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Celebrating the freeing, supportive presence of God.  So your experience of God may become your experience of life.  It is wonderful what God can do!

January 9 2005

BUILDING A VISION FOR THE CHURCH

AT THIS TIME OF THE NEW YEAR, IT IS APPROPRIATE TO CONSIDER THE FUTURE, VISIONS FOR THE FUTURE.

LAST WEEK DURING OUR SERMON TIME WE CONSIDERED EACH PERSON REFLECTING ON THEIR CALLING, THEIR WAY OF SERVING GOD AND OTHERS.

YET, VISIONS ARE NOT ONLY FOR INDIVIDUALS BUT FOR CHURCHES AS WELL. SO, WHAT COULD BE THE GENERAL OUTLINES OF A VISION OF THE CHURCH?

IN ORDER TO HELP US THINK ABOUT THAT, THE VERSE THAT CAME TO MIND WAS THAT FAMOUS ONE FROM JOHN 3:16, "GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE US HIS ONLY SON, SO THAT EVERYONE WHO BELIEVES IN HIM MAY NOT PERISH BUT HAVE ETERNAL LIFE." AND THE VERSE FOLLOWING IT, THOUGHT NOT AS FAMOUS, IS IMPORTANT TOO, "INDEED, GOD DID NOT SEND THE SON INTO THE WORLD TO CONDEMN THE WORLD, BUT IN ORDER THAT THE WORLD MIGHT BE SAVED THROUGH HIM."

IN REGARDS TO A VISION FOR THE NEW YEAR FOR OUR CHURCH, CONSIDERING JOHN 3:16 & 17, THREE THOUGHTS COME TO MIND.

THE FIRST POINT HAS TO DO WITH THE CHARACTER OF GOD. YET, WHAT DO I MEAN BY THE CHARACTER OF GOD?

FOR AN IDEA OF GOD'S CHARACTER LET'S LOOK AGAIN AT THE BEGINNING OF VERSE 16 AS WELL AS VERSE 17.

VERSE 16 BEGINS "GOD SO LOVED... ."

THUS, WHAT IS GOD'S CHARACTER? GOD LOVES, IN FACT GOD SO LOVES THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE US HIS ONLY SON... ."

AND IN VERSE 17, "GOD DID NOT SEND HIS SON INTO THE WORLD TO CONDEMN THE WORLD, ... BUT THAT THE WORLD MIGHT BE SAVED...."

ON CHRISTMAS EVE DURING THE SERMON WE CAME TO UNDERSTAND GOD'S LOVE AS AGAPE LOVE OR UNCONDITIONAL LOVE. IT HAS ALSO BEEN REFERRED TOO AS SUFFERING LOVE, UNMERITED LOVE, AMAZING LOVE.

SO, GOD'S CHARACTER IS TO LOVE, TO CARE.

I ONCE REMEMBER HEARING A PERSONAL TALK ABOUT ONE'S FAITH. THEY SAID THAT THEY HEARD THAT PART ABOUT GOD'S LOVE. BUT THEN THERE WAS THIS PERSON THAT HAD PERSONALLY HURT THEM. THEY WONDERED IF GOD'S LOVE SHOULD APPLY TO THAT SITUATION.

IN AN EFFORT TO FIND OUT, THIS INDIVIDUAL BRAVELY ASKED GOD FOR AN ANSWER. THE ANSWER THAT CAME TO THEM WAS TO PRAY FOR THAT PERSON WHO HAD PERSONALLY HURT THEM.

OF COURSE, THEY DIDN'T WANT TO DO THAT. THE PROBLEM THEY CAME TO REALIZE WAS THAT IF THEY WANTED TO BE GOD'S LOVE, THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO CHANGE. AND THEY WEREN'T TOO SURE THEY WANTED TO DO THAT.

THEY CAME TO REALIZE THAT GOD'S LOVE WAS LIKE THE SUN, A VERY POWERFUL, CONSUMING REALITY. IT CREATED THE WARMTH OF GOD'S LOVE BUT COULD CHANGE YOUR CHEMICAL COMPOSITION IF YOU GOT TOO CLOSE, MAKE YOU ACTUALLY MORE LOVING TOO.

YET, IN TERMS OF THE CHURCH, A VISION FOR THE CHURCH, WE TAKE OUR CUE WITH THE CHARACTER OF GOD, GOD'S LOVE - THE ENERGY, THE POWER, THE DIRECTION, GOD' SELF-INITIATING LOVE.

SO, IF WE BEGIN WITH GOD'S LOVE, AS THE CHURCH, WHERE DO WE SEEK TO POINT OR DIRECT GOD'S LOVE? THE ANSWER IS IN VERSE 16 TOO. "GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD... ."

THIS MAY SEEM LIKE AN OBVIOUS POINT BUT SOMETIMES IT IS MISSED. FOR IF WE GO BACK TO THE BEGINNING OF CREATION WE FIND THAT GOD CREATED THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH. AND AFTER EACH DAY OF CREATION, " GOD SAW THAT IT WAS GOOD."

