Becoming A More Welcoming Church // Romans 15:7 // Pastor Jose Brevil

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Pray father, thank you for your grace, thank you for the opportunity to be together. We are so grateful for each other and we thank you, Father, for giving us the opportunity to be together. And as we study a word, no I pray. Father that you would teach us that would you would help us to become a more welcoming Church in Jesus name, we pray. Amen. And so today, I want to talk to you about becoming a more welcoming Church becoming a more welcoming church this morning. I'm only going to look at a Bible verse with you and Romans 15:7. That's a place to stay. Amen. That means I'm not going to be long so becoming a more welcoming church. So ever been gone an hour series called PSI Plus To pray to share and to invite. That means we pray for people. So we need to really care for people because God gives us a mission. And that mission is to make the sciples mission that God gives us has to make disciples in The Way We Make Disciples is to start with prayer. So it will ever that we want to reach. We need to start by. Praying for them. After we pray for them, we share the gospel with him. You could either use the Romans road using relationship or using the four spiritual laws. Just having some spiritual conversations were bothers, you share with them. And when the time is right, you invite invite last week, we talked about having a culture of invitation, so we want to be a church where we inviting people, where we want them. Okay. So if you're not inviting people, that means you don't want other people's to come. Let me put some Guilt Trip. Okay. If you have to be so that works. So we need to create a culture of invitation, so every week

Invite to come to church with me. Okay? Because God mission for us is to make disciples. We can that make disciples if we are not in relationship, we can that make disciples if we are not having newcomers. So that's why this morning, I want to talk to you about becoming a more welcoming shirts. Remember PSI, plus, I give you the first three. Pray Sharon w k. So pray share invite, welcome, pray, share invite, welcome to today. Let's talk about, let's see how we can become a more welcoming to become a more welcoming church. So in Romans 15:7, it says that Therefore, welcome one another. As Christ has welcomed you. Welcome one. Another, as Christ has welcomed, you do for the glory of, God has welcomed you. Christ has welcomed you into the Kingdom. So God is saying to us as we need to welcome one. Another, as Christ has welcomed you for the glory of God, and the context in this passage, whenever you see there for you always have to ask, why is it there for? So therefore, he'll Paul was talking to the Romans about supporting one another. So do those who are weak, sometimes as a complex don't want to deal with those were strong and those were strong as a pride where they don't want to deal with those who are weak. So, Paul was saying that if you were strong Christian or if you re Christian, we still need to love one another. In the context of what part was talking, it was about food Jay. Some people think they are strong Christians. They can eat pork and others who are We Christians. They want to be a vegetarian, okay? To eat meat at all if you want to eat, pork the ball and saying those of you who take that freedom to eat whatever you want. Don't look down on those people, you look at as we will just eat vegetable K, we don't want to look down on anybody if you're vegetarian doesn't mean that you are weak, okay? It's just food stamp place. That hey, let's not focus on the things that divide us focus on the things that unite us. If I decide to be a vegetarian, good ice to me would love to meet. I still need to love you. As Christ has loved you. That's why in the NIV says, except one another. So is saying that we need to love. Another so it doesn't matter what we decide to do as long as it's not an issue. We need to support one another. Using the same themes of Paula saying, welcome one another. So, as we need to be welcoming to another until here is selling us as Christians, just like Christ welcomed us, we need to welcome other. So our goal is to learn how to become a more welcoming Church to advance God's Kingdom in Matthew 28. Verse 19 through 20, it says go there for and Make the Cypress edge with me go. Therefore and That's our mission as Christians. That's why we are here together on Sunday morning to get a quit. So that we can do what? Say it like you believe that?

