Being a Great Community

Great Community

One of the characteristics of this church, and Munds Park, that makes this a great community, is the heart and willingness of the people to volunteer to serve.

This is the first church we’ve been a part of where we don’t have to beg ppl to serve. You live here or you roll in for the summer and you look for places to get involved. We appreciate that so much.

I’ve said many time, usually in the new members class, if you will actively look for a place to serve, one that is a challenge, a sac., a real time-sucker; then 2 things.

First, you get to serve where you want to.

Second, you can say ‘no’ to everybody else who calls and asks, guilt-free.

Nope, sorry. I’m already serving over there. I don’t have the time.

For instance, VBS. Sara and Marleen have had this year’s VBS program, and just about every other year’s program, fully staffed since January. There have been some folks who’ve had things come up and they had to back out. But, right away, the position was filled.

Now, as ppl are coming up for the summer, they are calling and asking if they can serve in VBS. Or, some of you have asked if you could have a friend serve w/ you. But, Sara and Marleen have had to say, ‘no’.

Sorry. We’re staffed.

Don Wood is in charge of Luau this year. He’s got sign ups out in the lobby. We never end up w/ a problem getting help. The food is mostly catered. Thank you Agee’s for the pulled pork, buns and BBQ sauce. Thanks to Kota’s for the potato salad. And, Jim will make his world famous beans again this year.

But, we need a set-up crew, food servers, and clean up crew.

We’ve never had to beg, thank you very much. Setup takes about 20 minutes on Friday afternoon.

We use 2 teams of food servers, preferably, but no necessarily, those who have their food handlers card. One crew starts out and works for about an hour. Then, the second crew takes over so the 1st crew can eat and relax around the table.

Then, in the end, you know what happens. Once we start wiping tables down and folding chairs up, everyone gets involved helping us put stuff away. So, the sign-ups are mostly for washing dishes and putting tables and chairs away in the container. They always get to the container. Someone who knows how they get stacked on the racks needs to be in charge.

We always get it done.

I believe all of you realize the dividends that we receive as a church, and as a community, are far greater than the sac you make to make these things happen.

The Luau lead ppl to come to church on Sunday. Then we get some of them into bible studies. Then, they get involved and serve. The cycle is complete. From the shallow end to the deep end.

There is only one ministry that we have trouble staffing and I’d like for some of you to consider giving us 1 or 2 Sundays/month. If we get enough, you only need to serve 1 Sunday. If we get even more, then you might only have to serve once this summer.

Our kids’ ministry during the 2nd service. Sue Wood is in charge. She’s doing a great job. The volunteers she has are fantastic. We just need a few more so they don’t burn out and the moms and dads can join us in worship on Sundays.

Please, would you consider, giving us a few Sundays this summer? Sue puts the lesson together. All you have to do is follow her instructions. We usually have 1 or 2, maybe 3 kids. Sometimes more.

Would you help us out? The dividends we receive are much more than the sac you make.

Another thing I appreciate so much about us, our church, we volunteer in the community all over the place. The Fire Aux, PPOA, and other orgs in MP. If you go to some of these meeting, it might as well be a church meeting.

We are the hands and feet of Jesus, serving this community, making it a great place to live, full-time, during the summer, or maybe for just a week or 2.

These orgs are looking for volunteers, too. The Aux will be hosting the annual golf tournament in the fall and we need ppl to help us pull it off. Last year we made over $12K that helps take the pressure off the Chief’s budget.

You know they are building a new station. They will break ground in the late winter, early spring. The bond and the loan they had to take out will only pay for the shell. Then they will need to furnish it.

And, Truck 41 could be considered a lemon. It’s always breaking down and eating into their finances.

Help us support our fire fighters.

And, the PPOA. We all enjoy the parade on the 4th of July. It takes a lot of volunteers to make that happen. Len Friedlund is working and needs more ppl. Would you consider helping out? Your sac and investment in MP pays big dividends.

And, guess who they asked to be the Grand Marshals this year?

So, Sara and I don’t get to volunteer and serve in front of the fire station. So, that’s 2 more positions he needs to fill.

If you will pick a place, or 2, to serve in the church, in MP, that takes time and energy, you can say ‘no’ to me and everybody else who asks you, guilt free, b/c you’ve picked a place you want to serve and you don’t have any more time to give.

If we don’t step up, then things don’t happen. If enough of us don’t step up, then those who do run the risk of burning out and things stop happening.

