A Renewed Focus
Why are we here? It's a rather cold Sunday morning - it would have been easy to simply stay in our warm beds - but we're here. We're here because it's important. We're here, because as followers of Jesus, we have a mission. And that mission has remained the same for over 2,000 years. We've been called to something much larger than ourselves.
That mission is represented by those banners hanging on our wall. They're more than just decoration – they're there to remind us of our responsibilities as citizens of God's Kingdom. It's very easy to get stuck just going through the motions and lose sight of the 'why' behind it all. I know for some who've been here awhile this may feel like tedious repetition - but if we don't take time to stop and refocus on our mission every now and again - it's very easy to become distracted.
We're not just a social club or a gathering of like minded do-gooders. In fact – there are a lot of differences among us. We come from many different backgrounds and experiences, different generations, different economic situations and different political points of view. But we are the Church, God's Church, the Bride of Christ, and the Church was established by God for a purpose! Neither the preacher, the elders or even a majority vote gets to decide the purpose of the Church – that purpose, that mission was established by God. If we decide to change that mission or neglect it, we, as a congregation, will fail.
Every Church has the same God given mission. It may be expressed in many different ways, with different words and different methods – but the core principles of the mission are the same. Here at Deep River, we've chosen to sum up that mission in the words – KNOW, GROW and GO. This morning I want us to review that mission again as we start this new year.
Why once again? Because God's not done with us yet. And I want to start us with a video - a video about a pecan tree...
To see God's Word, and His will, fulfilled in your life and in this Church - our starting place in our calling is...
I. To Know God
(And yes, filling in the blanks today will be pretty easy.) Knowing God is the first basic step that needs to happen for us to fulfill our purpose. Without that - nothing else really matters. And we need to continually and actively pursue knowing God.
The world is full of people who are more than willing to tell you all about who they think God is. You've probably seen various movies and TV shows that portray their view on God. Many of these views come from people who admit they don't even really believe in God, but if they did - this is what they think he'd be like. I prefer to go straight to the source and look at what God says about Himself.
I've been here at Deep River for over 20 years now. Do you know me? - What was my first part time job? Anyone? I worked at 'Boz Hot Dogs' in Dyer. What was my first full time summer job? I worked at "Roadway Express" in Chicago Heights as a janitor. There's probably a lot about me that you don't know. And there's probably a lot about you that I don't know.
And I'll say it again and again - knowing facts about someone is a far cry from actually knowing them. But knowing someone happens in a relationship over time. The Apostle Paul wrote, regarding his fellow believers, in Colossians 2:2-3 (NIV)...
My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, (3) in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
Paul knew God - not just facts about Him. And Paul wanted to make sure his fellow Christians knew the mystery of God as well – specifically Jesus, who is God in the flesh. God wanted to be known! That's why He came in the person of Jesus! Paul continues this thought in Philippians 3:10-11 (NIV)...
I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, (11) and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.
Paul wanted an intimate relationship with God - not just some theological talking points. And how do we get to really know God? - Through His Son - Jesus. One more passage, the words of Jesus Himself in John 14:5-7 (NIV)...
Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?" (6) Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (7) If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him."
How do we actively pursue knowing God rather than just knowing about Him? - Spending time with the Father and the Son. And one way is through worship.
Our time on Sunday morning is a part of that, but worship is so much more. As we gather together to sing songs about God and to God and listen to His Word read from the Bible – that's worship. As we leave here and take His Words to heart – that's worship. As we spend time with our families and intentionally live out Godly values – that's worship. As we go about our jobs or daily tasks continually thinking of how God would have us act and treat others - that's worship.
Worship is about submitting our will to His. It's living in such a way that we display to everyone that God is most important in our lives. Whether it's singing His praises with joy to the best of our abilities or actively living out the values demonstrated by Jesus – that's worship; and it's in those acts that we learn more and more the heart of God. Our relationship then becomes less of an intellectual pursuit of facts and more a growing relationship with a personal God.
Another way of really knowing God is through prayer. Part of prayer is taking our requests to God - but also allowing God to change our hearts so that our requests and desires more closely align with His will. Jesus again set the example as He spent a great deal of time in prayer with the Father. It's not hard to find passages such as Luke 6:12 (NIV)...
One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God.
And Jesus didn't just spend all of that time giving God His personal prayer list - but seeking God's will in everything on that list. Even though Jesus is God in the flesh, as the Son, He still felt a great need to stay connected with the Father through prayer. That relationship was most important to Him – over everything else. Knowing God requires that we spend time with God in prayer.
We are called to Know God. And the next part of our mission is that we are called…
II. To Grow
Growth, change, is something that's natural – expected. A child that's healthy will naturally grow without having to think about it – it'll just happen as a natural process. But that doesn't necessarily mean it's easy. As Christians, we should naturally grow, first - in our relationship with God.
We start out with an introduction to God, but we of course need to grow deeper in that relationship; to move beyond just a surface relationship. The writer of the book of Hebrews gave a rather strong admonition to his readers in Hebrews 5:12-14 and 6:1-2 (NIV)...
