UNDERSTAND THE MISERY OF ETERNAL DAMNATION! YOU SORRY SINNER, YOUR WRETCHED EXISTENCE IS A PITIFUL EXCUSE FOR LIFE. Now don't you want to ask Jesus into your heart?!"
We are taught, often through preaching, that the most effective means of reaching someone is to yell and scream and condemn their sin. We act as if we are supposed to produce fear and conviction in the hearts of the people we are called to evangelize. However, we must remember, we go in hopes of providing reconciliation. We go to bring peace. We offer a message that produces harmony.
We have to go in peace and be willing to leave the conviction up to God. Hear me again. We go in peace and we allow God to produce conviction. We are not called to produce a reaction through manipulation and guilt.
We find the disposition. Next, we note the call to…

2.) Contentment (v. 7)
“And remain in the same house, eating and drinking such things as they give, for the laborer is worthy of his wages. Do not go from house to house.”
In addition to finding a peaceful disposition, those that are sent are expected to be content with the provisions that are made.
When they entered into the cities, they were immediately trying to locate a place to stay while they fulfilled their mission. Now, you need to remember what we already know about these men. They were another seventy that were sent out in pairs to thirty-five different locations. And while they went, they were commanded to leave their money belts at home.
These men could not pay for a room at an inn. They were not able to provide for themselves through monetary means. Rather, they were falling on the grace and goodness of the people of that location.
And remember, additionally, if they went in pairs, a host would likely have to house two men as opposed to just one.
One of the pressing tasks in the mission was to secure a place to stay.
Once these men secured a place to stay while working with the people of that area, they were commanded to stay there. They should remain in that house and evidence their appreciation and contentment with the provisions made by God and those people.
House-jumping in search of a more comfortable place was prohibited. Now, why would Jesus prohibit this? Is it really wrong to want to have the best things available to you?
I believe that while there was a temptation to seek “greener pastures,” it would ultimately undermine their witness in that region. For the original hosts, what would it communicate if your guests left because they thought the offer from your neighbor was better? Additionally, this move would simply be wasted time. We must remember the urgency of the mission.
Being settled and appreciative gave an opportunity to be more focused on the task at hand and preserved their reputations.
Let’s bring this to today for just a moment. Have you heard of pastors that seem to jump from place to place, always looking for the better deal? While we are going that route, do you know of church members that do the same?
I believe that discontentment communicates the same thing today that it did then. It downplays the obedience and goodness of those that God has used to provide and it robs those people of time and opportunities to serve in their areas.
We are instructed to be content, but also see Jesus reassuring those He sends out. He tells them that a “laborer is worthy of his wages.” He basically assures them that they deserve the things that are provided for them.
Let me take a quick survey. How many of you in this room are paid what you are worth at your job?
Where some might have questioned their worth, Jesus told His followers, “Listen, you are worth what you earn. You are not a charity case. Instead, you are fulfilling an important mission and I am using those people to provide what you need and deserve.”
Jesus’ followers were deserving of what they made because of the magnitude and importance of the task they were fulfilling.
We are expected to have a peaceful disposition. We are called to be content with the provisions that God provides. We then note the duty of…

3.) Determination (v. 10-11)
“But whatever city you enter, and they do not receive you, go out into its streets and say, ‘The very dust of your city which clings to us we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near you.’”
Jesus did not ever attempt to mislead those that were being sent out. He did not pretend that their task was an easy and certain venture. Rather, their mission would prove difficult in some circumstances. In some areas, they would not have the opportunity to stay and witness because the entire community would refuse to be hospitable. There were going to be places where everyone refused to harbor and support these men.
In anticipation of this rejection, Jesus instructed these men how to approach that problem.
If everyone rejected God’s chosen messengers, they were to go into the streets and publicly knock the dust off of their shoes in protest.
Now, think about this for moment. If everyone rejected these men, they would stand in the middle of the road and wipe the dirt off the bottoms of their sandals.
This is pretty strong imagery. These men, as a form of judgment and declaration, would stand in the streets and remove the lowest things of that city. They were literally declaring to this city, “The kingdom of God has come near you. We came to offer peace and reconciliation and you refused. So, we are making certain that we owe you nothing. We are not going to be associated with you in any way. We will not even allow the dust of your streets to go with us!”
And after this determination and declaration, they simply left.
Now, this is something that we might have a difficult time with. We like the image of a longsuffering God that will never give up on us. However, when considering the urgency of the mission- and the necessary response, they simply did not have time to stay and argue with those that refuse to accept.
They moved on.
While we want to do all that is in our power, I’m afraid there are times that we spend so much time trying to persuade certain people that we neglect others. There will still be times when we have to wipe the dust off our feet.
Now, this is not necessarily something that everyone will take from this passage, but it was something that God spoke to me.
When Jesus prepared them for a potentially negative response, He was communicating to them, “You are called to go. God will handle the response. And if they reject, it is not you they reject, but God and His Son.”
We are called to go- and if we are rejected, it is not us, but Jesus that they are saying no to.
We note the disposition, the contentment, the determination, and lastly the…

4.) Destruction (v. 12)
“But I say to you that it will be more tolerable in that Day for Sodom than for that city.”
I believe that those that were sent out went with enthusiasm and excitement. Certainly there was some fear, but they went with high expectations.
In those times, when they were rejected and denied shelter, it would have been easy to want to declare judgment and lash out. However, this commissioning continues to follow the pattern consistent through Scripture.
We find in the book of Romans, “’Vengeance is mine; I will repay,’ saith the Lord.”
Over and over through Scripture, we find God’s people instructed to remain peaceful and trust that God is going to take the job of condemning and punishing evil.
God is not going to allow the rejection of His Son’s sacrifice on Calvary to be trampled in the dirt without consequence.
Jesus warns that it will be more tolerable for Sodom in the day of recompense and vengeance than it will for those cities. Now, that should scare someone. Does anyone remember exactly what God did to Sodom and Gomorrah?
God rained fire and brimstone from heaven on that city. It destroyed the cities, the growth, the people- everything. God is promising His ambassadors that complete annihilation is desirable compared to what awaits those that refuse the gospel.
If we look at the book of Mark, we are told that the place of assignment for those that refuse Jesus and His sacrifice is hell. It is the place where the fire is not quenched and the worm does not die. It is a place of complete isolation from God and everything good, where the fire burns eternally, and the suffocating gas of brimstone rises from the lake of fire.
Do you know what the worst part of hell is? It is not the torment or the burning. Hell is hell because you are completely removed from God’s care and restriction. Satan no longer has to refrain from his desires when the hand of God is removed.
For those that refuse the message, their fate is so severe that they would desire fire to fall from heaven and consume them.
As followers of Christ, when our mission field refuses to surrender and bow a knee, it is not our job to take things into our own hands. We are not afforded the right to pass judgment. Rather, God assures us that He will see justice through.
Looking at the account of the seventy others, we discover that we are commanded to go. We are told how to go. And then we are reminded that God is in control and it is not about us.
When we discover that this is not about us, we must come to the realization that our task is simply to go. God is in charge of the response. However, He needs us to seek to faithfully serve Him to accomplish His will.
I know that the same question has been asked for the last three weeks, but it is going to be asked again. Are you going? Are you reporting for your missionary tour of duty? Are you making a difference in your community?
If you have not reported for duty, isn’t it time that you begin to do what you were made to do?