You come to church so that you'll learn to study God's word more and then to reply it. And the way you apply it is by

I hear two of you. The mission is to

All right, you more awake now. So that's the mission that God gives us. So if you were wondering why do I come to church? You don't come to church to get your blessing. You come to church to be a quip. So that you can fulfill Christ's Mission which is to make disciples. Cuz first already tells us that we have been blessed with all spiritual blessing. Already blessed with some blessings with spiritual. So you don't come to church to be blessed. You are already blessed as a Christian. That's what 1st Corinthians, chapter 1 tells us. So you are already blessed. You come together to Fellowship to disciple one another to grow. So that we can So that we can. That's the mission. You see a lot of time we come to church just for I come to get my blessing and people Proud by saying this, you know, I'm coming to get my blessing and I don't care about anybody else as long as I get my blessing. See Paul is calling us here now to be other centered and that's why we have so many problems in churches. Churches are divided based on worship Styles, why? Because we are self-centered, it's about Me my style of worship that self-centeredness you don't come to church to get your blessing. You are already. Blessed because you are a Christian. You come to worship God, see you don't come for you come to worship God, you come to Anchorage one another. You come to fray one, another, you come to do with one another. But as far as blessing, we are already blessed. And God says, now we come, let's be inspired to go and make disciples and he says, we need to make disciples of all Nations, baptizing them in the name of the father, Son, and Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that. I have commanded you and behold. I Am With You Always to the end of the sea, the Christian life is about others, the Christian life is about others, not about self and that's why we I have so many divisions in churches today, because it's about me. It's about self. See, when you come, you come for others. If you come with that mindset, you will have a great worship experience. When you come, you come for others. I come so that I can encourage somebody else. We might need encouragement. Seed to become a more welcoming church, I want to share three things with you. This morning to become a more welcoming church. We need to First continually learn to become more. Hospitable toward others. We need to become more hospitable toward others. The Bible is replete with a telling us to make two to be hospitable to one. Another hospitality is the Final Act of generosity and friendship towards New Commerce or strangers. It's when we study and friendship towards newcomers or looking for ways to meet the needs of Another or you warmly welcoming newcomers and one another see Hospitality has to do with what's the pattern. You see you there. Others, right? And has nothing to do with you asked ality, that's others focus. And that's what God calls us to do. God wants us to be others centered about this. If you were a new visitor at a church, how would you like to be welcome here in the service? If you were new to her church, how would you like to be welcome? so think about this as we go through our study this morning, Romans 12:13 it says contribute to the needs of the Saints and seeks to and seek to show Does the word their Hospitality? The Bible one says we need to show Hospitality to one another K, not just Southern Hospitality, but Christ Hospitality. Okay. And goes beyond Southern Hospitality but he calls us to be hospitable in Hebrews to show what? Hospitality to strangers for thereby, some have entertained angels of year and then you might just ignore them. If you still focus on yourself, the guy who sang, I will send people in your meds, not just your church or at work or when you go to supermarket, you might see anybody but it might be just somebody disguise as an angel. And that was your test to show Hospitality, but so many of us have failed to show Hospitality, but God is saying to us, do not neglect to show Hospitality to people. We don't know for thereby, we haven't Urton and jewels and not even aware of it in 1st Timothy one of the qualifications for leaders it says therefore and oversee your old church leader must be above reproach. The husband of one wife sober-minded self-control respectable and then what's the next That's available. So if you not hospitable, you do not qualify as a church leader. If there's no hospital, if you not hospitable as a church leader you have you are in the wrong business. So that's a requirement. That's the basic, basic requirements for a church leader, according to 1st Timothy, and you didn't you see the same in the book of Titus and God says, we need to be hospitable all through the scriptures, you will see that. The scripture says, we need to greet one another, with a holy kiss. Okay. Tell me all the great Chiefs win another night. Okay, in my culture, my Haitian culture, which is further Disney.