When you volunteer to serve, the benefit far outweighs the cost.

And, when Jesus calls you to serve, the benefit is even greater. More ppl meet Jesus, get there reservation in Heaven secured. And, more people get closer to Jesus and gain access to more of the potential of the gifts and fruit He provides.

I’m not saying this in every case, but in some cases, serving MP is serving Jesus. You don’t have to just serve in the church to serve Jesus. But, the church is the best place to start. But also consider being the hands and feet of Jesus around MP and living as an example to lead people around you closer to Christ.

When Jesus calls you to serve, wherever he calls you to serve, He also equips you to serve. And w/ His equipment, His instruction, and leadership; more gets done that we could ever do on our own.

The church, in MP and all over the world, is a movement of people who can acknowledge our weaknesses and limitations, have asked Jesus for help, and together get things done that change the world.

Let’s go.

Jesus needed volunteers. He appointed more ppl, expanded the service base, equipped them, instructed them, and led them to get more done than just the 12 could do; especially after Jesus would leave them just a few months later.

This situ is written about in Luke 10.

Here is the Mission, Message, and Method He taught 72 more ppl to do to expand His impact thru the church.

Mission, Message, Method

Luke 10:1–12 NIV

After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road. “When you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ If someone who promotes peace is there, your peace will rest on them; if not, it will return to you. Stay there, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house. “When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is offered to you. Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust of your town we wipe from our feet as a warning to you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God has come near.’ I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town.

12 ppl were not going to get this done once Jesus left. 12 ppl even filled w/ the HS weren’t going to get it done. The commission Jesus will give them just before He returned to heaven will be to take the message to the ends of the earth.

These 12 disciples won’t live long enough to see it expand too far beyond the middle east. More need to get involved. So, Jesus got more involved.

Notice, too, Jesus used the basic education model we still use today.

He taught them what to do.

He demonstrated it.

He sent them out to do it.

Then, He evaluated them.

You’ll see all these steps in this passage.

Jesus even acknowledged to these 72, they weren’t enough. They all needed to pray for even more workers to volunteer to take the message out. The plan was for these to go and those who heard their message and responded, some of them would step up and go out themselves.

We are not to be receptacles of salvation. We are called to be conduits. Receptacles are like buckets that get filled w/ water until it evaporates out and does no one else any good.

Conduits are like water pipes that allow the water to flow thru to everyone who is thirsty.

If you’ve rec’d the message, esp if you accepted the message, next you get to share the message so someone else can get a drink, too.

This is not all fun and games. Jesus admitted there was danger involved.

Jesus is asking them to trust Him to protect them. He knew full well what opposition they would face. It could get intense. But, Jesus wanted them to grow and learn the extent of His ability to protect them as long as they were on a mission He had sent them on.

By this time, the Pharisees had already made the decision that Jesus should be rejected by the nation. That was their official position. Then, they set out to impose their position on the rank and file.

Individuals would have to make their own decision about Jesus. But there was pressure from their local synagogue and the temple to avoid and evade Jesus.

So, when these 72 went out to invite ppl to accept Jesus and get close, conflict was inevitable. Much more of the conflicts are written about in the book of Acts. But, even here, there was plenty of demonic opposition. Most wasn’t written about. That wasn’t the point Luke was after here.

The mission was to expand the ministry. Give more ppl the opportunity to meet Jesus and be saved. And in the process expand the volunteer and leadership base. More were trained and experienced to continue the work Jesus started.

The message was that Jesus is the Messiah, He is the only one who can save you and get you to Heaven.

The method was, here specifically, was to go to all the towns and villages in Galilee where Jesus was going to visit later. These 72 were to be his advance team. Meet w/ ppl who were open to Jesus. Set up meetings. A prepare for his arrival.

Jesus’ instructions were pretty specific about who they should interact w/ and how.

When He said not to greet anyone on the road, He didn’t mean rudely ignore them. They might be someone who would be open to Jesus and His message.

His point was not to dilly dally or lolly gag along the road. There was a sense of urgency. Remember, He is just a few months then from his crux. The work need to expand, both among those who accept Him and those who accept leadership roles.

Fellowship is wonderful. And I think all the convos before church are music to Jesus’ ears. But, when it’s time to get down to business, and Linda and the vocalists come up on stage and start singing, then it’s time to stop talking and get down to the worship bsns.