Mission: Montrose (He Wants Me, So Now What?)

This is from the AM worship service at Montrose Baptist Church on September 27, 2009.


In the early nineties in India, a young woman named Alila stood on the beach holding her tiny infant son close to her heart. Tears welled in her eyes as she began slowly walking toward the river’s edge. She stepped into the water, silently making her way out until she was waist deep, the water gently lapping at the sleeping baby’s feet. She stood there for a long time holding the child tightly as she stared across the river. Then all of a sudden in one quick movement she threw the six month old baby to his watery death.
Native missionary M.V. Varghese often witnesses among the crowds who gather at the Ganges. It was he who cam upon Alila that day kneeling in the sand crying uncontrollably and beating her breast. With compassion, he knelt down next to her and asked her to explain what was wrong. Through her sobs and cries, she explained, “The problems in my home are too many and my sins are heavy on my heart, so I offered the best I have to the goddess Ganges. I offered my firstborn son.”
Brother Varghese’s heart ached and broke for the desperate woman. As she continued to weep, he gently began to tell here about the love of Jesus, and through His sacrifice, her sins could be forgiven. After hearing such news, she looked at this missionary strangely. “I have never heard that before,” she replied through her tears. “Why couldn’t you have come thirty minutes earlier? If you did, my child would not have had to die.”
The reality is that millions of people come to that same holy sight- in the Indian city of Hardwar to bathe in the River Ganges. They come believing that this Hindu ritual with was their sins away. Unfortunately for many of them like Alila, missionaries are arriving too late. They are arriving too late because there simply are not enough faithful brothers and sisters answering the call to the mission field.
When we hear that story, my first reaction was to fight back tears. Truly, this is a tragedy. However, there might still be the tendency to dismiss this story as an unfortunate foreign occurrence. I doubt seriously that any of us have heard of a baby being offered in the Mississippi to atone for the sins of their family. But that does not mean that people are not desperate and hurting. While we might not know of local stories that are exactly like this one, I can assure you that we people here in our backyard that are just as desperate to find relief from the guilt of sin, and a break from the difficulty of life.
They might not have offered their firstborn, but I can guarantee you there are those that are following similar ill-fated hopes at relief.
There are those that are living lives of bondage in legalism, somehow believing that their best efforts are going to be good enough for redemption and heaven. Others are trying to drown it in alcohol. Still more are trying to escape through drugs and substance abuse. Some attempt to fill that void with inappropriate relationships. The list is endless.
Even in our towns, there are those that are empty and desperate. And I’m afraid that, if we are completely honest, many of them would ask us the same question Alila posed to Brother Varghese. They would wonder where we have been, and why we have not come earlier.
I want to ask you as we continue to dig into Christ’s commissioning of “another” seventy that he appointed to serve as missionaries and ambassadors.

Read text. (Luke 10:3-4)

If you recall last week, we looked at the identity of the personnel and were reminded that every believer is commissioned to take the gospel to a lost and dying world. It is not merely for professionals. We also considered the partnerships that are present in that endeavor- between each other and Christ Himself. We then considered the prospect of a great harvest and finished with our duty to petition God for additional workers.
As we move forward in Christ’s address, there are four more elements that we must recognize. The first element present in our passage today is…

1.) The Authority of the Sender (v. 3)
“Go; behold, I send you out…”
When you look at this particular portion of Christ’s address to this seventy, it may seem that there is a correlation between this passage and another.
Where else in Scripture can we find the command “go” as it relates to missions?
Jesus tells the other seventy here in Luke 10 to “Go.” And it may resemble the Great Commission in Matthew 28 where Christ instructed “Go ye therefore…” However, there is a marked difference here. Certainly the Great Commission carries a connotation of a required movement. Typically, at first glance, it is assumed to be a verb that instructed His people to start moving. However, the original text in the Greek does not match.
Matthew 28 literally translates “As you are going,” where the word used here in Luke is “hypagō.” Where Matthew 28 is a present participle phrase, Luke 10 is an imperative command. It literally means, “Get going!”
When you combine the wording and intention behind these two passages, I believe that we get a more complete picture of Christ’s command to serve as His hands and feet in our world. I believe we can combine these two different accounts and it would translate, “Get going! And as you are going, make disciples…”
The call to action is apparent all through the gospel. However, we need to establish the authority of the sender. After all, why would we listen and take action, if the person issuing the instruction does not have the authority to demand anything of us.
Once again, we need to cross-reference the Great Commission. Matthew 28:18 firmly establishes that Christ has the authority to demand whatever He will of His people. In Christ’s own words we see, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.”
Christ has been given authority over everything- every person, being, situation, etc. There is nothing that is not subject to His instruction and standard.
You might be sitting there thinking, “Well, OK, Christ has authority over everything. What does that matter to me?” We need to understand the identity and authority of the person that is sending us because if we don’t we will never take action or remain faithful to that commission.
As a church, you have been wonderful in obliging to follow me in things that you might not have understood. However, if I simply tell you that I want you to do something you might do it for a little while. But if it gets difficult and taxing, there will be a time when you want to stop. And what would stop you? It is just the preacher.
We must understand that we are commissioned under the authority of Jesus Christ. And because of the greatness of His authority, we are not given the luxury of simply abandoning His instruction when it becomes difficult. We see the authority of the sender and then we must note…

2.) The Adversity of the Sinful (v. 3)
“Go; behold, I send you out as lambs in the midst of wolves.”
Now, before we go any farther this morning looking into the interpretation of the passage, does this sound pleasant? Is this a pleasurable picture?
Jesus told this group of seventy to “Get going, but be forewarned, you are going out like lambs in a pack of wolves.”
Now, I believe the imagery is pretty simple. What happens when lambs and wolves meet? Lambs become threatened. They are subject to attacks, injury, and trouble.
I believe that is an entirely accurate picture of how these men were being sent out.
So many times, we talk about victory in Christ. We love to quote passages like Philippians 4:13 that say, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” However, we need to realize that our mission is not going to be free of bumps and bruises. It is not all going to be easy and pleasant.
As much as our society enjoys the “prosperity gospel,” it simply is not guaranteed in Scripture.
Just consider what this commission meant for these men. When Jesus sent out this seventy, they were going to prepare the way and proclaim the name of Jesus as Messiah. However, they were going to run into various belief systems. They were going to face a devout Jewish society that was going to, in large respect, regard these men as either pagans or blasphemers. They were going to face an unrelenting system dictated by self-righteous legalists that were unwilling to accept anything that would compromise their personal authority.
Telling these followers that they were going as lambs in the midst of wolves was an accurate picture of these men when facing traditional Judaism and the Pharisees.
And we must realize that the picture has not changed. There are going to be times when doors will be slammed in our faces. There are going to be times when we are not simply rejected, but cussed and threatened. It is inevitable that attacks will come. And we approach them like lambs in the midst of wolves.
There is the temptation in human emotion to defend one’s self. Even as Christians, when faced with attack and defamation, there is the natural desire to respond and defend. However, Jesus said they were being sent as lambs in the midst of wolves. What defense does a lamb have against a wolf?
We must understand the proper heart and attitude. It is not our place to attack. However, we go out in gentleness and love. We present Christ without militant methods.
There are two movies out that basically tell the same story. Through the Gates of Splendor and End of the Spear are both movies based on the story of Jim Elliott, Nate Saint, and the missionaries that worked with the Waodani tribe. (Just a side note- I hope to have a movie night and show this!)
The Waodani were extremely aggressive. In fact, they always carried spears to attack any threats that were present. One way that missionaries discouraged their attacks were to fire guns in the air if they became aggressive.
Perhaps, the most memorable and difficult scene in the movie was one were Nate Saint’s son asked if he would use his gun if they were in trouble. He responded with a “No” to his son. He explained, “We can’t shoot the Waodani, son. They’re not ready for heaven- we are.”
These five missionary men all gave their lives. They were all speared because of a lie that was circulated through the tribe about them. They were truly lambs in the midst of wolves.
We note the authority of the sender. We see the adversity of the sinful. Next, we note…