THEN, LATER GOD TOLD ABRAHAM, WHEN HE RECEIVED HIS CALLING, "IN YOU ALL THE FAMILIES OF THE EARTH SHALL BE BLESSED." WE SEE THAT GOD'S GOAL OF BLESSING WAS ALWAYS GLOBAL, REACHING OUT TO EVERYONE.

THE PROBLEM THAT THE ISRAELITES HAD IS THAT THEY BEGAN TO FEEL THAT GOD'S BLESSING WAS JUST MEANT FOR THEM. THEY WOULD FORGET THAT GOD HAD CHOSEN THEM AS A MEANS TO A GREATER END, THAT THE WHOLE WORLD MAY EXPERIENCE GOD'S BLESSINGS.

IN THE NEW TESTAMENT, JESUS UNDERSTOOD THAT GREATER GOAL OF GOD'S LOVE. IN STORIES LIKE THAT OF THE GOOD SAMARITAN HE WOULD CONSTANTLY REMIND THE ISRAELITES THAT GOD'S LOVE WAS FOR THE NON-JEW TOO.

YET, LATER, THE CHURCH MADE A SIMILAR MISTAKE. FOR SOMETIMES WE MAY UNCONSCIOUSLY SUBSTITUTE THE ONE WORD FOR ANOTHER. IN VERSE 16 WE CAN SUBSTITUTE THE WORD "WORLD" WITH THE WORD "CHURCH." SO THAT THE VERSE WOULD READ, "GOD SO LOVED THE CHURCH." AND WE THINK THAT GOD'S LOVE IS JUST MEANT FOR PEOPLE IN THE CHURCH.

YET, OF COURSE, THE WORD IS "WORLD," "GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD... ."

AND THE CHURCH? THE CHURCH IS MEANT TO BE A MEANS TO AN END, SO THAT THOSE IN THE WORLD KNOW THAT THEY ARE LOVED, A LOT, LIKE GOD'S LOVES THEM.

IN TERMS OF THE MEANING OF THE WORD WORLD WE CAN THINK OF THE NEEDS OF THE WORLD, THE CONCERNS OF THE WORLD, THE INJUSTICES OF THE WORLD. HOW ARE WE AS THE CHURCH ACTIVELY SEEKING TO ADDRESS THESE WITH GOD'S AGAPE LOVE?

THERE IS THAT SOMEWHAT FAMOUS STORY ABOUT A LIGHTHOUSE. TO SHORTEN THE STORY, A SHIP IN A STORM IS TRYING TO REACH THE SHORE AND THE LIGHTHOUSE. BUT UNFORTUNATELY, THE SHIP BREAKS APART IN THE ROARING WAVES. THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT MANY COME TO HELP THE SHIPWRECKED PEOPLE. THEN, AFTER THE DISASTER, THE MEMBERS OF THE LIGHTHOUSE DECIDED THAT THEY NEEDED TO ENLARGE THEIR LIGHTHOUSE SO THAT IT WOULD BE BETTER EQUIPPED FOR THE NEXT DISASTER. SO THEY ENLARGED THE LIGHTHOUSE INCLUDING WITH SOME BEAUTIFUL NEW FURNITURE. IN FACT, THEY DECORATED IT SO NICELY THAT THEY THOUGHT IT WOULD NOT BE A GOOD IDEA TO LET SHIP WRECKED PEOPLE SIT IN THE NEW FURNITURE.

THE PARABLE GOES ON TO SAY THAT NOW THERE ARE MANY LIGHTHOUSES ALONG THAT SHORE AS OTHERS FIRST HELPED THE SHIP WRECKED PEOPLE BUT THEN ENLARGED AND FURNISHED AND FORGOT AGAIN THE SHIP WRECKED PEOPLE.

THE MINISTRY OF THE CHURCH ALWAYS NEEDS TO BE FOCUSED ON THOSE SHIP WRECKED PERSONS, FAMILIES IN NEED IN THE WORLD.

POINT NUMBER THREE, IN TERMS OF A VISION OF THE CHURCH, HAS TO DO WITH OUR RESPONSE.

IF, ONE, GOD SO LOVED, AND, TWO, GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD, WHAT COULD OUR RESPONSE BE?

FIRST OF ALL, WHAT WAS GOD'S RESPONSE? GOD'S WAS RESPONSE WAS TO GIVE, IN FACT, TO GIVE OF HIMSELF, WHAT WAS MOST PRECIOUS TO HIM, HIS ONLY CHILD.

AGAIN, TAKING OUR CUE FROM GOD, OUR RESPONSE NEEDS TO BE ABOUT GIVING, GIVING OF OURSELVES. (AND JUST AS GOD GAVE NOT JUST TOO HIMSELF BUT BEYOND HIMSELF SO OUR RESPONSE NEEDS TO BE FOCUSED NOT JUST TOO OURSELVES BUT BEYOND OURSELVES AS WELL.)

