May 18, 2008

God’s BIG Give: the Church

Only the Church

Matthew 7:24-28

Opening Words: On March 2 the ABC Television Network premiered a brand new show, Oprah’s Big Give. It stars America’s newest golden girl, Oprah Winfrey. The eight one hour episodes are a competition. The contestants are asked to find creative ways to help complete strangers in some of life’s most challenging situations. As the ABC website states, “lives are changed in the blink of an eye.” When I read that I knew there was a sermon series inside. I found it!

I have called my newest sermon series God’s BIG Give. Consider these three things. First, just like Oprah, God has been giving away some amazing things for a long time. Second, just like Oprah, God’s gifts changed our lives in the blink of an eye. Third, just like Oprah, God expects us to improve the lives of complete strangers. During this seven part sermon series we are have been looking at some divine gifts. This morning we are looking to look at the gift the church. When was the last time you thanked God for the church? Let us hear God’s word’s on this Confirmation Sunday from Matthew 7:24-28.

Matthew 7:24-28 ²⁴"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. ²⁵The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. ²⁶But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. ²⁷The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash."

²⁸When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching.

Gregory P. Elders tells of growing up on the Atlantic Coast. He recalls spending long hours working on intricate sand castles; whole cities would appear beneath my hands. One year, for several days in a row, he was accosted by bullies who smashed his creations with their bare feet. Finally he planned a little revenge. He placed a cinder block in the base of his sandcastle. When the local toughs appeared (and he disappeared), their bare feet suddenly met their match.

Maybe that is the story of the church in our time? On the surface the church looks vulnerable. Take a critical look at the church. Generally speaking, we are manned by untrained volunteers. Our buildings are old. Our people are old. Our budgets are challenging. The church is illogical. Every dieing church I know runs on sound business principles; every healthy church throws caution into the wind. Every local congregation, as well as every branch of the Christendom, seems to have an ugly story in the past. The world no longer respects us. The world doesn’t trust us. The world sees us as yesterday’s news. The world is laughing in our collective faces. In a world that seems to specialize in bad theology, we are seen as politically incorrect and hypocritical. On the surface the church looks vulnerable but you and I know differently.

We know the church will stand for eternity. It may not be the church that we have grown to love, the church of 1957 with creeds and organ music. The church may not be the dominant religion in our own land but the church that Jesus envisioned will always exist. The church will exist for eternity to preach the Gospel and make disciples for Jesus. The true church will last for eternity because the true church is built on the foundation of Jesus. The Master said it best in the scripture lesson for today, “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.” And all of God’s people said, “Amen!”

In just a few minutes I am going to introduce you to seven wonderful people. They are this year’s confirmation class. I would like to thank their teachers Nancy Jarvis and Mary Kay Kouceman for their leadership. I would like to that sponsors for their support. I would like to thank their parents for making the faith a priority in their homes. But most of all I would like to express my appreciation to the confirmation class members, themselves. You have worked hard to fulfill the requirements to become a church member. That is nice but what is really important is the fact that now you are ready to confess Christ as your Lord and your Savior. But before you make your public confession, let me remind you what makes the church so special.

Today, let us look at three things reasons the church will exist forever. I am going to give you some basic Christian theology. These three points will not be new to the confirmation class. They covered this material in class. These points will not be new to you because you have heard them from this pulpit in the past. I repeat these three points again because they are important. They are the very foundation of the church. A foundation that will last forever! You will only get these things in church. They separate us from the rest of the world. So if you are ready for my three points say, “Amen!” I will be brief because they are inter-related.

Divinity

During World War II the Allied forces launched an assault upon the Anzio Beach in southern Italy. Their enemy was ready for them, and the Allies were soon pinned down on the beach and facing annihilation. Mary Wilson was head of the fifty-one army nurses who went ashore with the troops. As she stood assisting in surgery for wounded soldiers, bullets ripped through the tent. Things were so bad it was arranged for the nursing staff to leave. But Mary Wilson would not go. As she reflected on the episode years later, she said, “How could I possibly leave them. I was part of them.” That is the story of Christianity! God became one of us!