3.) The Adornment of the Sent (v. 4)
“Carry no money belt, no bag, no shoes…”
Jesus addressed all of the potential questions these men could’ve had. He told them that they were being put in a vulnerable position. However, He further complicated the picture that we expected to see in His sending off of these followers.
Look at how Jesus instructs His followers to adorn themselves when they go out. He tells them, “Carry no money belt.” They were told not to carry gold, silver, or copper. They were not to make monetary provisions for themselves.
He then tells them to “Carry no bag.” Jesus is referring to a knapsack-type of bag that was used for carrying bread primarily. It was just a way of making certain that you had extra physical provisions for your journey.
So, they are already instructed not to carry food or money with them, but then Jesus expands the instruction. He also tells them to carry no shoes.
Now, would Jesus really further complicate this process by telling them to go barefoot?
I believe when we compare this account with a similar account of the twelve disciples in Matthew 10, we actually find that this is instruction not to carry an extra pair of sandals. If you look at Matthew 10, Jesus tells them not to take two tunics or an extra staff.
Now, why would Jesus do this? Doesn’t this seem to merely complicate this whole process? After all, what is wrong with being prepared for potential difficulty in the future?
I believe that Jesus gave these instructions, the instruction to carry nothing extra with them for a purpose. I believe He did this for two reasons. First, He did not want them weighed down or concerned with anything but their mission and purpose. Secondly, He intended to make provision for them. He was going to see that their needs were met.
While Jesus told His followers to carry nothing extraneous with them as they went, I believe that we should understand that to still be His expectation as well.
Do you know how many excuses we make as God’s people for not being active in our individual calls to ministry? And typically, our excuses are based around physical things. I am a prime example. I told God- once we’re done with school, once we are set financially, I’ll go.
However, Jesus did not want anything to stand in between His servants and their faithful service. We don’t have an excuse for neglecting our mission. Like those seventy, He is going to provide for our need. We must simply “Go.”
We note the authority of the sender, the adversity of the sinful, the adornment of the sent, and lastly…

4.) The Approach of Snares (v. 4)
“Carry no money belt, no bag, no shoes; and greet no one on the way.”
Jesus tells His missionaries to carry no money, no food, no extra provisions, and then He instructs them to greet no one on their journey.
Now, I don’t know if this is just me, but that doesn’t sound very conducive to a Mississippi mentality. Jesus doesn’t want me to carry extra food for myself or to speak to people on the way?
I believe we need to understand exactly what was meant by this instruction. Jesus was not instructing His people to be prudes. He was not telling them that they were superior or above those along the way. Rather, He was trying to protect the mission that they were called to fulfill.
Jesus told them to greet no one on the way because of the urgency of their mission. Greetings in those times between dignitaries and ambassadors were long and formal occasions. They often included parties, dinners, and lodging. They could last for hours or even days.
Jesus was trying to communicate to His people that their mission was so urgent that they did not have time for meaningless chatter and formalities. The eternal condition of the people of those cities depended on their prompt arrival and communication of the gospel message. They could not afford to be sidetracked.
Still that may seem difficult for some of us. However, let me ask you to be honest in your response to this question: How many times have you felt like you needed to share Christ with someone, how many times have you known that you needed to go and see someone to offer encouragement, how many times did you intend to go and visit that neighbor but something came up? How many times have you ran into someone at Jerry’s or answered a call on the phone on your way out the door and the visit was never made?
Jesus was trying to make certain that they understood the urgency of their call. It simply could not wait.
My former pastor told the story of a man that spoke at a Bus Ministry Conference that he attended as a young minister. The story was told of a bus minister in a church that required it’s bus captains to visit for three hours every Saturday. One particular weekend, this young man was sick. It was raining and dreary and he really wanted to just go home.
Finally, the three hour mark came and he decided that he was going to head home. But before he did, he prayed a somewhat assuming prayer asking God for permission to go home.
He couldn’t find peace. He kept feeling like he needed to visit this one family. He went and talked to the family- who happened to have five children. They agreed for the kids to ride the bus, and they began picking them up week after week to bring to church. As the weeks passed, one of the children walked forward. Then another. Then another. They all gave their lives to Christ. After this the parents began attending with them, and as you guessed Mom and Dad both made professions of faith. That entire family- everyone of the age to make a decision for Christ had surrendered their hearts and lives to Jesus.
A few weeks later, that same bus captain was making his Saturday visits when he came to their apartment- only it was roped off with police tape. Their home had caught fire and burned down- trapping the entire family inside. None of them survived.
Had this young man not been obedient, had the sense of urgency not been placed in his heart, I don’t want to think about what could’ve happened.
I am not saying that Montrose is going to fall victim to a disaster. However, we need to realize that our community simply cannot wait. Our message and mission is urgent. We have people in our own backyard that need to hear the gospel and hope of Jesus Christ. They need to feel the love and compassion of God’s people. They need us to go to our mission.
I want to challenge you individually, and us as a church. As an individual, we all have a call to answer. We all have unique missions to complete. I would urge you to make a new commitment to being the missionary you’ve been called to be.
And to us as a corporate church, I believe that we need to shift focus. We need to be a missionary sending and support station. Montrose ought to be our mission field and this church should be our hub.
I would ask you to pray for one another and for our church collectively as we seek to be obedient to God’s instruction.
Are you being obedient, are you going- or are you making an excuse? What is it going to take for you to answer Christ’s call to His service?

Mission: Montrose (Jesus wants Me?)

In 1990, a small group of teenagers came together for a DiscipleNow weekend in Burleson, Texas. They came to that occasion earnestly seeking God’s face and I am certain that none of them expected what was going to happen. God moved in a mighty way that evening and burdened the hearts of this group of teenagers like never before. Burdened over their friends and schools, they drove to three different schools that evening. When they arrived at the schools, they knew they had been directed by the Spirit of God to those places, but found themselves wondering what they should do.
It was at that point that this group circled around the flagpole and prayed with passion and conviction over their classmates, teachers, administrators, and country.
That particular evening sparked a movement in our country. Challenged by the heart of these young people, a group of youth ministers in Texas caught a vision for their state. After some promotion, later that year more than 45,000 young people gathered one morning around their schools’ flagpoles.
After expanding this vision even further, there were over a million young people that participated in See You at the Pole the following year.
Today, God has expanded this event that started in the burdened hearts of a single youth group to include more than 3 million students in all 50 states. Additionally, Christian students are now gathering in as many as 20 different countries to pray for God’s intervention in the lives of their friends, countries, and classmates.
This next Wednesday is the national See You at the Pole day. While I am a very strong proponent for SYATP, my main concern this morning is not an annual event at schools across our nation. Rather, I believe that each of us should be challenged by their burden. We should be challenged by their compassion and concern for their friends, their schools, and their nation.
If I may be blunt, I’m afraid that the church has become far too introspective. It seems that the church is becoming more and more concerned solely with what happens inside the walls of the church to the members of the congregation. We are consumed by our comforts and cares. It seems so many times that those doors are not simply shut to keep the elements, but often it feels as if the church’s concern and passion is limited by the confines of the church walls.
We must rediscover that urgency and compassion for those around us. Most of our church is not in school anymore. However, that does not mean that our mission field has closed.
I’ve been convicted that we must become more mission-minded. We must become less introspective and more prospective. We must be actively answering Christ’s call for us to serve as His hands and feet in our community.
Over the next several weeks, leading up to Harvest Sunday, we are going to examine a passage of Scripture that speaks to our need to actively work toward the harvest that God has prepared.
I would invite you to join with me this morning as we begin to look at Christ’s commission to His people.

