"What Have We Learned"
Sermon Transcript for November 23, 2003By Rev. Mike Beck
What a wonderful forty days it as been here at Grace Church. It’s great to hear many of you share; I wish we could have gone longer. If you remember when we began 2003, we devoted a tremendous amount of energy into the “Imagine Grace” capital campaign. That’s kind of one of those necessary evils in the life of the church. We are just about to see the fruit of our labors and God’s blessing though in that regard. And as a pastor you are always happy when you get back to the regular business of worship and growth in the Christ family. When the opportunity to share the “40 Days of Purpose” came along, I said to myself, “What a wonderful bookend to put at the other end of 2003 for Grace Church.” As I have taken time to read the book each day, I’ve often reflected there are close to 400 people sitting down that same day to read from The Purpose Driven Life. When was the last time anything like that happened here at church? One hundred fifty persons were involved in a small group during these forty days. And I want to echo what Dan said. This hasn’t been just for you. This has been a time of spiritual growth and new insights for Reverend Mike as well. The last couple of months have been kind of a difficult period for me. There have been some complications connected with the voice problems. I’m happy to report there is some optimism at the end of the tunnel related to that hopefully becoming more stable for me. But three chapters during this kind of difficult time were very, very helpful for me. It was as if Rick wrote them just for Mike. Chapter 14—“When God Seems Distant”, Chapter 25—“Transformed by Trouble”, and Chapter 35—“God’s Power in Your Weakness”.
I want to say a word of appreciation to Rick Warren. But I’ll also say this; Rick comes from a different theological position than do I. There have been times that I’ve disagreed with some of the theological points of view that Rick has shared. And I am convinced that we may be witnessing one of the great movements of God in our time. There was almost a full-page article in the Indianapolis Star yesterday related to “The 40 Days of Purpose”. One thing I have discovered about Rick, whom I have come to appreciate so much, he preaches and he writes so much like John Wesley. John Wesley in his sermons, if you have had the chance to read them, they are just saturated with scriptures. Wesley would string one scripture quote after another in his message, which is the way Rick Warren writes and preaches. Mickey and I are hoping, the Lord willing, next year during our renewal week we will be in Anaheim. We hope to have the opportunity to worship at Saddleback Church.
I hope many of you have already caught it, but as we close the “40 Days of Purpose”, I want you to note the relationship between this book written for individual Christians and the mission statement of Grace Church. About five years ago there was a Church Growth Task Force appointed that met over a three-month period. One of the things that we did was to read Rick Warren’s first book, The Purpose Driven Church. Our new mission church came almost directly out of that book. On the front of your bulletin each week are these words: “The mission of Grace Church is to worship God”--(that’s worship); “proclaim Christ as Savior”—(evangelism); “encourage growth in Christ as Lord”—(discipleship); “fellowship together”—(self-explanatory); “and care for those in need”—(ministry).
In Chapter 39 in our reading this week, Rick kind of tied it all together by relating these five purposes to two of the great quotes of our Lord Jesus—the Great Commandment and the Great Commission. He began Chapter 39 with these words. He said, “Blessed are the balanced; they shall outlast everyone. Your life,” he says, “is a pentathlon of five purposes, which you must keep in balance. These purposes were practiced by the first Christians in Acts 2, explained by Paul in Ephesians 4, and modeled by Jesus in John 17, but they are summarized in the Great Commandment and the Great Commission of Jesus. These two statements sum up what this book is all about—God’s five purposes for your life” which he says using these two great quotes of Jesus are:
1. “Love God with all your heart”: That is worship
2. “Love your neighbor as yourself”: which is ministry
3. “Go and make disciples”: which is evangelism
4. “Baptize them into…”: which is fellowship
5. “Teach them to do all things…”: which is discipleship
So this morning we just briefly want to review, refresh ourselves on the things we’ve learned these past forty days. Moses said to the people of Israel in Deuteronomy 11:2, “Remember today what you have learned about the Lord through your experiences with Him.” We began with this foundational truth: “That it’s all about God, not me.” Hebrews 2:10, read it with me, “God is the one who made all things, and all things are for His glory.” He wants many children to share in His glory. Our happiness, our fulfillment, our success, our dreams, our ambitions, we care about those things. God cares about those things. But the purpose of life is far greater than our happiness and our dreams and our ambitions. We were made by God; we were made for God. And until we understand that—we were made by God, we were made for God--life won’t make sense.
Colossians 1:16 says, “Everything got started in Him and finds its purpose in Him.” Then as I read this week, I really appreciated this quote by Rick. He said, “We were made for God’s purposes…we were made to live with God forever in eternity…” And then this quote, he said, “We exist for God, not visa versa.” That’s only really beginning to sink in with me because aren’t we all inclined to think about God and what God can do for us? Which God certainly does bless us in many ways. But scripture tells us, “we exist for God not God exists for us”. We learned we were put on earth for five purposes.
