January 31, 2016 - God's Abundant Grace

I was thinking about you. Actually when I was praying last night in my message. I was thinking about you actually through the whole week. I was praying about you. I was praying about every single person that walks through the storm the doors of this church and I was thinking about your story. I was thinking about your week some of you shared with me some of your stories some of the challenges that you're facing some of the things that you have been giving to the Lord and you've been praying and you've been saying Lord God. I know I know that you can give me the victory. I know Lord God that you you can reach down in my life for the family that I'm praying for the the friend that I'm I'm trying to reach or the circumstance at my job or whatever the need was and I I know some of your stories and I was thinking, you know Lord God too often. We have made the church into almost a numbers game. Where where we we've identified and and and define success in the church is if we can fill up all the seats then were successful. Or or if we can impress people with our talents were successful. But I'm going to tell you something today. I want to I want to talk with you in a little bit different tone that I typically do when I preach God's word. Usually when I prepare a message I try to find about five or six points to give you I fix positive word of God identifying the meaning behind the text and helping you to Grouse the spiritual truth and let me tell you that is very important. In fact, we're going to actually do that today, but there's sometimes there's this this

Feeling that I have I'm not saying that you have it that that I don't want it to come across that I'm I'm doing this because this is what I get paid for. That I'm doing this just because this is the expectation that people have for me to to accomplish on a Sunday. But see every single person every single one of you that walk through the doors of the church, whether it's the main entrance or or the entrance, what is it the South entrance or the West in every single one of you came into this church with a story every single one of you came some of you have experience and Incredibly powerful week. You've seen the hand of God move in your life. Brothers of you you feel like you and God have become a stranger. You've been praying or you've been asking God for different things to happen in your life. And it seems like nothing's been happening the way you want it to and you've become frustrated. And in no matter what your story is and no matter what your week is. I want to let you know that that God knows your story. But I don't want to talk about the does the church appreciate your story. It's a little different, isn't it? We know that God values us at least at least we we we think he does. but this morning I want to talk about this does the church value you and how does it how does the church value you and so so this morning I want to talk about people like Brandon coming into this coming into a church such as ours and how do they feel

I I want a person coming into the doors of the church just to know that they're coming into a community Believers that deeply loves God and deeply loves them. That we do not look at a person's skin color. We do not look yet if they have no tattoos or they are just tattoo written that we don't we don't look at the the the the jewelry that they wear for the fine clothes are the the torn-up jeans. We don't worry or we don't we don't think in those terms. We think of a person creating the very image of God coming into our place and they're going in town freshen to the power of almighty God and God is going to work in their life and such a supernatural which we can't wait for people to see that and we can't wait for people to experience that. That makes sense.

See, I want people who are hurting people are looking for answers young old. I want people to walk through the doors of this church. And I want them to to feel and send something almost instantaneously. This is a place where I can belong.

Mike clarensau to my wife work for for several years when he was in a leadership in the church in Kansas you later went into leadership in the national office of the Assemblies of God. He was he was at a conference. He can't even remember who the speaker was. He can't even remember what the topic was, but he was in this conference with about 15,000 other pastors and ministers and God began to stir his heart.

And he began to think about the the assignment that he had at that moment in his life. He he became a pastor again and he was going to leave this this church that had been in existence for 80 years running about 200 at the time and he was praying Lord. I need your Direction Lord. I need your guidance Lord. I need to know where do you want me to take this charge? What I was reading about his testimony, I could sleep over like it say Amen to every single word. He said because sometimes of being a pastor your ear you want so hard to to Grass what God is doing in to align yourself with what God is doing and you never wanted to be said that that as a pastor. I am trying to do my own thing. I want to do God's thing. So what so Mike Mike said in those and those rafter seating that he was in in that that big conference got begin Astros hard and and God Rome 2 story about the woman who anointed Jesus at Bethany. and and it was a story about this woman and and and she did something that nobody expected that she would do. And she did at 10 and she said she gave her all to the Lord. In fact, this is the first this is going to send her the this message or this story is going to be the message of of our first part of the Easter. The Easter series entitled Son of God is when I talk about what happened to Bethany. And in my clearance all began to think you know what too often when people walk to the doors of the church. What we end up doing and what we end up thinking is we say, you know what you can belong when you believe and you become like us.