Read text. (Luke 10:1-2)

While this passage is pretty direct, we are going to spend a few moments this morning identifying the various elements present in Luke’s account. As we look at this commission, we first notice…

1.) The Personnel
“Now after this the Lord appointed seventy others, and sent them…”
If we are talking about missions, we need to understand who exactly is expected to serve as the necessary personnel. And when we look at this passage, we find something a little different than what we are used to seeing in Scripture- especially from the lips of Jesus Himself. We may expect to see Him sending out the twelve disciples. However, that is not what we find here. We find that He went and appointed seventy others to serve His purpose and kingdom.
Jesus was actively preparing and training His disciples. He has already sent them out before, and we know that Jesus will send the twelve out again. However, at this point, we find that the group expected to serve as ambassadors and missionaries is larger than we generally accept. He sends out more than the “same old twelve.”
When you look at their description, in Greek they are called the seventy “heteros.” Literally, it translates as “other or another.” So basically we are told that Jesus sent out “another” seventy.
His work, his mission, was not limited to the elite twelve that were closest to Him. Instead, He intended that His message and mission be carried on by others as well.
While they are called “heteros,” or another seventy, we have to go a little farther in the passage. We are told, “The Lord appointed seventy others, and sent them.”
While they were a different seventy, they were commissioned or sent out by Jesus Himself. The word for sent is “apostellō.” Does that look familiar to anyone? Does it mimic a word that you and I are very familiar with?
It is the verb that is derived from the root for apostle. And just a side note, the word apostle simply means “sent one.” The other times in Scripture where this verb form is used, it is typically used to signify the commissioning and sending of the disciples.
Now would Jesus really send out men that were not the “trained elite” to serve as ambassadors and ministers to these locations?
Sure He would! Christ’s intended personnel is inclusive of the entirety of the body of Christ. There is not a man, woman, boy or girl that has received the gift of God’s grace and redemption that is not meant to enlist as a missionary.
There may be some of you that are thinking, “Well, we’ve heard that before.” However, I believe that we need to identify the personnel present because I’m afraid the modern church has missed the boat here. We have assigned the mission of the church to the professionally trained. Whether it is the fault of the pulpit or the parishioner, we have adopted this idea that the preacher and the church staff are the missionaries to our community.
No! That is not the case. That is not God’s plan and design. If you are His, if you are a child of God- a transformed and redeemed soul that places his/her trust in God’s grace and mercy, then you are a missionary. You are called to work and share.
We must understand the personnel then and the expected personnel now. Once we grasp the identity of the personnel, we note…

2.) The Partnership
“Now after this the Lord appointed seventy others, and sent them in pairs ahead of Him to every city and place where He Himself was going to come.”
When we note the appointment and commission of the “other” seventy, we also come to grasp Christ’s design.
He sent them in pairs. He sent the missionaries by twos. Why?
First, I believe that it gave credibility to their testimony. You have to remember that official testimony in that time had to be confirmed by two witnesses. The pairs gave confirmation and credibility to their message. But I believe there was still more.
I really believe that Jesus saw through the frailty of human emotion. If we asked people why they don’t share the message of Christ more often they would share that they feel awkward and isolated at times when sharing. I understand. I grasp the fact that there are times when you are sharing your faith when it would be really nice to have someone there that understands what you are trying to share. It can be an isolating and awkward time. And while we are responsible for our personal witness, I believe that Christ does not intend that we go at it alone. I believe that the pairs not only gave credibility, but support. There was a two-fold partnership present.
There was a Partnership between the Sent. Because of their association with one another, there was naturally an association and bond between those sent on the mission.
Now, we don’t have specific recollections of the bonds that were established, but I believe that much can be inferred here. It would only be natural that those pairs regarded their counterparts as co-laborers and family. Their common mission created a relationship.
Just as it was then, the same should be true today. Christ’s followers are called to be partners with one another to work toward the fulfillment of His mission. In fact, I believe that is at the very heart of the purpose of the church.
The church of Montrose- whether it be Methodist or Baptist, non-denominational, Church of God in Christ, whatever it may be- the true church, is called to serve as “Missionary Sending and Support Stations.” The purpose of this body is not to merely assemble because of a Sunday ritual. Rather, this is the place where God’s individual servants (aka His missionaries) come together for fellowship, training, worship and encouragement.
This body ought to operate under the understanding that this church is a partnership of individually commissioned missionaries.
There is a partnership between those sent as well as a Partnership with Jesus Himself.
When we return to the passage, the other seventy were not merely sent to random places. Rather, they were purposely and strategically sent to those areas where Jesus intended to appear personally. They were basically sent as forerunners.
However, with that understanding, we grasp that this mission was a partnership with Jesus. They were working for and with our Savior.
Once again, things have not changed. We are still working alongside our God. We are still partnering in His work.
Let me explain briefly. We are called to share the message of the Gospel of Christ. We are called to serve with our lips, our hands, and our feet. However, when we share the gospel, what is it that brings conviction and causes transformation and regeneration? It is not us! It is the work of the Holy Spirit. Literally, it is the Spirit of Christ that is working alongside us. His partnership with His missionaries continues today.
When trying to understand Christ’s call, we note the personnel. We grasp the partnership. Next, we must see…