The first word is divinity. Only the church teaches us about the divinity of Jesus. The church understands and teaches that Jesus was the greatest life that ever lived. Why? We understand Jesus to be divine. The Bible tells us the story. We review the facts annually on Christmas Eve. Jesus’ biological mother was Mary. Jesus’ biological father was God. That is why the virgin birth is so significant! The baby Jesus was God incarnate. God became one of us. Only the church teaches us about the divinity of Jesus! You won’t get that divine truth anywhere else. And all of God’s people said, “Amen!”

Destiny

“Ivan the Terrible” was the first Tsar of Russia. He earned his title. He was terrible. His reign was one of great terror, in which he had opponents tortured and then killed, even modeling his torture on medieval visions of hell. He went so far as to kill his own son! Yet toward the end of his life Ivan grew concerned about heaven and hell. Overwhelmed with sorrow and guilt, he rather arrogantly “forgave” all those he’d executed for opposing him, God’s Tsar, and he was rebaptized as a monk and named Jonah. When he died he was buried in his monk’s outfit. What he was trying to do was earn his way into heaven. He had his world at his fingertips, but he missed the point. You cannot earn your way into heaven. We are saved by grace and by grace alone.

The second word is destiny. Our final destiny is heaven. You may have heard the story. Jesus was born in the ordinary way, yet he lived an extraordinary life. He never committed a single sin so he became the perfect sacrifice for the sins of the world. He died on a Friday afternoon but he was resurrected on a Sunday morning. The big picture shows us that he died so we could live for eternity. We are saved by grace and by grace alone. All we have to do is accept him as our Lord and Savior. It is a remarkable gift but it is true. Our final destiny is heaven. And all of God’s people said, “Amen!”

Discipleship

Tony Campolo tells the sad story from his high school days of how he failed to truly be a Christian. There was a boy in his class named Roger. Roger was gay. Everyone knew and tormented him for it. They heaped verbal and even physical abuse upon him. Roger had a hard time and couldn’t take it anymore. He hung himself in his parent’s basement. At the news about Roger, Tony discovered being a disciple wasn’t so easy. He knew all the right answers and sincerely believed all the right things and had lots of good moral practices. But Tony didn’t live the faith out when it came to Roger. If he had he says he would have stood up for Roger when the others were mocking him, he would have been a friend, and just maybe, Roger would still be alive today.

The third word is discipleship. What is your response to God’s great gift of salvation? In a word, your response is discipleship. You recognize what Jesus has done for you and you want to thank him. The best way to thank Jesus for saving your sin sick soul is to become like Jesus. Discipleship is not supporting your local church. Discipleship is becoming more like Jesus every day. Everything we do as a church is to make you more like Jesus. So let me ask you a hard, hard question. Are you making any progress in the faith? Are you more like Jesus today than you were yesterday? Are you more like Jesus today than you were a year ago? Are you more like Jesus today than you were ten years ago? Only the church can help you become more like Jesus. Do you really want to become like Jesus? And all of God’s people said, “Amen!”

The church is one of God’s great gifts! I can not speak for you. I can only speak for myself. I love the church for many reasons. The church has given be so much. Let me just list a few. Maybe you can relate to some of these things, as well. The church as given to me:

1. A wonderful upbringing

2. A wonderful education

3. A relevant theology

4. A great family

5. A purpose for living

6. A vocation

7. A great opportunity to see the world

8. A place to celebrate life

9. A community to embrace

10. A future of eternal life

I love the church because the church teaches us about the divinity of Jesus. Only the church holds him in his place of authority. I love the church because it helps us become more like Jesus everyday. Only the church can make you a disciple. I love the church because it prepares me for eternity. We are saved by grace and by grace alone. Someday I am going to heaven. I will be looking for you! And all of God’s people said, “Amen!”