1. I was planned for God’s pleasure. And the Bible word for that is “worship”. And I trust that you are leaving these forty days as Fran shared in her witness, with a much deeper understanding of worship. That as valuable as that hour we take to gather together with God’s people for what we call worship, that God wants worship to be so much more than that. He wants it to be an every day, every hour focus on Him.
2. I was formed for God’s family. And the Bible word for that is “fellowship”. I’d gone out a week ago Saturday to visit Hazel Brett. She’s back from her surgery in Minnesota. Gene and Bonnie you can start to relax in about thirty seconds. You’ll know what I am going to say. In visiting with them, they commented on their Sunday School class that was bringing food to them every other day. There’s the importance of being a part of a small group. But they said, “Gene and Bonnie Bare went to the grocery store for us.” And I kind of scratched my head and I said, “How do you know Gene and Bonnie Bare? They’ve only been coming to Grace Church for a couple of months.” And they said, “Well, they were assigned to our small group on Wednesday evening.” Are you listening? “We got to know them in that small group. When they found out I was having surgery they said, “What can we do to help?” And they became God’s love with skin on it just simply going to the grocery store for them.
We haven’t done as good of a job in pulling together fellowship events in 2003 here at Grace as we would like. In that every member in ministry form. One of the planks was to put together a team of people who would help us plan those events. So, friends, if God wired you so that you enjoy a good party, if you enjoy food, if you enjoy fellowship, we’d love to have you be a part of that team so that we might come together more often just to enjoy fellowship one with another. In January you’ll have an opportunity to sign up for the next round of “Friendship Eight”. There have been so many neat stories that have come out of relationships that have been formed through gathering simply for a meal once a month over a four-month period. Bill Fry, who was the first to share this morning the good news about his sister, our first Friendship Eight group had such a good time together. It began with fondue at Leonard and Barbara Tyree’s house. I never had fondue before! We had such a good time together that when the group ended we said, “We’ve got to get together again.” So on December 12th we’re going out to Bill’s to see all of his Christmas lights that he puts up for Christmas. Relationships form as people who are a part of God’s family spend time together.
3. I was created to become like Christ. And the Bible word for that is “discipleship”. Be aware that there are numerous groups that meet to study God’s Word here at Grace that you are free to join at any time. Mary Lou Harvey’s Bible study group meets on Wednesday morning. Sunday School classes that will follow this worship service today. Reverend Dan’s Coffee Shop Bible Study—great opportunity in a low-key way to study the word with other believers on Wednesday evening at 7:00 p.m. The Bible Study group that meets for breakfast at Don and Donna’s on Thursday morning. So many people have said to us during the “40 Days of Purpose” that were a part of a study group. They said, “We could have spent a whole class talking about one chapter.” Rick Warren has put together five, seven week studies that go in to more detail on each of the purposes. We will be using those in a variety of formats during the year 2004. We don’t want to do this then forget what we’ve learned. Also we’ve had some small groups…let me say this, “You don’t have to wait for Reverend Mike or Reverend Dan to announce a pronouncement from on high, to form a small group. I was delighted to hear that one of the groups that has been meeting on Wednesday evening when they came to the final session they said, “We don’t want to stop. That group is continuing to meet on a weekly basis in one of the member’s homes. You can form a small group any time you are ready to bring together some people around you.
4. I was shaped to serve God. And the Bible word for this purpose is “ministry”. When you get your December newsletter, that insert sheet “Every Member in Ministry” is going to be in there again. We’re thankful; probably 75 people have turned one of those in and said, “I’d like to serve in this area.” When you get your December newsletter, if you are already involved in ministry, you can use it for scrap paper. If you’ve already turned one in, you can use if for scrap paper. If you haven’t yet found your place in ministry here at Grace, prayerfully consider how God wants to use your unique SHAPE to build up the body of Christ.
5. I was made for a mission. And the Bible word for this is “evangelism”. You know, I heard this little quote a long time ago and I’ve always wondered why we didn’t do it because it really isn’t very hard. The quote simply says, “Each one reach one!” Not 25; one. What would happen for the kingdom of God here in Franklin if every person here at Grace took on the responsibility to reach one person for Christ in 2004? This Christmas season is a wonderful time for you to extend that invitation to an un-churched or unsaved friend or neighbor to worship with you here at Grace. They are very unlikely to turn you down during the Christmas season.
