Christian maturity equals bible knowledge plus service.

The externally focused church, part 3

Intro…VIDEO of laughing baby...Arielle and Chrystal…Vinnie, Savannah… we all know how they need to grow...
• But with children and adults, growing spiritually (or spiritual formation) is a different matter.
• “Good bible teaching alone is not sufficient for spiritual maturity.” (A true, and freeing statement for me…)

Text: Eph. 2:8-10 Prayer

It’s cute seeing a mom breastfeed her baby, but gets a little creepy/weird when the kid is 4, 5, 6.
• Matt. 4:4, “Man does not live on bread alone…
• Heb. 5:14, “But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.”

My hope in this series on service is that we will all mature in our faith
through serving others, as well as time in the word etc.
• Unfortunately, most people don’t get too excited about spiritual disciplines.
• Getting people involved in service is much easier than activities specifically designed to deepen their faith, so that is a good starting point.
• Often when someone is first involved in service, they’ll come back with questions like, “Can you teach me how to pray, understand the bible, share my faith.
• Why? Because they now see a practical need for knowing all that stuff. They want to be equipped next time they go out to serve to do more than just “random acts of kindness.”
• Really, there is no reason a person brand new to our church, yet still interested in checking out “the whole God-thing” can’t serve side by side with us in the community from day one.

• “Discipleship is not what happens inside the four walls of the church. The biggest factor in a church’s retaining people is not personal follow up or joining a small group; it is being involved from the very beginning in service to others in the community.” Erwin McMannus

Let’s put some practical legs on this concept:
1. Rediscover what the bible says about good works and good deeds.
• In preaching a series on service to others, you have to be careful not to preach a social gospel…
• Our verses today make two good distinctions: We are not saved by our works, and we are created in Christ to do good works.
• Gotta have that balance.
• All three verses are important, not just v. 8-9

What’s the difference between bodybuilding and weight training for athletes? The bodybuilders are really just posers….the athletes are putting those muscles to good use….
• Same thing with only coming to church, bible studies, small groups, seminary etc. etc. You’ll end up a poser. Put all the training to practical, good use!

2. Broaden the definition of ministry.
• Typically the mindset is “Oh, that’s something the paid professionals do.” Guess what, I’ll never be as effective in the lives of your friends as you will!
• What I’m asking us to do this morning is to redefine ministry. We usually define it too narrowly. Let’s try this: “ Ministry is meeting another persons needs with the resources God has given to you.”
• “As a church we are not doing our people any favors by letting them just attend church every week, living with the illusion that they are growing. They may be learning, but they are not growing.” Eric Swanson

3. “Ministry to others” should be a given in the core beliefs of our church.
• Let’s set the bar high and determine that every person in our church will serve others in some capacity.
• Here’s the goal. On any given Sunday we should be able to randomly ask people to share great stories of how they served someone this week.
• What a joy to be able to see lives changes, ours mostly!
• (Homework assignment)….Any examples today?

Conclusion:
• How the Grinch Stole Christmas...happy ending because, in the end, his heart “grew three sizes that day.”
• Jesus will enlarge our hearts if we let him.

The importance of the "neutral zone."

The externally focused church, part 3
John 4:4-42

Intro…”Bowling alone” and the front porch concept…
• Today I’d like to challenge us to find those common areas, the neutral turf where we meet people.

Text: John 4:4-42 Jesus and the woman at the well
Prayer

Why is service at a neutral site so powerful?
• As a church when we are involved in community transformation, the avenue lies at the intersection of the needs and dreams of the city or community, the mandates and desires of God, and the calling and capacity of the church.
• We can see this illustrated through a 3 circles illustration.

Needs and dreams of a city: How do we find out?….
• Ask ‘em, SOS, Hunger, mentoring, schools, homeless, military
• John 4:7, “Will you give me a drink?”