3.) The Prospect
“And He was saying to them, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few…’”
While I believe this overall passage is a “call to arms,” Christ sends out His servants with a promise of a great harvest. He is basically assuring His people that the mission is worthwhile. There is both hope and a promise of success in their endeavors.
He begins with the Promise of a Great Harvest Then. As Jesus is sending out this “other” seventy, He gives His assurance that there is a great harvest awaiting them. Through the analogy of farming and harvesting, He assures them that their work and toil will be rewarded.
Just think about that for a moment. I am not a farmer. I cannot relate as well as many of you to the processes involved in farming. However, I do understand the basic concept of work and reward. It is a pretty universal concept. And let’s face it, if we invest the time and labor, we want to know that there is going to be a return and reward for that effort.
Jesus plainly told His people that the harvest was abundant. It was plentiful. He assured them that a great harvest was waiting then. And I believe that this also speaks to the Prospect of a Great Harvest Now.
You and I need to understand that there is still a great harvest awaiting us. Listen, I know that it feels like pulling teeth at times to get someone to surrender their life to Christ. Hey, it’s hard to get people to agree to come to church. However, we need to realize that there is still a prospect of a great harvest.
Let me make certain you understand just how vast and open our field is. We’ll start large and narrow it down. This world has a population of approximately 6 billion people. At the current time, there are approximately 1.5 billion people that have NO access to the gospel. If you take the population of the entirety of the United States and its territories and multiply it by 5, you have the number of people that have never had a way to hear the name of Jesus.
In North America, 7 in every 10 people are lost. If you narrow it down to the United States, 3 in every 4 people are lost.
Let’s get to our own backyard. In the state of Mississippi, we have a population of 2.95 million people. On Easter Sunday, the most attended Sunday of the year Baptist churches will have approximately 200,000 present in service.
That figure equals approximately 6.9 % of our state population. If you combine every other “Christian” denomination, the number almost doubles. If you count every church of every Christian denomination, we still see less than 14% of our entire state in church on any Sunday. And here is the part that will probably really bother you- In a recent survey, Mississippi was found to be the “most religious” of all of the states. Did you catch that? The most religious of all of the states has about 15% of its population in church on any given Sunday.
Our harvest is plentiful. There are plenty of fields to be worked. Even if every church attendee brought someone with them next week, 75% of our state would still be unaffected.
There is still the prospect of a great harvest! There is still a fresh field to be worked.
We note that we are the personnel. We are enlisted in a partnership together for the purpose of spreading the hope of Christ. We are still given a prospect of a great harvest. And lastly, we cannot ignore…

4.) The Petition
“And He was saying to them, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.’”
While they are being sent out, Christ also urges His followers to pray for more workers.
Now, here is where I believe we take this passage incorrectly. So many times we look at this passage with the idea that we can merely pray for God to send someone out to reach these masses that we just mentioned. We pray for our missionaries. We pray for God to send out more workers and so many times we feel as if we have fulfilled our spiritual duty because we have done that.
However, that is not what is urged here at all. Rather, these seventy that are being sent out are urged to pray for more workers- as they are in the process of working for God’s kingdom.
The passage is clear. We are called to pray for more people to work the fields. We are called to pray for those that are laboring in the fields. However, that prayer should come from an active missionary.
You and I are called to pray, but we cannot merely ask God to send someone into the fields to cover our responsibility.
We must pray for God to send His people into the fields. However, when I think about it, my approach is this: When I pray for God to send someone to the fields- when I pray for Montrose, I pray that God will send someone that I can partner with in ministering to this community. In my prayers, I pray for God to send people into the areas that I cannot reach. I pray for Him to do things that are beyond me and my abilities.
Our call to pray is not a relinquishing of personal responsibility. Rather, it is a bid for God’s power and assistance in doing His work.
It is time that Christ’s church once again becomes a mission-minded church. It is time that we abandon our introspective attitudes, and begin to look at the white fields around us.
In the next several weeks, I hope to encourage our church to take a more active approach in reaching our community. I hope that while our giving to missions is important, we will be a mission.
And for us to answer God’s call to work toward His harvest, we must each make a personal decision as to what we are going to do.
Are you actively working for His kingdom? Are you truly burdened over the lost in our community? Are you burdened enough to be like those kids in Burleson, Texas and take action?

The Church: A Forgiving Family

This comes from the AM worship service at Montrose Baptist Church on September 6, 2009.


Shortly after the turn of the century, Japan invaded, conquered, and occupied Korea. Of all of Korea's oppressors, Japan was by far the most ruthless. They were brutal and vindictive. Their crimes against women and children were simply inhuman. Still today, there are Koreans living with emotional scars from that occupation.
One group of particular interest to the Japanese were the Christian believers in Korea. As the Japanese army swept through the land, their first actions were often to board up Christian churches, eject foreign missionaries, and arrest key spokesmen for the faith. It was their desire to snuff out the hope and presence of Christianity in Korea.
As you can imagine, hearts filled with anger and resentment toward the Japanese. However, one pastor persistently entreated his local police chief to give their church permission to meet. Finally, his persistence paid off and the doors were unlocked so to allow the people to meet for one service in their little wooden church.
Word spread across the countryside. Believers from far and wide immediately made plans to attend, and even before dawn that morning, families were en-route to the meeting place. As they assembled together, the back doors of the church were shut, sealing out the oppression around them and closing in a burning Spirit to worship their God.
The Korean church has always been known as a singing church. And soon the intermingled voices were too much for the wood frame to contain. For a handful of peasants working nearby, there were two songs that seem suspended in time.
During a stanza of “Nearer my God to Thee,” the police chief issued the order. His officers rushed the building and barricaded the back door. A handful of worshipers in the back could hear the commotion, but paid no attention. Unfortunately, no one sensed the fact the church had been dowsed in kerosene. And with that congregation trapped inside, that wood frame church was ignited.
Their was an immediate rush toward the windows. However, any hope they provided was quickly squandered when those men attempting to leave through the window came crashing back in with a flurry of bullets.
The pastor, then, realizing the sealed fate of the people, led the congregation in a fitting hymn. The first words were ones of haunting to the helpless onlookers, and even tugged at the hearts of the men overseeing the execution.
It started, “Alas, and did my Savior bleed, and did my Sovereign die? Would He devote that sacred Head for such a worm as I?” Just before the roof caved in, they sang the last verse. “But drops of grief can ne'er repay the debt of love I owe: Here Lord, I give myself away, tis all that I can do. At the cross, at the cross, where I first saw the light and the burden of my heart rolled away, it was there by faith, I received my sight, and now I am happy all the day.”
Eventually the melodies of the music were lost in the roaring of the flames. And while the clean-up would be easy, the recovery for the Korean people- and their pain and anguish would not pass so quickly.
In the passing years, a hatred and bitterness toward the Japanese festered in the hearts of the families and countrymen of Korea. While Japan was defeated and removed from occupation and power, the memories lived on. A memorial was erected in honor of those that gave their lives that day, but it also served as a reminder of that pain.
Certainly pain and sorrow are a part of life, but how could anyone hope to overcome anger over such an occasion of brutality and cruelty?
It was not until 1972 that hope came to that countryside. A group of traveling Japanese pastors touring the country passed by that memorial. As they read the names of those that gave their lives, they were filled with shame and horror. They were distraught, and unable to comprehend why their own countrymen would carry out such a despicable act.
They felt personally responsible despite none of them were present (nor were most born at that point).
However, these ministers returned to their country with the mission of righting a past wrong. They quickly took up a collection of a million yen- which is equivalent to approximately $25,000. They transferred that money through the proper channels and sponsored the erection of a white wooden church at the sight of the memorial.
During the dedication of that building, a delegation of Japanese ministers was sent to take part in the service. With their generosity duly noted, the presence of the pain of the people was still apparent as the names of the deceased were read.
It seemed that this service was only another chapter to the pain that festered for decades. However, the director of the service thought that it would only be fitting to end the service by singing the two songs that resonated across the countryside that morning. As they sang together, “Nearer my God to Thee,” the Japanese delegation became to crumble. Where they were normally stoic, tears began to stream down their faces.
At the beginning of “At the Cross,” they could no longer bear the burden and shame of their country's past. They began to earnestly apologize and plead with the Koreans for their forgiveness.
The Koreans, still reeling from years of pent-up anger were not quick to surrender. However, one Korean brother turned to one of the Japanese men and cried out in forgiveness as the chorus rang out, “and the burden of my heart rolled away.” Then another and another. Suddenly, the service was overtaken by the power of true forgiveness. Japanese tears of repentance and guilt were intermingled with the relinquished Korean tears of forgiveness.
On that day, that horrendous sight was bathed by the power of Christ's forgiveness and heaven sent reconciliation to that little white church in Korea.
You know, I really wonder how many of us continue to hold on to past hurts and pains. I wonder how many of us would identify ourselves with the Koreans, or even the Japanese.
If I can be so direct, I firmly believe that the church needs an occasion like that day in the Korean countryside.
Let me try to bring this a little closer to home. I was told when Emily and I came here almost three years ago that “We all basically get along. And if there is a problem, we deal with it and move on.” However, I'm afraid that while that might be true at times, it is not always the case. I believe with my whole heart that we have people in our church and community that need to experience the power of forgiveness.
On October 19 of last year, I preached a message called “Can't we all just get along?”. You might recall that morning because we placed a trash can at the altar. Many of you came forward trying to get rid of those things that plagued you. However, in recent weeks, I've been told, “Preacher, you know that service you did with the trash can, I'm afraid the difference only lasted about a week.”
And so, with that in mind, we are going to look at the Biblical command of forgiveness and Christ's offering of reconciliation.
If you are still finding difficulty in offering someone forgiveness, or seeking another's forgiveness, I want to encourage you to stick with me this morning- God's Word, and your obedience to it could just change the rest of your life.

