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Sermon

Oops - We tend to miss the best things because we get tired, bored, or distracted. (Best books…lotr…)

Intro

I wasn’t much of an athlete in high school, but I was on the swim team. A decent sprinter. One thing I don’t miss were Coach Jerry’s hell practices.

Most of the time, we swim a set amount, then get a set amount of rest, then swim again. With Coach Jerry giving us things to work on in our technique or effort.

But the hell practices…instead of set rests, it was set start times. 50 yard freestyle on the 45. Meaning you started a new 50 free every 45 seconds. You hit the wall, looked at the big clock, and 45 seconds from the last start, you start again.

For the record, that’s pretty fast. My sprint was around 35 seconds.

You would just pray he would call a break before you slowed to the point of just non-stop swimming at the end of muscle strength.

My other struggle on the swim team was when we would get really long distances. Swim 500 yards in a row? 1000? I would get bored, distracted, lose track of how far I had gone…try to figure it out based on how many times the fasted guys lapped me. Then count from once they were done.

The best things, the things worth the effort, often come with a season of overcoming. Those things will make you tired, there’s a chance you get bored in practice or repetition, and at some point, something else will seem like a far better use of your time and energy. Like, why am I swimming at 6 am when I could be sleeping? or at 4 pm when I could be watching tv?

When I was young, I was introduced to the Hobbit and loved it. read through it quick, thought, I want more! grabbed the Fellowship of the Ring…bogged down halfway through. It would be a couple more years before I finished the story.

There is something so satisfying about reading the last page of a long book…but it’s amazing how many books I have on my shelf that I have started, read part way, and never turned that last page.

In fact a recent study showed that only 38 percent of adults report that they always finish a book they begin.

The swimming struggle and the reading struggle I think share common roots.

We get tired. Trying to read Tolkein in first grade is a lot. Muscling through any book you don’t understand gets as wearing as sprinting in the pool without breaks.

We get bored. One of the most common books reported as left unfinished is Moby Dick. One of the great stories of the era…a renowned masterpiece…and also really dull. Great Gatsby is right up there for me too. I know it’s supposed to be a classic, but *yawn*. Yeah, just put me in the pool for a thousand laps...

Or we just get distracted. I’m part way through one book, but as it hits a part where I’m not enthralled, someone drops a new book off, I hear about a new release from a favorite author, and next thing you know, I’m reading a different book, leaving the other on the shelf…to probably be restarted in a few years…and left unfinished again...

Ugh - And the best thing of all is life woven in to the story of the gospel and others (summarize series)…but the same problem holds true…the commission is simple and clear…so what will it take for you and I to embrace the call to be woven to the ends of the earth and the end of the age?

The champions of swimming are the ones who pushed past that trio of obstacles and just did the work. And they earned their rewards. The scholar is one who reads all the way to the last page. Anyone successful in their career, marriage, parenting, hobbies and more are those who pressed through when others did not.

The best things require perverance. The things we look back on with joy instead of regret take endurance.

There is nothing better, and nothing more important than a life woven into the story of the gospel. A life that is woven into God’s story, woven into the body of Christ, and then woven out past the walls and into the community to love, care for, and reach with the gospel of Jesus.

That is why that one word is our key as we look at our vision for 2023 and beyond. How do we do that? Riff ok

a year is a long time, so is a lifetime

and…the same problem holds true in life woven into Jesus as it does for a swimmer or a reader.

The great commission is so clear. Jesus’ final words to his disciples before ascending to heaven:

Matthew 28:18–20 (CSB)

Jesus came near and said to them, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

In Acts Jesus uses tells the disciples to wait for the Holy Spirit, and once they have recieved power they will be his witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

The ends of the earth until the end of the age. Make disciples, be his witness.

So why don’t we always reflect that?

Self assessment time:

Who are you discipling right now? Who are you helping mold into the image of Jesus, teaching them to obey all he has commanded?

What does your discipleship look like? Are you obeying all he has commanded, or do you know what he has commanded? Hear the difference?