And what's that let that sink down in you? Okay? Quite frankly. We like to be around people that look and act like us don't we? But she God says in the church. That's not what I've called you to do. I called you to reach out to everyone who whosoever would come. I want you to reach out to everyone. See, that's the message of God. And so so my clarensau said he had one of those aha moments every once in awhile as pastors have them. He said you know what? We need we need to we need to put belonging in front. And when they belong they begin to see the power and the presence of God being demonstrated not just in word, but in action and the begin to become attracted to what God is doing in people's lives and say I want in I want to do this when you look at Jesus in his ministry. What did he do? He said he want to come and see once you come and be with me once you walk with me for awhile. She he didn't seek out the disciples because they were already getting it religiously. They they didn't they didn't grasp all the the truth and fact throughout Jesus's want two and a half years of Ministry. They kept messing up. All the way even to the crucifixion they abandon him Peter the leader of the group keep denied him and yet Jesus continue to want them to sense his presents and since what he's doing because he knew that if they would hang around him for a while. They would begin to understand who Jesus is beginning to understand God's plan for them and they would be open to Allowing God to totally and completely transformed them. For friends people are not transformed by our rules by our style. Why are even decorum and Ambiance they are only transformed by the power of God?

So how's our church we need to think well, if we are saying that we are followers of God.

Then what is God doing? Don't you think that's a that makes sense as a question that we should ask ourselves. What is God doing? Cuz I was studying the scriptures on this I ran into this beautiful scripture in Ephesians chapter 2 in Ephesians chapter 2 Beautifully laid-out. I see the heart of God.

Beginning with verse number for you can turn in your Bible so you could see it on the on the overhead. Oh over here. but God a friend that that two words just alone can make a series of messages that could last a year, but God being rich in Mercy because of the great love with which he loved us. Even when we were dead in our trespasses made us alive together with Christ by Grace you have been saved.

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the heart of God that I want to talk to you this morning over the next few minutes of time. Because I think God wants to show us. How we are to be as a church?

When I look at that verse but God. I see the first phrase there being rich in Mercy. You see that being rich in Mercy. There's the first point right there. That we need to be rich in Mercy as a church know what Mercy is we need to we need to know. How does God demonstrate his Mercy? How does God demonstrate that Mercy in our life and all you have to do is do a cursory read through the Old and New Testament and you see God's merciful hand over and over and over again.

God Is So merciful in in in working in our life God Is So merciful. He he he reaches to two people that are rejected and unloved and an n in a scorn of society doesn't he?

And Zacchaeus, he he he he wants to see Jesus but he's a short little fellow and so he climbs a tree to get a better vantage point and and Jesus's what are you doing up there? Oh, Jesus could have an order ignoring him. Because that's a lot of times what we do we we we sometimes ignore people but Jesus didn't ignore you should come right down here. We haven't we have a Divine appointment today. I'm going to be in your house. We're going to we're going to we're going to have we're going to have lunch together.

And when when Zacchaeus had an encounter with God everything changed in me. He repented he can Seth T. He he said Lord. I I I want to give it all I wanted whatever you call me to do. I want to do I'm sold. Because he discovered and he sensed and he was confronted with the mercy of God. Should we need to be merciful? We need to embrace the mercy of God, but so often don't we think this that's what would people say if I show Mercy what would people would say that I agree with that?

People would say that I approve it.

And so what we do is we say, you know what we're going to hold hide the standards. And what we do is we hinder the mercy of God from reaching people. Why because God has chosen the church to beat the Spencers of his mercy and if we are not merciful we hit this roadblock people hit this robot. They don't experience the mercy of God and friends. That's a tragedy, isn't it? Because I will tell you every one of us in this room whether you have been a saint for decades or you have you you're a Seeker today everyone in between every one of us needs the mercy of God because there is not one of us in this room. That is perfect. There is not one of us in this room that has arrived on the the Perfections every one of us. At times we fall short. I thought short this week. Did you know that? Let me tell you about it. Bible says don't be anxious.