American cultures are go ahead, shake or whatever, go ahead ask me if I would go through to Haiti right now and then when I went to to Canada to my auntie's Paris,

Is it you go 1-2-3 depends on where you are, you know, whatever you feel comfortable with this is like we need to greet one. Another, with a holy kiss, is that whatever you do? Whatever is acceptable in your culture? That's what you do. So when you see somebody, you greet them with a with a high five with a hug with a handshake, whatever is comfortable. So but got a Paula saying that we need to greet one. Another Seif Hospitality actually indicate shoe discipleship. It shows that you really being obedient to God's word, look at Matthew. 25 verses 35, it says 4 hours and hungry and you gave me food. I was thirsty and you gave me drink. I was a stranger and you did what? You welcome me. So Hospitality, when we are being hospitable, we actually living out the gospel and that's what God is calling us to do. So how can we practically? What are some practical ways we can strive to help newcomers feel, welcome in church. What are some practical ways? Very easy. First one smile smile is the standard language,

Doesn't matter what language you speak but everybody understands a smile. A smile is a smile, I believe in every language or culture smile. Let's practice smiling right now. Let me see, I don't tell me that you're smiling, smiling. I miss your smile. All look like you just had like a 10x Improvement right now. You should see it from my perspective.

First way that you can make people feel at ease is to smile. And that happens all the time, thinking about going to an office. And then the person that just look at you, when does smile something happens in your heart, some things happen and you, you feel like I can talk to that person. A smile is very important. That's why you don't come to church for you. You come for others because if you're just, they just focusing on your problem. What happened? When somebody else walks in You don't even see them.

But we need to remember, whatever we going through. Somebody else might be having it worse than we are having it.

It doesn't matter how bad you might think you have it. Somebody has it worse than you do. That's why when we come we come to be other centered. So, you smile, even when you don't want to smile, when you smell it, does something to you. You feel better? If it's a real genuine smile, he sees the one thing we can do to become a more welcoming Church. The first is, just that simple thing of a smile. Somebody's walking in, you turn around. You see somebody and you smile.

What happens when you smile at somebody?

Let me know. Something is really going on. If you smile at somebody, you really looked at them and then try to smile it and they don't smile back, you know there's a serious problem. Just typically when you smile at somebody, they will smile back at you. So one way we could do that, we can become a more welcoming churches by smiling. Smiling and smiling more. See, greet, and introduce them to others. Not introduce yourself to greet them and introduce them to others who feel like they are into Star Wars. Let me introduce them to that person was into Star Wars and just giving you an example cuz all of us we don't have the same interest as I start talking to you. I say he loves. I know why didn't you introduce him to

You talking to the person. You may not be the one. That's really like connecting with them, but you can start thinking because we know one another

They love cooking. I didn't mean to connect with someone so so as you greeting you introducing yourself ink. OK. Google. Can I introduce them to you? So we smile, we greet, we introduce them to others and then we are, we need to be genuinely interested about connecting with them. We need to be genuinely interested about connecting with them. One of the biggest complaints of people who visit churches there said it's not genuine, like the greeters typically you have a tad or they were just greed. Greed them. And then let's say, typically at a church with large shirt, you have two greeters at the door. They were just breed them. And then the greeting started, talking back to one another Or when the pastor says, why don't you turn around and say hi to the person next to you and say hi to other people? They talk when it was required. But when service is out, even to the person who would just reading that sit next to you, they just got up and left. They didn't even say bye. They did not even attempt to have a conversation with you after church.

So they call it fake spending and grieving or Faked. Greetings. And they agree to that day, they just had to greet people today. Just greet them or send the fastest, a standoff open greet, the person next to you. Did, you did it, but it doesn't go anymore from that. So these are turn up for people. So, when we actually agree people, we need to be interested about connecting with them. That's why you don't come to church for you. You come to church for Others, you come to church for others so you can connect with them. See you after church, some disclaimer is to say so if you see a young lady, you were gone, I don't invite to lunch, you know, it might be suspect. Okay, you know, if I'm by myself and I would not ask a lady, let's go grab lunch. If my wife is with me, I will ask anybody to go to lunch with me but I'm by myself. I'm going to ask another guy. Let's grab lunch together. Okay, so invite somebody to grab lunch, all of us have to eat anyway, right? So invite, somebody grab lunch with you that a way of welcoming one, another invite and grab lunch with one another. Another practical way we could do is invite newcomers to come sit with you or go sit with them, inviting the comers to come sit with you or go sit with them. So you can one of the complaint people usually give it would grieve them at the door, but do I need to go sit down and they just buy them self.