Who have you shared the good news of Jesus with in 2022? 2021? Who are you ACTIVELY engaging in a relational way, engaging in spiritual conversations with to share Jesus?

The commission is so clear. We call Jesus Lord. We sing songs of surrender and worship.

but we don’t grow in Christ the way we could, we aren’t discipling others, we don’t prioritize deep relationships inside the church, and we are passive in the community beyond.

Not always, but far too often.

Aha - Jesus says yoke is easy…so why do we struggle? Why can’t we keep reading to the last page? What’s keeping us from the ends? I find that when I struggle with weariness, boredom, or distraction, it’s revealing a thinking matter not a feeling matter (feelings not reliable). Minds need to be renewed, memorize these, repeat them, and then act as if they were true.

We cast the Woven vision because as a leadership team, we believe it is time to grow. Time to become a church deeply woven into the story of the gospel, deeply woven into one another’s lives within the body, serving and caring for one another, and increasingly woven as a whole church into this community we call home. Transforming it through the love of Jesus so we can share the story of Jesus.

So WHY? Why should we have to make this a focus? Why isn’t this the way the church always is? Shouldn’t every church always be operating this way?

Yes. Yes they should. so why don’t we?

Because like every other good thing we get tired, we get bored, and we get distracted. So we draw the focus to begin to fight through. But for each of us, we need a change. Paul tells the church at Rome:

Romans 12:2 “Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.”

We need a renewed mind, an ignited heart, and a pereverance that will endure through it all.

It starts with a change of mind. It’s a thinking thing.

Just like in a marriage, where if you rely on feeling like it, you will struggle to be the spouse that you could be. If you wait to feel like doing the work of ministry, you’ll likely never do the work of ministry. In a marriage you have to choose to live married, or eventually you won’t be.

and Waiting to feel like engaging God’s word, waiting until it’s easy to share the gospel, waiting until it is safe to be vulnerable with others in the body…you’ll wait forever. And wonder why you can’t have the vibrant faith you see in others.

I want to key in on the three obstacles to fulfilling the vision this morning. Tired, bored, distracted. I am going to offer some passages that I would encourage you to not only memorize, but repeat daily to renew your mind.

In fact, if you don’t memorize them…that’s ok. Write them out and read them every day. Think about them, use them as a part of your prayer time to ask God to work them out in your life.

Whee - Tired: yoke, god does the work, God wins souls, we follow. Bored/disinterested: forgotten we have been forgiven. Distracted: forgotten the consequences.

When You’re Tired

I was recently watching a new show on Disney called limitless with Chris Hemsworth, Thor himself. But the show isn’t a comic book thing. It’s a life thing. Chris notes that there are areas of his life where he was weak, and he worried that not only were these impacting his quality of life, but probably also the length of it.

The first episode was on stress. He had to go through some high stress experiences, but he did it with the guidance of a trained therapist who taught him how to change his thinking and not eliminate stress, but change the way he reacted to it.

Facinating stuff.

our fight or flight system was designed to keep us alive.

following our victory or retreat, we would feel safe and the adrenaline and cortisol would chill out.

Our problem is that this system kicks on for things…that aren’t life or death. and without the resolution, it actually kicks up higher. Our bodies suffer and we end up exhausted, unable to think or act like we should.

But just our thinking can reverse the whole system. it works both ways. If I feel anxious, but start to talk to myself about how safe I am…there are brain level changes that will slow heart rate and breathing. Oh, and just slowing your breathing, can shift your thinking.

Science and scripture agree on the importance of renewed minds.

One of the reasons people offer for not engaging in the church or community, or not getting into the word for that matter is that they are just too tired.

I fall into the same box. Thinking about a thousand things that need to be done, could have been done, could have been done better, and I’m tired before I ever get out of bed.

God made us to work and rest in a rhythm…since the beginning we have fought against it. Add in electric lights and the modern work schedule and we’re in trouble.