Read text. (Ephesians 4:30-32)

This short passage is clear, concise, and to the point. It gives an unmistakable outline for God's expectation in our relationships.
Now, I know that we congnitively understand Christ's command to forgive, but Paul gives us both a command to forgive, and provides the effects of disobedience.
I believe that Paul laid this message out in simplicity so that no one would have the excuse to say that they did not understand why they were really expected to do.
I don't know about your kids, but often when I tell mine to do something, they ask for an explanation. We are at the “why” phase of life. I'm sure that many of you can understand. And in Paul's instruction in this particular section, he begins by immediately answering the why question. And so, to begin to outline his instruction, we note the...

1.) Effect
“Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” v. 30
I believe this is a very interesting way to grasp the attention of his recipients. He simply tells them to avoid grieving the Spirit of God.
Now, there are many ways that we can grieve the Spirit of God. However, Paul is referring to what comes immediately after that statement. Paul is communicating to the Ephesian people that bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, slander, meanness and unforgiveness all grieve the Spirit.
Now, we probably don't like that. We like talking about how homosexuality, abortion, theft, murder, drug abuse, and countless other things disappoint God. However, how does it fit when His own children are told that it is not only sinful actions, but attitudes that cause Him to withdraw?
I wish that I could tell you something different. However, it is clear that all of these attitudes: bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, slander, unforgiveness, they all grieve the Spirit. They hurt God and cause Him to withdraw intimacy from us.
I know that revival is something that I have placed at the top of our prayer list. It is something that we desire for our own congregation as well as our state and nation. However, we are not going to find it personally until we are each willing relinquish those things that we grasp so tightly.
You are not going to find the peace that passes all understanding until you seek the forgiveness from those you've wronged and granted it to those that have hurt you.
For anyone that has ever harbored ill will or refused forgiveness for those that wronged us, you understand the unrest and grieving that you feel. You can feel that the Spirit is grieved.
When I was worked for Sara Lee, I would get calls every few days from one of the guys asking me what to do to fix a problem they were having with their handhelds. Typically, I could tell them how to do what they call a “warm boot” and get them on their way. However, one day, one of the guys left his handheld for me to fix. I did the same thing that I had done a hundred times before- but something happened. The computer messed up and I had to call tech support in St. Louis.
When I called and explained the problem, we went through the normal routine of identifying my depot- the route number, and all these other formalities. However, the tech guy had some serious attitude. In fact, he asked if I was stupid and who did I think I was breaking their computers. He accused me of losing all of the guy's information and various other things.
During part of the process, I had to enter our bakery number, which was 105. However, he was telling me to enter another number that would not go. He asked me if I even knew where I was- and had some pretty harsh words for me.
Finally, I had all I could take. I put down the handset, walked away and called him a word that I will not repeat. (It was not a cuss word, but I'll spare you anyways) When I returned, I discovered that he had overheard my comment and then refused to do anything else to help. I got his supervisor's information and promptly hung up on him.
We got the computer fixed and running. I had not lost the information or done the other things I was accused of. However, the entire ride home was awkward. I could not rest. I tried to lay down for a nap, but tossed and turned. Finally, I knew that I had grieved the Spirit, and made that call of humility. I asked for the gentleman's forgiveness, and we ended up having a good working relationship from that point on.
When we refuse forgiveness, and proceed proudly pretending that haven't wronged anyone else, we will find that God's Spirit within us is grieved.
The first effect of unforgiveness is grieving the Spirit. But there is more. Mark 11:25 says, “And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.” Mark 11:25
It seems through reading that passage that our forgiveness is conditional on our forgiveness of others. While we could embark on a great debate over this issue, let me simply put it this way. If we have received the Spirit of God, if we have sought His forgiveness, we are expected to forgive one another. The Spirit within us is going to demand that we release others the same way that you and I were released from the guilt, pain, and punishment of our wrongdoing.
Unforgiveness grieves the Spirit of God, and it calls into question the authenticity of our own salvation experience. Paul outlines the effect of unforgiveness, but also conveys requirement of...

2.) Expulsion
“Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.” v. 31
We are required, as God's children, to put away all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander. We must expel them.
Some years ago, a little boy, that will remain nameless for personal reasons, was expelled from kindergarten because he earnestly believed that rules applied to everyone but himself. He would cause endless trouble for his teacher, and even had a violent streak. The school determined that the only option for him was expulsion. They simply could not deal with him.
Now, what did it mean when they expelled him? They put him out. It was a declaration that there was no room, nor was he welcome to continue to take refuge within the walls of that school.
We are called to do the same thing with these particular attitudes in our lives. We must expel them. We must declare that bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and slander have no place within God's temple.
Can I ask you to be honest with me? Do you see evidence of Christians battling with bitterness and anger? Do you see the presence of slander and clamor within the Christian fellowship?
I'm afraid that we have pretended for far too long that these are insignificant, natural tendencies. Now, they are natural. I believe that it is part of our human nature. We naturally react in self-preservation. We naturally react to some things with anger. However, we cannot pretend that they are without effect or consequence.
You can say what you want. You can pretend that your dislike and bitterness toward certain people is justified. However, all it is going to do is rob you of your joy and peace, and possibly deny them the testimony of Jesus Christ that they need to see.
Certainly, while we are talking about these things, particularly anger, someone is going to point out the story about Jesus at the temple when He overturned the moneychangers tables and ran them out. I believe that Jesus was angry at that point. However, it was a righteous anger.
Please don't fool yourself. Let me ask you to be completely honest with yourself for a moment. Those times that you get angry, those things that you harbor and become bitter over, did the conflict arise because you were defending something of great spiritual importance? Or did it happen because you were personally threatened or attacked?
I know that they are easy to justify, but we are called to put off- to expel bitterness and anger, slander, wrath, and clamor.
When we enter into this place, and gather together with one another, we ought to exude a forgiving and peaceful spirit. It should be a place free from clamor and slander. It should be a place where bitterness and anger are refused refuge.
We see the effect of unforgiveness, the expulsion of ungodly attitudes, and lastly, we note God's...