FIRST THEN GOD AS OFFERED HIS SON. AND AS GOD'S CHURCH, WE TOO NEED TO OFFER GOD'S SON JESUS TO OTHERS.

"GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY SON, THAT EVERYONE WHO BELIEVES IN HIM MAY NOT PERISH BUT HAVE ETERNAL LIFE."

THAT IS QUITE A PROMISE. AND GOD IN CHRIST CAN FULFILL THAT PROMISE THAT BY BELIEVING IN JESUS YOU CAN HAVE ETERNAL LIFE.

WHEN JOHN WESLEY, THE FOUNDER OF THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH SENT MISSIONARIES FROM BRITAIN TO A FRONTIER AMERICA THE WORD THAT HE GAVE TO THEY BEFORE THEM SAILED FOR THE NEW WORLD WAS THIS. WHEN YOU GET TO AMERICAN, SIMPLY, "OFFER THEM CHRIST."

THAT'S WAS IT, WHEN YOU GET TO AMERICA, "OFFER THEM CHRIST."

SO, THE FIRST THING WE NEED TO DO AS THE CHURCH IS TO OFFER PEOPLE CHRIST.

YET, THERE IS A SECOND TASK TOO. FOR HOW CAN PEOPLE KNOW THAT GOD AND CHRIST REALLY CARE FOR THEM? I BELIEVE THAT THE ANSWER LIES IN THE MINISTRIES OF THE CHURCH.

THIS YEAR I HAVE BEEN COLLECTING SOME THANK YOU'S. THESE THANK YOU'S DID NOT HAVE TO BE SENT OR IN ONE CASE PUBLISHED. THEY HAVE JUST COME SPONTANEOUSLY TO OUR CHURCH.

ALLOW ME TO READ A COUPLE OF THEM.

"DEAR REV. WILSON AND CONGREGATION, ESPECIALLY I WANT TO THANK THE LADIES THAT SENT ME THE DELICIOUS COOKIES. l WISH ALL OF YOU A JOYFUL HOLIDAY AND HAPPY NEW YEAR. SIGNED ETHEL ALQUIST, DIANE MCCALLUM'S MOTHER, WHO IS A NEW HOMEBOUND PERSON IN SILVER SPRINGS.

FROM ANOTHER, 

"I HOPE YOU ALL HAVE A VERY PEACEFUL CHRISTMAS. (THE COOKIES WERE DELICIOUS. THANKS.) DOROTHY MAZZARELLA.

ANOTHER,

"DEAR FRIENDS, I ENCLOSE MY CHRISTMAS OFFERING. IT IS MY PLEASURE TO RECEIVE YOUR NEWSLETTER EACH MONTH, AND HAVE JUST GOTTEN THE DECEMBER LETTER.  I HOPE FOR A GOOD YEAR 2005 FOR ALL OF YOU. YOURS SINCERELY, VIRGINIA WOLCOTT" WHO NOW LIVES IN HIXSON, TENNESSEE.

AND CLOSER TO HOME, FROM THE PERRY BUZZ, THE PERRY SCHOOL NEWSLETTER, FROM THE DESK OF PERRY SCHOOLS SUPERINTENDENT DENNIS KENNY, IN A SECTION OF HIS ARTICLE ENTITLED "IMPRESSIVE CONTRIBUTIONS," SUPERINTENDENT KENNY WRITES "THE PARENT INVOLVEMENT COMMITTEE, (THE SUPPORT GROUP FOR PARENTS AND FRIENDS OF CHILDREN WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES,) IS A STRONG COMMUNITY GROUP. THEIR SUPPORT GROUP FOR PARENTS WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES MEETS ONCE A MONTH AT THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH IN PERRY. IT IS GROUP THAT HELPS PARENTS THROUGH TOUGH TIMES, AND ENCOURAGES THEM TO DEAL WITH EDUCATIONAL ISSUES THAT ARISE WHEN RAISING A LEARNING DISABLED CHILD. I APPRECIATE HIS COMMITTEE'S PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR LOYALTY AND DEDICATION TO OUR STUDENTS."

THERE ARE MANY, MANY MORE THANK YOU'S HERE THAT I DON'T HAVE TIME TO READ THIS MORNING.

BUT I DO WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT YOUR MINISTRIES REALLY DO MAKE A DIFFERENCE. THEY LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT GOD'S LOVE IN JESUS IS REAL. AND, I PRAY THAT WE NOT ONLY CONTINUE THESE MINISTRIES BUT START NEW ONES SO THERE IS NO DOUBT FROM THIS CHURCH THAT GOD SO LOVES THE WORLD.

LET US PRAY.

DEAR GOD,

THANK YOU FOR SO LOVING THE WORLD. HELP US TO CONTINUE IN OUR RESPONSE AS YOUR CHURCH I LETTING THE WORLD KNOW OF CHRIST AND YOUR LOVE.

AMEN.