So, one way that you help with that, just think of yourself. What if you were newcomer and Anna place in the new place? Would you like it that somebody come in sit with you all? Somebody. Welcome you and invite you. Why don't you come and sit with us? I remember my wife and I were on vacation and then went to visit a church and then went to visit the church with large huge mega church when we went there as we're going there and then you know, we were taking a picture. That's why we have vacation fixes was for me would never have any but my wife always want to take a picture coming in and as they were coming in. So you want to take a picture and you know me I'm a little ham. That's your butt.

They took our picture, so we get to meet them, they had some kids. We chatted, you guys were walking as they were taking their kids, you know, to to Sunday school, you do for the kids and where do we go?

Long story short, we just chatted. So they went and took their kids, you know, to Sunday school to another building and then you know, he called somebody else to come and help us go to the sanctuary when we get to the sanctuary big church. Mind you after service who came next to it. That the husband came like walking is not a service is over. He came to my wife and I and was talking to hey how was service, you know, I just wanted to stop by and just say, hi Jenn, you was very intentional. Is it has to be genuine to because he already knew we live out of state so the likely whatever is coming back was very slim. It's not about them coming back here but it's about the kingdom. It's about genuinely be interested in people and that church didn't fail. When we went to visit that church because people are genuinely caring. The genuinely cared. Remember my way, we went to church and then my wife went to a woman's group when when she went to the Woman's Group and then one of the ladies I work with you and things like that, so they Exchange number and then when my wife and then one day my wife called her, she was shocked that my wife called there. Are you calling me?

Is it good? We have to be genuine about those things. When we do, when we exchange numbers, somebody really do call them and follow up with them. Like really do mean that you really want to hear from them? Because God calls us to welcome one another. See if you, if somebody new comes in, if you talkin to her fellow church member and see a new face to reach out to them. Cuz one of the things that typically happens in churches, we are like tribal people. Like the few people, we know, we just hang out and stick with them. And then when there's newcomers, it's like, there's no room for you to come in at 8. We fool We just learned that our tightening a little circle. Live us alone, and the person is just standing around. See, open our circles, the open our circles. See, if you already know somebody already know them. So you can always catch up with them. But if you need to be intentional and try to connect with them, does that make sense? All right, so soon as I got there today, we're going to be a very welcoming Church. Second things, second thing that we need to do. So first, we need to learn to ccic. I use the word to learn. That means we need to be intentional intentionally about becoming more hospitable. And then the second thing is that we need to follow, Christ's example, of hospitality, we need to follow, Christ's example, of hospitality in Romans, 15 17 Again. It says, welcome one. Another how Cries has welcomed you. What is cries done for us while we were yet? Sinners Christ died for us, so goddamn ultimate price for us to restore. Our broken relationship with God, John 3:16 for God. So loved the world that he gave his only son, that whoever believes in him, will not perish, but have eternal life cake believe in Jesus Christ Christ. Gave his very life for us and that's why Christ gave us the ministry of reconciliation. Where we learn to love one another to forge, good relationship. So, it says, welcome one another as Christ says, welcome you. I love Philippines. Chapter 2, It says do nothing from what? Selfish ambition or conceit, but in your military count, others? More significant than yourselves. Let each of you to look not only to his own interests, but also to the interest of others, you see, when you're welcome others, you are becoming more like Christ when you were in your little circle of people were familiar to you, but you open your circle to somebody else. So you leave your circle to go greet. Somebody else, guess what you are becoming more like cray. and then when you genuinely reach out to somebody, when you genuinely care for someone you doing, you not doing it out of selfish ambition,

Guess what you are becoming more like Christ in humility, count, others. More significant than yourself, or you come to church for others. Four others. Bible says, we need to encourage one another. With a hand, with a song with a son, the Bible tells us to do. Let each of you look not only to his own interests but also to the interest of others. See the pattern is others becoming Center. See, we need to seek to serve others rather than seeking to be serve. We need to seek to serve others rather than seeking to be served. I remember there was a church. I was part of them in Memphis. They used to say a when a song is playing, you don't like it just just just being the Q. Your son is coming. Next let other people enjoy the song that they like, you know, they would intentionally sing all different types of songs that some people are just like you guys to be just one song now Rejoice for those who are enjoying it.