3.) Expectation
“Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ Jesus also has forgiven you.” v. 32
When you look at the instruction contained in this final verse of chapter four, it seems that this is a lesson intended for our preschoolers.
How many times have you told your children, or heard someone tell their children, “You need to by nice!”?
I believe that we might need to take a step back to some of the more basic things because I'm afraid that there are times when we've lost sight of them.
This is such a simple instruction, yet so many times it looks so completely foreign to what is actually seen and practiced. Be kind to one another. How much more simple can it get?
Now, I know that there are times when we will have disagreements in our lives. I know that there will be times when that happens within the church. However, we can disagree and still be kind to one another. I'm afraid that Christians can be some of the meanest, most vindictive people there are, and we hide behind the guise of “Well, I have to call it sin if that is what the Bible says.”
We should be kind to each other. We should also be tender-hearted.
I realize that there are times when that is really difficult. I understand that there are times when we see people that seem to be reaping the benefits of an errant lifestyle. I know there are times when we would like to say, “Well, see what you get for doing that!”
However, that is not our call. We are expected to be tender-hearted.
When we encounter people that are hurting and struggling, it should be us- God's people that are willing to reach out the helping hand instead of the condemning glance.
If I am completely honest, I'm a little disappointed in the corporate church's response to obvious pain in our culture. Let me illustrate by simply sharing things I've heard.
To the person that is hurting and trying to drown their sorrow in alcohol, we tell them, “Drinking is a sin. You're going to hell if you don't put that bottle down.” To the person struggling with depression, we say, “Well, there is joy in a relationship with Christ. Christians aren't supposed to be depressed. You must not be saved if you are depressed.” To the person that is struggling through a divorce, they hear, “God hates divorce. It's an abomination and you should be ashamed.”
Listen, there are times that we take a slice of Biblical truth and wrap it in judgmentalism. We must rediscover tender hearts. We must hurt with out people when they hurt. We support and struggle with the weak. We celebrate with those that are joyous.
And finally with kindness and tender-heartedness, we add on forgiveness.
We must be willing to seek and offer forgiveness for those ways that we've failed and in those times someone has failed us.
Listen, just because we are Christians does not mean that we are perfect. We cannot live under the delusion that we will never hurt someone or mess up because we are the “good people.” Instead, we must be the first in admitting and seeking forgiveness for our wrongdoings.
This morning, you might tell me, “Well, preacher you just don't know what that person has done to me.” Or maybe it is the other way and you say, “You don't know what all I did to that person. There is no way that I can forgive or be forgiven of that.”
Maybe you can disprove your own excuse this morning. What is the only unpardonable sin? It is blasphemy of the Spirit. It is a continual hardening and resistance to the Spirit of God that definitively declares that God has no place or influence in your life.
If blasphemy of the Spirit is the only unforgiveable sin, is that your sin? I didn't think so. For everything else, forgiveness must be offered.
This morning as we come to our invitation, if there is some business that you need to do, please do not make any excuses or put it off any longer. We cannot harbor unforgiveness and pretend that things are fine.
As we have our invitation, if you need to come to the altar, please come. If you need me to pray with you, I would love to do so. If you have a decision that you need to make public, you have that opportunity as well.
While I would love to see the altar full, and love to experience true forgiveness and restoration like that little church in Korea, it is not going to happen unless we forgive each other.
Does anyone know what Matthew 5:23-24 says? If you bring your offering to the altar and remember that you have something against your brother, what do you have to do?
Well, that is actually a trick. While we must offer forgiveness, the passage says...
“Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.” Matthew 5:23-24
Scripture commends us that if we know that a brother has something against us, we need to go to them and seek forgiveness before we approach the altar with out offering.
It does not matter if we pretend others haven’t hurt us- if you know that someone is struggling and your relationship is failing because of a past hurt, it is time for reconciliation.

From Flourishing to Failing

This is from Montrose Baptist Church's AM service on 8-30-2009.

I can still remember November 26, 1994. On that particular day, my Mom, sister and I attended a lunch at a Mexican restaurant in Panama City. I remember that day so well because I was thoroughly disgusted with the way that the Florida-Florida State football game had progressed through the first two quarters.
Once we arrived at the restaurant, I left my headphones in the car and decided to concentrate on reading a book to pass the time.
I really don’t remember the book or lunch for that matter, but when I returned to the car and turned on the radio, I was surprised to find out that Florida State, who had been trailing 31-3 going into the fourth quarter, finished the game tied 31-31. That particular game has been called “The choke at the Doak.”
For myself and every other Florida State Seminole fan, that was one of the greatest games in history. However, for the Florida Gator faithful, it is a day when they watched helplessly as they transformed in one quarter from flourishing to failing.
I know that not everyone is a fan of Florida State football. I know that many of you could’ve cared less about what was happening in Tallahassee, Florida on November 26, 1994. However, I believe that all of us can understand how things can change from flourishing to failing.
I’m afraid that the church is coming to understand that transformation. Rather than flourishing, we are floundering.
I want to take a different approach this morning. We are actually going to look at two different passages and look at the process of how we move from one to the other.

Read text. (Ephesians 1:1-2, 14-15; Revelation 2:1-4)

When you look at these two passages, it is not readily apparent what the correlation is between the two. However, we need to understand what it is that we are looking for this morning.
We are going to approach this morning’s message in a different fashion than usual. In fact, instead of trying to systematically deduce the text, we are actually going to establish a timeline and progression using these two passages as bookends.
If we are to look at Paul’s prison epistle to the Ephesian believers and compare it to Christ’s declaration to the church at Ephesus through John in Revelation, we would note a commonality, as well as a marked difference.
The common element between these two records is in the target and recipient of the message. They both were addressed to the church at Ephesus.
However, there is a marked difference. The tone of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians is drastically different from Christ’s declaration recorded through John in Revelation. Where Paul’s epistle to the Ephesians is full of compliments, basic living principles, and encouragement, Jesus’ declaration is not as flattering.
Just consider the differences quickly. In Ephesians 1:15-16, Paul compliments, “For this reason I too, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which exists among you and your love for all the saints, do not cease giving thanks for you, while making mention of you in my prayers.”
Yet, when we arrive at Christ’s words in Revelation 2 he compliments them for their purity and patience, but then says, “But I have this against you, that you have left your first love.”
Did you catch that? Paul compliments the Ephesian church for their love, and then Jesus says that they have lost it.
Why would there be a difference? We are talking about the same church. Could Paul really be wrong about this particular church?
The fact is that Jesus and Paul are both entirely correct in their assessment of the Ephesian church. The difference is in the dates of the writing. Paul wrote this letter from prison to the church between 60 and 63 AD. However, Jesus’ concern and condemnation was not raised until the mid-90’s AD.
At the time that Paul wrote, the church was at most 30 years old. However, there has been an additional 30 year span between Paul’s writing and Jesus speaking.
When we see their approach to the church, we come to find that the church has not progressed, but regressed. Instead of growing stronger and more fervent, they have begun to wither and fall away.
As this particular church has lost its fervor and passion, we can note a process that still translates to today. We can see how the church can transform from faithful and flourishing to failing.
I believe that the Ephesian church gives us a good indication of the onset of trouble in the church’s future. The first part of that process toward failure starts with attitude. Specifically, if it manifested in…