Too tired to follow and work alongside Jesus…so let’s shift the thinking…by adding scripture.

Matthew 11:28-30 ““Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take up my yoke and learn from me, because I am lowly and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.””

lets read that again.

Matthew 11:28-30 ““Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take up my yoke and learn from me, because I am lowly and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.””

Weary and burdened? anybody? He will give you…give you rest.

Take his yoke and learn from him. The yoke put two oxen together for pulling the plow. He says work with me. learn from me HOW I DO IT…humbly. And you will find rest.

Folks, I don’t need to go fancy here. No Greek dictionaries needed.

The work of ministry is…work. It’s hard. When we do it in our attitudes, in our strength, with our mind set. But when we yoke up with Jesus…when we learn from him, when we walk at his pace, the work gets done AND we get rest for our souls.

We learn to rely on the promises of scripture:

Philippians 1:6 “I am sure of this, that he who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

He started, he’ll carry it on, he’ll complete it. and as Paul closes his letter to Ephesus:

Ephesians 3:20-21 “Now to him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us—to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”

He does above and beyond, according to the power that works in us…his power for HIS glory. When it’s his glory and not ours (see humble) oh the rest you find in the work.

When you’re tired, or

When you’re bored

I learned the danger of that word at a young age.

I’m bored was a quick way to find yourself getting new chores to do.

The trick with boredom, is it’s not about there being nothing to do…its that you aren’t interested in the things there are to do.

Bored just sounds nicer than disinterested.

It’s easier.

I’m bored sounds like a condition. I would go work on the yard…but I’m bored…it’s my cross to bear. I’d totally help with that event…but I’m bored, so I guess I’ll watch reruns on tv.

It is much more honest to say, I’m disinterested in working on the yard.

I’m disintrested in calling a friend

I’m disinterested in reading my bible…getting to know my neighbor, serving my community...

So let’s change the heading

When you’re bored disinterested

Better

Now that it’s better defined…what do we do about it? How do we become reinterested?

If you want to get scared out of disinterest, read Jesus’ words to the seven churches in Revelation. No punches pulled.

But let’s go to the positive reinforcement side.

in 1 Corinthians 15 Paul is talking about the resurrection, he gets so excited he moves toward the close with a song made from 2 passages from the prophets:

Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where, death, is your victory? Where, death, is your sting?

He’s thanking Jesus for how amazing our victory is in him and then says, THEREFORE!… Which means, because of how wonderful GOD has been to us through Jesus:

1 Corinthians 15:58 “Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the Lord’s work, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”

Use that verse, but linger on the therefore. Why be interested in doing the work of ministry?

Are you saved?

Do you have hope in eternity?

Are you loved beyond measure?

Have you been adopted into the family of God?

If you want to get really re-interested, pull up an online concordance and look up the word therefore JUST in Romans through Jude. The letters.

Then take an action. I was disinterested in choir until my best friend got me to try it. Disinterested in disc golf until Eric made me go. Disinterested in youth ministry until God pushed me into it. You want to change your thinking for good? Take action on the new thoughts.

Finally, the worst one for me...

When you’re distracted

I think my spirit animal is Doug from the movie Up. Everything is going along fine, then…Squirrel! and my brain is off in a different direction.

I doodle while I pray, or type, or walk, or I get distracted.

I’ve figured out how to allow my distractions to flow through sermons, and then come back to the point, but you know they’re there...

My life group fears when Monica is gone on business because there’s no one to give me the gentle nudge that says, “this isn’t important to anyone but you…and it’s only important to you for the next 30 seconds...” Monica can say a lot with a nudge.

There is the crux of the distraction problem. We find something “important”… and we allow it to replace what really matters.

When learning about God replaces knowing and obeying him.

When money, career, or ambition means more than people

Bottom line, we replace what matters most with something that isn’t necessarily bad…just less. Because it’s not bad, we can justify it.

Well, we have to…need to…IT’s GOT TO GET DONE!

Do we stop and think about the importance of what’s not getting done?