That makes sense. Rejoice for this range and let them Rejoice for you and then you just learn a new song to see. Amy has some songs you download it on our phones and that's we're driving today. She just and then week for the first time you know in years we just put it on actual radio, typical replay everything from YouTube on our phone with radio and then she just wanted to play for Tickler song. I said, you know, the Bible say, singer new song to the Lord. So you got to learn some new songs and we had a chance to see there's actually somebody in a station somewhere and you already have the hair like in the old days. So she had an opportunity to learn you know about a radio station. That's what happened with this today. You have everything is going to be mad. Okay, I call it whenever I want. Okay, so we had that chance and then guess she found like two new songs. Now she loves Because you know, she was mad focusing on sales of just grabbing my way but we have other way seat ain't yours. We need to seek to serve others rather than seeking to be. So we need to be other Focus others focused and we've all the humility to add value to others, we need to speak to add value to others. Do what is needed for others. We need to do what is needed for others. I love Romans 15:9, and in the beginning of that, same chapter verse 2 & 3, it says, Let each of us, please who Yo, self. Let's each of us read it with me. Let each of us, please his neighbor, only one of you. Read it with me, read it, read it again. Let each of us. Please who Thank you for his Zeal for his.

Let each of us, please his Neighbour for his good. Good news.

How beautiful are the feet of those? Who bring good news? We are good news Messengers. So that's why the Bible says, we need to let each of us. Please his Neighbour for his good to build them up. That means you adding value to his life. So Frank about it. As you came in today room, have you added values to Have you added value used to? When you came in today I have you added value to anyone. You did you come intentionally to add value to somebody else here as you come in your conversations? How did you seek to add value to their lives? Let each of us is good to build them up before, Christ. Did not please him self, but as it is written, the reproaches of those will reproach you fail on me. About Christ. Christ was all about others. And Christ is our example of hospitality. See, Jesus is our model. See, James 2 verse 2 and 4 says, if a man wearing a gold ring and find clothing, comes into your assembly and a pool man. Shabby clothing also comes in and if you pay attention to, the one will, where's the find clothing and say, you sit here while in a good place while you say to the pool man, you stand over there or sit down at my feet. Have you not been made distinctions among yourselves and become judges? With evil tots?

The Bible just hate the vision of Christ at the foot of Christ. It doesn't matter what your background is, it doesn't matter what your status is. It doesn't matter how many degrees that you have at the foot of the cross. We are all the same

Do the Bible says you will ever comes in. You need to welcome them with the same forever with the same. Love with the same warm, we have to call, welcome others. And when we elenion others know people start thinking you're in a lot of time. We don't do it for any reason. You just don't think

the guys ain't gay. We need to be intentional. Hey, when we see somebody, we may be fully dressed, or whatever it is. We need to love them just like somebody who is well-dressed And somebody, you whatever their socioeconomic status, whatever their education level is, we need to welcome them exactly the same way. Are you with me? I told you. There's only one verse, right? I guess some people are going to have the gift of

Short message. Second, even find the words vocabulary.

Actually, the first of all we need to learn to be hospitable. We need to learn to become more Aspen hospitable than second. We need to follow, Christ's example, of hospitality. And then lastly, we need to remember the ultimate reason behind all that we do. Why are we hospitable? So they will look good. No, we are hospitable so that they would keep coming.

We are hospitable, that's really the ultimate aim is for the glory of God and then we are hospitable so that they can go to any other church. So that we show that we are good representative of Christ, OK, Google, here because if we're not here we can that the ultimate aim is for God's glory. And that's why I only show Hospitality to people to come to our church. We show Hospitality to everyone. The ultimate aim is for God's glory. Again the same verse therefore welcome one. Another as Christ has welcomed you for the glory of God. See, I love Aster CT studs. A poem is very famous. That says, only one life. We all only have one life. Will soon be past only What's Done For Christ will lice?