1.) Apathy
“I know your deeds and your toil and perseverance, and that you cannot tolerate evil men, and you put to the test those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and you found them to be false; and you have perseverance and endured for My name’s sake, and have not grown weary. But I have this against you, that you have left your first love.”- Revelation 2:2-4
If we could break all of that down and put it in laymen’s terms, Jesus is basically telling this church, “Listen, I know what all you have done for Me. I know how you have struggled and continued on. You’ve kept on keeping on! You have even been careful in weeding out the false teachers that have arisen among you. However, you’ve forgotten why you are here. You’ve been just doing these things for so long that you no longer truly care.”
The Ephesian church had grown apathetic in their service and worship. They lost the zeal, the love, the excitement that they used to have.
Somewhere through the course of those thirty years, they were found guilty of the same thing that many churches struggle with today. They started off with a bang. They were passionately in love with Jesus. They longed for the chance to tell someone, or to do something in His service. However, it has now been so long, and they have allowed themselves to stray to the point that they cannot remember why they are doing the things they are doing.
Please understand something this morning. When the church lost their love of Christ, it was at that point that they became apathetic.
I know that we have talked before about the decline of the church in America. The statistics are abundant that prove the church is dying a slowly accelerating death in our society. We are moving from faithful and flourishing to failing. And I believe the culprit is found in the same struggle of the church at Ephesus.
We have become apathetic. We have lost sight of our first love, and thus our service has become lacking. Because we don’t still feel that burning passion for Christ, we lose motivation and meaning for our work.
You might want to argue and say, “Well, I still care. I’m not apathetic. It still matters to me.” But let me ask you to evaluate your own life.
Over the course of the last thirty years, or five years, or however long you’ve been a Christian, is your love for Christ and your desire to make a difference in the world for Him growing, or have we settled into a comfortable position where we fill our roles, but its done out of duty instead of joy?
If you cannot honestly say that you have not grown in love and fervor, if you are guilty of becoming apathetic in some measure, we must remember, the church is us. It is not the building. The corporate church will be apathetic if we are apathetic as God’s people.
The first move in the church’s transition from flourishing to failing is found in an attitude of apathy.
Unfortunately, it does not simply stay with an attitude. Instead, that attitude begins to progress, and eventually it moves to…

2.) Abandonment

Now, this is something that we don’t really see with the church at Ephesus in Christ’s declaration in Revelation. In fact, He commended them for their perseverance. They were still there.
Even if they didn’t remember why they were serving God, they were still doing it. But, if we look at other churches in Scripture, and particularly the modern church, we discover that apathy eventually leads to abandonment.
Let me try to illustrate how apathy and abandonment relate.
I know that everyone has things that they are passionate about. For many of our men, they are passionate about their hunting. It is something that they take very seriously. They understand their purpose and objective, and they enjoy that time.
For many of you ladies, it may be something else. Maybe it’s growing a garden, cooking, quilting, or even dancing. Whatever your passion is, you approach it like the men. You know the purpose, the desired end, and you enjoy those times.
For my grandmother, it was quilting. My Grandma Betty was an award-winning quilter. She traveled all over the country to enter national events, and often brought home awards. She would spend endless hours with needle in hand in her quilting room just singing whatever cam to mind and sewing.
But when she got a little older and found herself in ill-health, she lost her passion for quilting. It was no longer her great source of joy, and so what naturally happened next? She quit quilting.
If we, with our various passions, lose our love for whatever it is we are doing, it won’t be long before we simply quit doing it. Our apathy will translate into abandonment.
That is what happens in the church. Apathy leads toward abandonment.
That is what has happened to the church in America. We have lost sight of the love and passion that used to drive our worship and service. Now, there are pews filled week after week because, well, that is just where we are supposed to be on Sunday. There are scores of Christians that are present, and even leading, because someone may call if they miss a service.
When we lose that love, and when apathy begins to set in, it will not be long before we simply abandon the church and God’s service all together.
I know that some are probably sitting here this morning thinking, “Well, that will never happen to me. Even if I am not as passionate as I once was, I’ll never just leave.”
If I could be so blunt, I’m certain that many of God’s people that are sitting at home each Sunday morning, instead of in His house, would have responded that same way.
If we do not check our apathy at the door, abandonment is around the corner.
In the regression from faithful and flourishing to failing, we first note apathy. We then see it mature into abandonment. And eventually, we even encounter…

3.) Apostasy

Once again, when looking at the Ephesian church, we might not readily see evidence of great abandonment or apostasy. However, we could find numerous warnings and examples in Scripture that point to this problem in Ephesus.
One example that could be found would be in 2 Timothy 2. I know that all of this may seem like a big jigsaw puzzle this morning, but we are trying to get an overall view of the church at Ephesus. And remember, while 1 & 2 Timothy are pastoral letters written to Timothy, Paul urged him to remain behind, where: At Ephesus.
Through the mention of Hymenaeus and Philetus, we come to understand that apostasy had taken place in Ephesus. In fact these two men were misleading the church and teaching that the resurrection of the dead in Christ has already taken place.
It seems that these men were parts of the church- and even given an opportunity to teach, but they had abandoned the truth of the gospel and were spreading a foreign, errant message.
While we see it in ancient Ephesus, we could quote a number of modern examples of apostasy in the church. In fact, many atheists and agnostics have a church background. Even many people that would label themselves as Christian have fallen into apostasy.
Now, I know that word has a connotation that tends to make us think of movies and stories of witch-hunts and errant applications of church authority to push a personal political agenda. However, the word itself simply refers to falling away and accepting another gospel.
I wish that I could exclude this part of the process from this list. However, I simply cannot. Where apathy leads to abandonment, abandonment gives greater opportunity for apostasy.
Listen, there are numerous “Christians” that have become disenfranchised with church, their hearts have grown apathetic, they have abandoned fellowship and service, and now they are pushing false gospels.
I’m afraid that one of the most popular forms of false gospels now comes in the form of post-modernism, secular humanism and new age teachings. Instead of turning to Christ for answers, there are scores of former church members that now believe that all they need to do is look inward for the power to change their circumstances.
We could name off any number of sects and cults that are guilty of apostasy. However, that is not the point this morning. Rather, we must recognize the slippery slope on which we play when we harbor attitudes of apathy.
We find evidence of decline in the church in Ephesus in Scripture. We see it all around us in the modern church today.
Every day eight churches in the United States close their doors. Each new day, six new churches are planted. We are facing a net loss of two churches a day. They are closing doors, losing influence in their community, and granting victory to the enemy every time a church dissolves.
The core reason for this decline and failure is simple. I firmly believe the American church’s problem is that we have lost the passion and fervor for Jesus that we once had. Our life in Christ is no longer based around a love affair with Christ, but has become a duty and obligation to our local congregation.
We must rekindle the flame that once burned in us for Jesus.
While we talked about three steps to transformation from flourishing to failing, the fact is that your presence this morning suggests that you have not reached the second and third stages. However, if we do not rediscover the joy and love for Christ that we once had, abandonment becomes infinitely easier.
As we come to our invitation this morning, let me ask you two questions: Are you still in love with Jesus, and if so, what are you doing to evidence it?If you’ve become apathetic and lost that fervor, simply go to the throne of grace this morning. Repent, make a fresh commitment, ask Christ to restore your passion, and then get to work on your relationship with Him.
The process of a relationship with Christ is the same as a relationship with a spouse. Improving a relationship is done through actively sharing your love and evidencing your affection with TIME.