In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! (13) Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. (14) But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.
(1) Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, (2) instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.
The people were encouraged to move beyond the fundamentals of Christianity and to grow, to thrive. They were called to go from just the basics of not sinning to actually being useful to God for His purposes. They were to intentionally train themselves on a daily basis in the deeper truths of God. It required discipline and study – it required work. We are called to that same growth. Just like the readers of Hebrews, we are called to make that same effort – to grow in our relationship with God.
That's why I push our daily Bible reading program like a broken record! It's easy to sign up with your email and receive daily readings in your inbox each day. But then you have to actually read it! Even if you've read the Bible cover to cover in the past - keep reading God's Word! I listen to the readings in my car, when I'm getting ready for bed, when I'm doing chores... If we do not continue to grow in our knowledge of God's Word - it will be impossible for us to continue to live out God's will in our lives!
We're called to grow in our relationship with God, but we're also called to grow in our relationships with each other. There are many reasons God created the Church, for us to be in community with one another. I'd like to look at a scripture from Galatians 6:1-2 (NIV)...
Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. (2) Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.
As Christians, we're supposed to help carry each other's burdens. If you don't know your brother or sister in Christ well enough to know what those burdens are – how will you be able to help them carry those burdens?
I'm all about personal responsibility and I do believe strongly that you are ultimately responsible for your relationship with God. It is your job to grow in that relationship. However, it's also my job to help you - not just as a preacher but as a brother. And it's your job to help me. We're supposed to help each other grow. One of the reasons God created the Church was for fellowship among believers. Try to be a Christian all by yourself in this world and see just how far you get... I'm not saying you can't, but God designed us to lean on each other through the tough times.
We are called to Know, we are called to Grow and we are called...
III. To Go
The first part of our mission, Know and Grow, starts out all about us and our walk, but halfway through Grow and into Go – it's all about others. Jesus wants us to enjoy the blessings of walking with Him - but He also wants us to take that blessing to others. Our entire calling is really based on the great commission of Jesus Himself given to His first disciples. Let's look at Matthew 28:18-20 (NIV)...
Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. (19) Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, (20) and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
Once a person Knows God, Grows in their relationship with God and each other, they are then to do something about that. Once we understand the depth of God's grace through baptism into Jesus we're called to respond to that gift of salvation! We are called to Go Serve!
In other organizations, when you work yourself into a leadership position you gain more authority to tell others what to do – in the Church, the deeper you grow in Christ, the more you become a servant. We find this in Mark 10:42-45 (NIV)...
Jesus called them together and said, "You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. (43) Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, (44) and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. (45) For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
We are called to minister to one another, to serve each other. We all have been given gifts and abilities to use to build up God's Kingdom. Some gifts are high profile – preaching, teaching, singing... Other gifts may be less visible but are just as vitally important to the mission.
Every Sunday you come here, there's a new message on the sign outside. A very dedicated servant goes out in rain, shine or freezing cold to change that sign. If it wasn't done, you'd notice. Every week someone prepares the communion trays. There are servants who run the sound board and slides; servants who update the bulletin boards and clean; servants who work in the kitchen and hand out bulletins – there are people who are using their time and talents to do a huge number of things that enhance our worship here each Sunday and throughout the week.
If they didn't give of their time – we would notice in a major way. I'm sure that each person may not think about their particular contribution as earth shattering – but it is a big deal. God has called us to serve and has given us each unique talents and personalities to do so. And He has placed each of us in unique positions to influence others to seek Him! God has called us to Go serve and He has called us to Go Share.
If we did every part of the mission up to this point – Knowing God, Growing deeper in our relationship with Him and with each other, Going out and serving each other – but we failed to Go share the message of salvation and hope that Jesus brings – we would have failed our mission. Jesus calls us to obey everything He has commanded us – if we just do the first part but don't get around to the Go share part of the mission – we've missed the mark.
Jesus came to seek and save the lost. If we don't do the same, if we don't ever try to invite others to Church services, if we don't ever attempt to share Jesus with those who don't know Him, if we don't pray for those who don't know God – we've ignored a huge part of our calling.
So What?
I liked the video at the beginning about the Pecan tree. I kind of feel like that guy just trying to keep his head above water. Maybe you can relate? Some of us have had a few rough seasons with a lot of change. Many changes we didn't ask for or necessarily want. And as a congregation, Deep River's had an extended season of 'waiting' - waiting to see what God's next big plan is.
But rather than make a bunch of resolutions - maybe what we need is a renewed focus. God is still working behind the scenes of all of life's drama. Maybe it's not so much about us trying to resolve to do something new - but more about renewing our focus on how we can more closely join alongside God and His plans for our lives. "Draw near to God and you will see His Word, and His will, fulfilled in your life!"
As a Church, if we aren't continually looking at God's Word – if we aren't reminded of our mission – we may go off and do a lot of nice things, a lot of good things. But if we aren't about the mission given to us by God, we're just keeping busy without changing anyone's eternal destiny. This year, let's be about our God given mission of KNOW, GROW and GO!