We talked last week about being a “witness” for Christ. I was down getting my hair cut this past week. Trish was cutting my hair and she made a statement. And the Holy Spirit prompted me and said, “Mike, there’s your opportunity to share a witness.” –which I did! Trish shared with me how helpful that was to her. I was very confident that the gal cutting hair in the next chair and the guy sitting in the seat, they were listening intently. I didn’t preach to them. I just shared a witness for my Lord. My wife, Nancy Brewer, and Mary Dougherty had gone to breakfast this week at Bob Evans. They had come out and were standing there at the front doors; I think it was. Somehow or other they were talking about the “40 Days of Purpose” and an employee of Bob Evans was washing windows. He overheard their conversation. And he said, “I’ve been reading that book.” And they jumped right in and they said, “Do you have a church home?” He said, “No, I play in a youth band on Wednesday evening, but I’ve kind of been looking for a church home.” They said, “We invite you to come and worship at Grace.”
We’ve learned that we grow through making commitments. I want to say a special word of appreciation to those persons who, for the very first time, took the step of faith to become a part of one of the small groups. That’s not an easy thing to do if you’ve never done it. I hope you found that experience pleasant. Friends, no commitment, no growth! They go together. Last Sunday evening in our Disciple Bible Study, talk about commitment, there are four people in Disciple Bible Study who are on our Youth Ministry team. They had worked all day on Friday, and then what did they do starting Saturday morning? They headed out on a weekend retreat with the youth until Sunday afternoon—got very little sleep, I’m sure. Monday morning is rapidly approaching. I would have been glad to give them an excused absence for Disciple Bible Study. All four of them walk in at 6:00 p.m. They made a commitment and in return they were experiencing the payoff. James 2:17 says, “Faith by itself, if not accompanied by action, is dead.’
We’ve learned that we grow through fellowship. Hebrews 10:25, would you read it with me, “We should not stop gathering together with other believers. Instead we must continue to encourage each other even more.” There are so many groups here at Grace not only to minister, but they also fellowship together. The United Methodist Women circles, the Caring Ministry Team that meets on Monday morning, the Intercessory Prayer Groups that Marge referred to. As we draw these forty days of spiritual emphasis to a close, let’s make sure that we start living what we’ve learned! Jesus said in John 13:17, “Now that you know these things…” He doesn’t say, “You will be blessed if you hear them.” He doesn’t say, “You’ll be blessed if you think about them.” He says, “You will be blessed if you do them.” In Philippians 4:9 Paul says, “Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard…” Then there is a nice promise connected at the end of that verse, “and the God of peace will be with you.”
I want to conclude on a note that might seem odd for Thanksgiving Sunday. As we journey through this world, which you have learned is primarily a preparation for eternity, we experience so many blessings. Too often we fail to take time to remember those blessings. But in our journey, the days of sunshine are certainly mixed with numerous days where life is foggy, dark, and rainy. So I want to leave you with this profound perspective on our problems that Rick Warren gives to us in Chapter 39 when he writes, “When problems occur…” And all of us who have lived any years at all know they come our way. They come our way on a pretty regular basis. “When problems occur, remember that God uses them to fulfill all five purposes in our life.” Our problems force us to focus on God – which is worship. Our problems cause us to draw closer to one another – which is fellowship. Our problems can build within us Christ-like character – which is discipleship. Our problems, if we allow, can provide us with a ministry. You’ve heard me say before, your greatest area of ministry to another individual will probably come out of the deepest pain in your life. An illustration of that: I stopped about a week ago to visit with Bill and Joyce Green. It had been a year since they had lost their daughter. And I asked them in the course of the conversation things that had been helpful to them in dealing with the worse stuff that life could throw any one’s way. And do you know what they told me? They named Pam Goodwin’s name—that her phone calls and her conversations had meant so much to them. Why could Pam be such a help to them? Because Pam knows first-hand what it means to lose a child. Our greatest hurt God can use to be our greatest ministry. And then he closes by saying our problems will give us a testimony—which is evangelism.
We want to close with a prayer of commitment and then we want to give thanks to God, give Him the glory for what’s taken place. So would you stand and join me the responsive prayer of commitment.
Leader: Since Life is preparation for eternity, I want to use my time on earth fulfilling God’s five purposes for me: I was planned for God’s pleasure,
People: So I will use this day to get to know and love God better.
Leader: I was formed for God’s family,
People: So I will use this day to show love to other believers.
Leader: I was created to become like Christ,
People: So I will use this day to make choices that grow my character.
Leader: I was shaped to serve God.
People: So I will use this day to serve God by serving others.
Leader: I was made for a mission.
People: So I will use this day to share the Good News.
“To God be the Glory, Great Things He Has Done”; let us sing that together.
E-mail Comments to: Reverend Dan Sinkhorn