Not only should you move fast, but don’t take a change of clothes, any money purse, or a second pair of sandals. The point here being, trust Jesus to provide. The HS will go ahead and be their advance team in many of the towns.

Their clothes and sandals will last. They won’t need any money b/c there will be enough ppl open to Jesus to host them and feed them. Eat whatever they serve you.

One way of communicating Jesus acceptance of all ppl is by accepting whatever hospitality they offered. If they rejected what they were served, then the ppl would be less likely to accept them and Jesus when He arrive.

It’s rude to not eat what your host serves. It won’t kill you to ingest one serving of kale or spinach.

They may get a little hungry along the way. Not every town will be accepting. But, Jesus will be growing their faith and trust in Him to provide for them when He’s not physically present to do it.

Jesus told them when they first arrived to one of these towns, 72 ppl, 2x2, 36 ministry teams, that’s lots of towns and villages. Anyway, when they arrive, ask around for someone who is known to be open to Jesus.

Stay at their house. Don’t bounce around from house to house. Make their home your base of operation. The determining factor was peace. The 72 would know right away if Jesus would be welcome there. If there was peace among the ppl, then yes. Stay and prepare the place for Jesus’ arrival.

They would tell them the kingdom of God is near them. That was Jesus. He is the King and the kingdom. So by accepting Him, they became citizens of the kingdom even thought they still lived here.

If they rejected the missionaries, created conflict, argued; then obviously Jesus would not be welcome there.

If Jesus would not be welcomed in that town, the symbolism of shaking the dust off means there will be no community between them and the believers. A clear separation b/c of their rejection. We’re not going to be close. Then, they were to tell them the kingdom of God was near. Note the difference. Not near them, near you. Personally. The King and kingdom was near. But He’s moving past you. You missed your chance.

The missionaries were instructed to move on to the next town and find out if they would be open to Jesus.

We know what happened to Sodom back during Abraham’s time when Lot lived there. And everyone is being housed and held until their final judgment day at some point in the future. That day so long ago was a horrible day for the residents of Sodom, and Gomorrah. But the future day will be even worse.

The consequence of rejecting Jesus was serious. It still is. But Jesus made it painfully clear just how serious it was when He compared these rejecting towns to Sodom, Tyre, and Sidon.

Consequence of Rejection

Luke 10:13–16 NIV

“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you. And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted to the heavens? No, you will go down to Hades. “Whoever listens to you listens to me; whoever rejects you rejects me; but whoever rejects me rejects him who sent me.”

Woe. Jesus expressed deep regret. He wanted everyone to be saved. He wanted everyone to choose Him. But when they didn’t, it broke his heart.

Chorazin and Bethsaida. Two towns where Jesus had been, presented messages and performed miracles, but few, if any accepted Him.

Capernaum was his home town as an adult, Peter’s too. When John wrote his gospel he said Jesus did so many other things that were not written down, they could only choose a few, but enough to prove Jesus is who He says He is. These towns were among the places where he performed the most.

So many more great things were done in those communities, yet they still, as a lot, w/ few exceptions, rejected Jesus.

Tyre and Sidon were known for their immorality during OT times. By reputation, if your town was compared to them, then that was a deep insult.

As bad as it was for them in the day, as bad as it will be in their future day, it will be far worse for these communities who had Jesus in the flesh, physically present, to teach and do great things among them, but still they rejected him.

Jesus only referred to the Devil or Hell, Hades, a few times. When He did, it was not a pretty prediction.

If someone rejected the missionary team that came to their town, then they were rejecting Jesus. if they rejected Jesus, then they were rejecting God. If they rejected God, the He would reject them and their eternal reservation was set in Hell. In this case, the deepest, darkest, dungeon in the entire place

For the rest of us, our eternal home is paradise. No tears. No pain. Just joy and glory.

Judgment will be passed on these communities. And the missionaries faced great opposition and should be commended. They had to be reined in a bit when they went a little too far in their belief about how much they were responsible for.

Jesus needed to remind them of who did what when they were out doing what they did.

Credit Where Due

Luke 10:17–20 NIV

The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.” He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

They were excited. The adrenaline was flowing. They had done things they had never done before. They spoke and more powerful demons went where they told them to go. It must have been amazing and energizing.

I’m sure Jesus was rejoicing w/ them. But, he had to rein them in. Chill. Slow down there bucky!

He said He was there when Satan, then called Lucifer, the worship leader in Heaven before the earth was created, decided He would be a better god than God. We do it, too. Just not on that scale.