You can think about anything that you do in life. The only things that will last, are those things that you do for Christ. And a lot of us needs to start really reshuffling our priorities because for most of us, we do all the temporary things that I've no Eternal values. But in the end, when we have moved on from this life, the only things that really matters, the only things that will last all the things that we have done for Christ. The things that how we made other people feel the way that we welcome them, those things will stay with them on how you were hospitable to them. How you were caring, how you were serving, how are you with loving These are the things that last only one life will soon be past. Only What's Done For Christ will last Colossians 3:23 says whatever you do work heartily as for the Lord and not for men.

All of us only have one boss. His name is Jesus Christ. See, that's why when you feel like it's unfair, you still do the right thing, whatever you do, you have to do it with that. Reception leg. Let's look at 1st Peter, and our time 1st, Peter 4, verse 9, through 11 says, show what Only one of you show Hospitality to one another.

Wow, so now we're dealing with the attitude. Now, somebody needs some help back there.

See. Now I love the Bible's all comprehensive book. We know sometimes we want to show Hospitality, but it's not real. The genuineness it has to be genuine says we need to show Hospitality to one another without grumbling. We have to really do it with love. And some of you it might require that you pray really fast while you're about to show Hospitality so that you do it without grumbling. Each has received a gift, use it to Serve Yourself.

Are you reading the same Bible as me? Use your gifts to serve one another. As good stewards of God's varied Grace this morning.

But the gospel message for us is to make disciples. We can do it without others. We can't do it without others will ever speak as one who speaks Oracles of God, whatever. Serves as one who serves by the strength that God supplies in order that everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. You see the purpose? The purpose is that God will be glorified the one. You welcome somebody, when they come to church, when you welcome somebody in your neighborhood, you welcome people. You are kind people, you are glorifying God. You are doing what you were created for. to him be glory and Dominion forever and ever our men and Romans the same chapter and verse five and six, it says may the god of endurance and encouragement Grant you to live in such Harmony.

You know, God is an encourager. So whenever you don't feel like being hospitable, guess what, God is encouraging you to be hospitable.

Got it may the god of and doing some encouragement Grant you to live in such Harmony. So if you can't do it, if what I'm sharing with you right now seems to be like out of your mind. You just need to pray. You need to pray that God will help you to be hospitable like Christ. For God will give you the strength to deal with God will give you the encouragement. God will give you what you need to live in such a way to live in harmony with one another in accord with Christ Jesus. That together you may be with one boys was the purpose, glorify the God, and father of our Lord, Jesus Christ.

so in a nutshell, the message is simply this, when we welcome one, another like Christ, Would welcome us. We are fulfilling the Great Commission which is to make disciples. So when we welcome one, another like Christ would welcome us. We are fulfilling the Great Commission. To make disciples for Christ. In the message, version paraphrase, version of the Bible Romans 15. Verse 7. Goes like this. Reach out and welcome to one another to God's glory.

No, you do it.

Got it. Reach out and welcome to one another to God's glory. Jesus, I'm sorry. So, reach out and welcome one another to God's glory. Jesus, did it. Hydro turn. You do it.

Father, thank you for your grace. Thank you for your love. Thank you for your mercy. Thank you for the example that you have said for us to be hospitable, father. Help us to be other centered other-centered other-centered, others entered and others entered. Helpless, father, not to be so stuck-up on ourselves.

And be miserable.

Will you say father? Define true joy in life.

Is to put you Jesus above all. To put others neck and then ourselves. That's the definition of the word Joy. Jesus others. You The father help us to go in that order. To seek to please to honor you the glorify you and everything.

Focus on others.

We know that. you say, when we seek you first and your righteousness, everything will be added unto us.

The father help us to welcome one another as you would welcome them. For Your Glory.

In Jesus name, we pray.

Amen.

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