What's the command don't be anxious? Monday night Angela can testify because we were in our room she was sitting on the on the bed. I was standing pacing back and forth. I said Angela. I don't have a message for Sunday. And I'm scared. I'm scared. I'm supposed to be talking to the congregation getting everything ready for it for launching the capital campaign and and talking about the vision of the church and I was pacing back and forth and I was just ringing my hands Angela being just the doll that she is. She didn't say anything. She didn't preach at me. She just let me vent. Which anxious I was I was I mean, my heart was beating fast and you say oh that's nothing at all. My friends. I got to get in front of you 230 some of you on a Sunday morning. I know there's about 300 of us in church, but there's 230 of you here this morning and I will tell you when I look at you and I'm supposed to preach I get nervous.

Am I going to be able to preach the the precepts of God act adequately inaccurately in the my going to be able to do it with enthusiasm and and Effectiveness and and and not be the equivalent of Tylenol PM?

Okay. So it's a nervous. I was just in an empty and I do this all the time and you think you think after after all these years of being a follower of Jesus Christ, I would get it that God never fails me.

Tuesday morning. It just started coming together. It's a holy spirit begin to show me what I needed to do.

You know all of us all of us need mercy of God. I'm so glad it was Mercy, but she has a church. We need to be dispensers of his Mercy. We need to go out of our way helping people discover that God's Mercy is for them. You know, I know it when we fall short of God's glory, but I will tell you how far more wants to dispense his Mercy rather than his judgment. All you need to do is accepted receive it.

And I think the church needs to show the way of receiving Mercy, don't you? So when did anybody watch through the doors of this church? We the church are ready. We are the church are excited. We the church are used in in being the Spencers of Gods. Mercy

second The second thing that I see here in this verse that says because of the great love with which God love us.

God's law that's what the scripture says.

God demonstrates his love and see because of that that is his character. Don't It Make Sense? Doesn't it make sense? Doesn't it make sense? That we would display the character and heart of God by loving people.

Couple nights ago I had dinner with the with Mike and cayenne ghee. And we were talking about Ministry and stuff Mike's on the board. And and so we're talking about different aspects of ministry and and I was sharing with him a little bit about what I wanted to share this morning and he was telling me how how he and cayenne came to this church.

How how how immediately when they walk through the doors of the church? There was somebody with an anticipation of seeing what God was going to do in their life. And they been connected them with another couple in the church that was already attending and this and then and they became life-long friends from that. Am I going to tell you when somebody is waiting for somebody to walk through the doors of the church and already having a plan to say, how can I connect these people to other so but they can build a strong relationship and they can connect well with the life of the church. I'm going to tell you that that's a demonstration of love and valuing of people. And we need to love and value people, don't we? We need to show compassion to people. We need to go out of our way. See this is what happens and I am notorious at this. So I'm I'm preaching to myself just as long as just the same as I'm preaching to you. I I can be very self-conscious. I I'm coming to church on thinking about my message. I'm going to preach I'm in the zone. So to speak. I'm in that tunnel vision oftentimes. There could be a disruption in the service as I'm preaching. I will not notice. Okay, because I'm in the zone on Focus. I want to make certain I'm preaching and that I'm preaching well. Sometimes I get so focused on what I need what I'm going to do that I do not focus on what I need to do in the moment. See, I think when we come to church we need to recognize did you know Sunday is the greatest place Sunday church service is the greatest place where there's an opportunity for people to hear the gospel message of Jesus Christ and respond to the gospel. Did you know Sunday morning is an incredible evangelism field in the church. Did you know that okay, we always talk about evangelism by going out to the highways and the byways. Well, I'll tell you what people God keeps sending people into the church as well to hear the message of Jesus Christ when we begin to understand that I need to love people and value people and appreciate people. I begin to line up with the heart of God who loved me and gave himself for me.

That's what I need to do. I need to display great love for people. I need to go out of my way to minister to people because they are loved of God and I need to love them.