Anyway, Lucifer was kicked out of Heaven by God and Jesus was there. God exercised power over Satan and there was nothing He could do to prevent it and stay.

Jesus also watched those past few days, as some of the ppl in the towns the missionaries visited accepted Jesus and were saved. There was nothing Satan could do to prevent that, either.

He lost those souls to God.

Jesus drew on the imagery of Genesis 3, when God said Jesus would crush the head of the serpent. Jesus passed that power and authority on to the 72 ad they could trample snakes and scorpions.

Well, they didn’t do it by themselves. It was the power of God working thru them.

We are not strong enough, authoritative enough, to tell Satan where to go. Where would you tell him to go, anyway. He’s already there.

But, to get His henchmen to leave the ppl they possessed it would take the power of God.

We cannot take credit for what God does with us, thru us, or to us.

I am always humbled by your complements and kind words about my sermons. I am kept humble, however, as long as I remember, God can speak thru an ass to get his message across. He does not need me. There are many others who could sit on this stool and do at least as good as I do.

It is God who works thru me. He gifted me. Gives me a message every week. Works me over in my preparation time. And works thru me in the presentation. I can take no credit for what happens in your life when you let God in during one of our services.

We should only rejoice that we are saved, our names are written in Heaven and our reservation secure. W/ that, then God can work on us, thru us, and w/ us. It’s all God.

Any good we have anything to w/, we didn’t do it. God did it thru us.

Make sure you give credit where credit is due when someone complements you for something God did.

Jesus was still moved to praise God for the work of the 72. Next, He prayed and praised God for what He was doing on earth among these volunteers.

Praise for Success

Luke 10:21–24 NIV

At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do. “All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and no one knows who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” Then he turned to his disciples and said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.”

Many throughout history had dreamed, wished to be able to see Jesus come to save mankind. We may wish to be alive to see the rapture, or Jesus’ second coming.

Those 12 and the 72, among many others, were there to see it for themselves.

He referred to them as children, versus, the wise and learned.

It was like the Pharisees telling Jesus they could see perfectly. Right. Yet, b/c they thought they could, they were blind to the truth.

Those who see that they are blind and ask Jesus for help, are given sight to see things they had never seen before.

Children, figuratively in this case, are weak and have educational limitations. They haven’t been to college, yet.

We children, who recognize our weaknesses and limitations, who make ourselves available to Jesus and ask Him for help, to work thru us and to us, we accomplish great things. But we can take no credit for it.

If we want to see God do great things in our church and in our community, then we need to make ourselves available to be used by God to work thru us and to us.

This is already a great place to live. It could be even greater. It will at least stay this way if we will volunteer and let Jesus do His thing among us.

We are a great church. We’re the best church in MP. The biggest one, too. God made us this way and thanks to all the members who stepped up in the past and are stepping up right now.

Thanks.

Applications

A Few More

The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.

There are many more today than their were in Jesus’ day. Still, there is more work to be done. Would you consider being one of the few more.

If you’re already serving, you can very politely, but firmly, say ‘no’ to me right now.

Thanks for helping out. For the rest. Would you consider being one of the few more?

Pray

We can all pray for a few more. Would you join us in praying for a few more workers.

There is a spiritual battle going on all around us. Satan does not want anyone else joining the cause of Christ or joining the mission of Christ.

Prayer is a powerful weapon we have to combat that battle. Please, pray w/ us that more will join the cause and serve w/ us.

Weak & Limited

Christianity is a movement of weak and limited ppl. If we could do it on our own, we wouldn’t need Jesus. Truth is, He doesn’t need us. But He lets us participate.

But, we must admit we are too weak and too limited to get it done.

Admit it, ask for help, and watch what God will do thru you and to you.

If we want to see God do great things in our church and in our community, then we need to make ourselves available to be used by God to work thru us and to us.

This is already a great place to live. It could be even greater. It will at least stay this way if we will volunteer and let Jesus do His thing among us.

We are a great church. We’re the best church in MP. The biggest one, too. God made us this way and thanks to all the members who stepped up in the past and are stepping up right now.

Thanks.

When Jesus calls you to serve, wherever he calls you to serve, He also equips you to serve. And w/ His equipment, His instruction, and leadership; more gets done that we could ever do on our own.

The church, in MP and all over the world, is a movement of people who can acknowledge our weaknesses and limitations, have asked Jesus for help, and together get things done that change the world.