When we don’t prioritize making disciples, reaching new people with the gospel, we are revealing that we just don’t think it’s that important.

Either we don’t really believe what the Bible says about eternity…or worse…we don’t care.

A distraction happens when we misplace importance. A text while driving, might be important, but so is your responsiblity to navigate the tons of metal and gasoline we are moving at high rates of speed.

But we can build a life of distraction where we never obey God in the most important things because there’s always something else.

And we can even use “godly” things to do so. Have you shared your faith? No, but I am involved in… Are you discipling newer believers? No, but I am learning… Are you reading your bible and praying daily? No, but I just don’t have time...

In Luke’s gospel there were a pair of sisters who both loved Jesus. One, Mary, was cooking and cleaning and getting things ready for meals and guests (including Jesus…) the other, martha, was sitting with Jesus.

Martha asks Jesus to tell Mary to help her out

Luke 10:41-42 “The Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has made the right choice, and it will not be taken away from her.””

Choice. Mary chose. There is nothing you have to do. that sounds simplistic, but it’s true. You make choices. Some choices are pretty important. You should work, so you can…eat, share, pay for your home, etc. But do we choose? Yes.

There are distractions you don’t choose. This morning as I went over the message, there was a drip in our bathroom that I need to fix this afternoon that was a distraction then, and will be tonight too.

I’m not minimizing the importance of other things…But…we can not become so distracted and busy that we lose THE most important things. Those things that will impact eternity.

Tired: renew your mind, walk and work with Jesus

Bored…disinterested: renew your mind, be transformed by the therefores as you recall everything God has done

Distracted: renew your mind, and like Mary, make choices in line with what matters most.

Let me offer one more bonus passage on thinking:

Philippians 4:8-9 “Finally brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable—if there is any moral excellence and if there is anything praiseworthy—dwell on these things. Do what you have learned and received and heard from me, and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.”

Dwell, Do. Think, act.

We can choose to be…to act as the church in this community. Or we can choose to be something less.

Worship team

Yeah - What could God do with a church woven? Through 2023 you will keep seeing us step into this more and more in how we lead, teach, and plan. What could God do in a heart woven into his story? What could God do in a church woven together? What could God do through a church woven into its community? I can’t wait to find out. To the ends of the earth and the end of the age, I want to keep reading to the last page.

We were saved and brought together on purpose. We’ve been given a task, a task that no one else can or will do for us.

No one will worry about your relationship with Jesus is you don’t.

No one will care for the church body in the ways you are designed to if you don’t

No one will be the church of Jesus in your neighborhood, if you aren’t.

To the ends of the earth, till the end of the age.

But what could God do with a church woven with people living in God’s story?

What could God do with a church woven together into a community that served one another in love, that demonstrated grace, that operated in peace, and built one another up towards the kingdom?

What could God do with a church woven beyond the walls, a church refusing to be stay in this sanctuary, but scattered out, being the church IN the community, loving, serving, bringing peace, joy, and light into a world of darkness…?

The world expects us to be a people of judgement, who stay in the walls, who are one homogenus unit that all think alike, talk alike, act alike.

But how could God shatter that image and transform this community if we as a church will choose to live as a community woven?

Let God renew your mind. Especially as we enter a season when people are a little more open…let God make you lovingly bold and engaged. With him, with one antoehr, and with the world.

To the ends of the earth, till the end of the age…let’s finish this book to the last page.

Pray

God we don’t want to quit until you come or you take us home.

Lord teach us to walk and work with you, finding our rest in the work of ministry.

Change our thinking that leaves us disinterested or distracted by things that matter less.

Father we confess that we have not been woven to you, to one another, or to our community the way your word calls us to obey. Thank you for your grace to change course. To live different, to love better, and to follow you faithfully.

We pray for this next year at HCC. Father we pray that people will be saved, that lives will be changed, that this community will notice that something new is happening, and that something is of you.

We pray that in all this you would be glorified, and Jesus would be made known.