Ben. The latter part of that verse or now enter into verse number 5 actually it says even when we were dead in our trespasses God made us alive together with Christ by Grace you have been saved. We we need to help people experience a life fully alive in Christ.

This is why God has placed the church to be the dispenser Vault because he wants people to see what God does in the lives of people. He wants to he wants people to see In Living Color living testimonies of his grace of his mercy of his love of his kindness and of his gentle. He wants people to see transform lives in the flesh. Friends, we cannot just tell people we need to show people Jesus in his Earthly Ministry did not just tell people he he he was showing people how to live and how to live by faith.

And that's what we need to do. If that is what God is doing then that's what his church needs to do. T it's no mystery what the church should do? The church should be dispensers of God's mercy. The church should be displaying God's love and the church should help people experience a life fully alive in Christ. That is what the church is called to it is known this Reno rocket science. It is exactly what God has called the church to be.

But let me tell you.

Some of the challenges that we face.

is that to do this to show Mercy to display love to help people. It's a risk. hideous ministering to people is risk.

And we tend to want to play it safe. in fact What will turn church into is the safe place? We wanted to be a safe place where I can come and I can relax and I can just enjoy being fed.

And what happened is we did not realize that we have been slowly missing our calling. Because what we have done is we have turned the church into this. It's about what the church can do for me listen to about what the church can do for me rather than what I can do for.

Did you hear it? k What is happen is we forgotten? It's about people that God wants to intersect with the church. With his abounding grace so that people can experienced a change and transformed life. What we have been doing is turning the church into its about me.

And what ends up happening? Is lives cease to be changed. the Lost ceased to be found those those imprisoned incense cease to be set free. That is what we can easily become when we get our eyes off of what God is doing and get our eyes on what we want done.

That is not what God has called us to be.

For I don't know how long this church has been in existence 80 90 years somewhere. It's been a long time.

I would imagine when this church first started. If I'm not mistaken, I think it was a woman who start this trigger who started this church. Part of the church was all about people. And helping people experience of Life transformed by the power of God, but the older we become we can we change from being out word Focus reaching people and we become in word Focus It's All About Us. Let me tell you almost every time I've ever preached or taught about evangelism in the context of the church. I've always had somebody come up to me and say what Pastor I think that's all good and well, but don't you think we need to focus on us first? Let's get the healthy and then we're ready to reach people. The problem with that concept is that we will never get healthy and we will never reach people. we get healthy when we align ourselves up with God when we are dispensers of Mercy when we are displaying love when we are helping people something something happens to us because we're fully aligned with what God is doing and when you're fully aligned with what God is doing God Powers you And you begin to realize that you are on this incredible adventure with God the supernatural Journey. That is so overwhelming so beautiful. So incredible.

That words are so difficult to describe it. That is what Goddess called. See God has called us. to be dispensers of His abounding abundant grace And it is God's abounding abundant grace that changes us and transforms us and helps it helps us be the church. He has called us to be.

So God is saying be careful not to be inward Focus because when you are in word focused when you are when you are not following God's call and when you lose sight of what He is wanting to do in and among us as a as the Racine Assembly of God family.

Then we'll see we'll just will will will will the Ender when we discovered lithium. Watch out what happens? Because you realize it's not about you. It's about him and you also realize it's not what you doing. What you're doing all you're doing you're doing the simple job you're doing the easy easy part of God's doing all the heavy lifting and we become the church. He has called us to be. Well, let's not lose sight of his call.

What's let's look to God and see what he intends to do. meaning of you know, the restaurant chain Chick-fil-A and Chick-fil-A by by secular accounts and religious accounts has has an over-the-top customer service reputation. I don't think I go through a week without seeing something about Chick-fil-A in Facebook on what a manager did or what an employee did to help somebody. Now that doesn't just happen by accident. They train their employees to realize that everybody that comes through the doors of their restaurant has a story. And they need to be sensitive to that. So what we're going to do right now is we're going to show one of their training videos. Okay, we're going to see one of the training videos. I think this is a powerful video for the church if we can show them.