Mandates and desires of God: What would these be?…
• Look to the bible, Ps. 127:1, Jer. 33:6 & 9
• John 4:9 Interacting with the “despised” people…

Calling and capacity of the local church: What would this be?…
• We can’t just withdraw from the community.
• This is where we need to be creative, think what we can do…
• Our communities cannot be healthy, all that God wants it to be, unless we are actively involved.
• “Christians have always had the privilege of working in partnership with God to care for the widow, the orphan, the alien, the disabled and the poor. “
• John 4:13-14

Now, what about the intersections of these circles?
• This is where it all comes together, where the city, God and the church meet.

Common grace: Where the interests of the city intersect with the desires of God.
• What God wants to do for a city that he doesn’t need the church to accomplish.
• Luke 6:35, “God is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.”
• Matt. 5:45, “He causes the son to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.”
• Common grace includes schools, streetlights, roads, bridges, police/firemen. We pay our taxes to procure common grace.

Control: The intersection between the city and the church (apart from the will of God).
• Not a good history here. It’s when the state controls the church (Europe) or here in America the church has sometimes tried to control the policies of the state. Doesn’t work either way.

Salvation: The intersection God wants for the city and what the church has the calling and capacity to do, bring salvation.
• John 4:3, Jer. 29:7
• Remember though, salvation for the city is not usually their first priority... How do we make this happen?
• Tennis players in the room? What is the “sweet spot?”

Service: The only location that encompasses all three areas.
• John 4:32
• The sweet spot. Service is something the community needs, it’s what God desires and the church has the capacity to do.
• But what if nothing happens when we reach out and serve?
• Check your motives (they are like underwear, only you know if they are clean or dirty, only you know if they need to be changed.)
• Why are you willing to serve in the first place? Do get noticed? To have someone thank you?
• “Service is only true service when it is done without the expectation of a payback or getting noticed.”
• We serve because God has commanded us to serve. Leave the results from there up to God. Gal. 6:9-10

Conclusion: John 4:42
• The goal of serving others at a common/neutral site is life transformation.
• “We no longer believe just because of what you said (or did)”
• We want to see people come to Jesus and start a new life.
• GOSPEL

Feedback/thoughts/questions?
• Homework assignment, serve someone this week in the “sweet spot.”
• We’ll share some of those stories next Sunday in church…

The externally focused church, part 2

The Externally focused church, part 2
“The power of service” Luke 10:30-37
• Mark 10:35-45 … this story is so typical of our human nature...Jesus finishes his answer with such key words…
• “Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to be come great among you must be your servant and whoever wants to be first must be a slave of all. For even the Son on Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Big Picture: There is undeniable power in service and Jesus, as always, is our example.

(A small example, me and the boys mowing our neighbors lawns…)

Text: Luke 10: 30-37

This is such a powerful story, one of the best from the Bible. It clearly illustrates what typically happens when there is someone who is in need.
• In a good/bad way we need to identify with the characters from this story.
• Good if we are the Samaritan, bad if we are the “religious” people.
• Where so you find yourself in this story? Are you the robber, the priest, the Levite, or the Samaritan?
• Think about that as we wrestle with this text today.

Some obvious things the Samaritan did right in this story:
He didn’t avoid the person in need.
• It’s so easy to do that…”Most ministry opportunities that God puts in front of us happen at the intersection of the unexpected and the interruption.”
• What a great way to approach each day…who can I serve today?
• Jumper cables last week at “Fanuel”…mom @moonlight…
I was almost the Priest or Levite...the “religious” people

He offered practical help. (In this case, medical help).
• Think through practical ideas instead of always just giving money. Take the time to ask, someone, “What do you really need? How can I help you?”

He provided transportation. (he put the wounded man on his donkey)
• Giving people rides to church, church events, to the store, etc.
• “It take between 12 and 20 positive bumps (refreshing encounters with the church) before people come to Christ.”

He provided lodging and companionship.
• This is huge, a big step. He took the injured man to a hotel and stayed with him. Some of us may be able to do that.
• Maybe we can just volunteer at a local homeless shelter…
• Martin Luther ”Jesus gave us a new norm of greatness...He who is greatest among you shall be your servant. That’s a new definition of greatness...You only need a heart full of grace, a soul generated by love.”

The last thing he did was offer money. (paid the innkeeper)
• Typically, that’s our first response...so much good can be done apart from money.
• People need relationships more than money. It’s the same way with our kids.