Mission and Values

John 5

VIDEO https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMj1ggINLe4

COMMENTS

Here in a second we are going to look at a few verses from John 5 where this story is found in our Bible. Depending on what version of the Bible you have you might notice that verse 4 is missing in some newer versions. The reason for this is that verse 4 because it didn’t appear in all the original manuscripts of the scriptures. What verse 4 reveals to us is that from time to time an angel came down and stirred the water in this pool that they laid by, and the first one to enter the pool after this took place was healed. It would be hard to question this reality as multiple people who were sick, injured, or diseased made a choice to reside close to this pool and hold a belief in this tradition. Let’s look at John chapter 5 together.

John 5:1–8 “Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish festivals. Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. Here a great number of disabled people used to lie—the blind, the lame, the paralyzed. One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?” “Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.””

John 5:16 “So, because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jewish leaders began to persecute him.”

So let’s break down the text. Let’s start with the fact that Jesus was festival focused. Verse 1 said Jesus went up to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish festivals.

FESTIVAL FOCUSED

We get into so many discussions perhaps even argument about how Jesus managed the Old Testament. Jesus said Himself that He didn’t come to get rid of the law but to fulfill it. Most of the time I find people that are having these discussions are trying to excuse themselves from something in the Old Testament that challenges their life. But Jesus was still a good Jew. Jesus’ life was in keeping with many of the Jewish traditions because God the Father put them in place for a purpose. So many of these celebrations served the purpose of honoring God and being together with His people.

Jesus loves your coffee shop Bible Study, your conferences and events, your homeless ministries, but Jesus still would go to church today. We need fellowship and accountability, it keeps us from becoming self-centered, and too smart for everyone else. When I meet Christians that say they don’t need church I’m at least relieved that it means they won’t be a part of my church.

Did you know the Bible says that the church is the bride of Christ?

When we struggle to remain in fellowship with God’s people we are sending a message to God that His bride isn’t good enough for us. Guys, how do you feel about people that don’t think your wife is good enough? Nuff said. Sure the church isn’t perfect, but who among us is? When we come to church week after week, when we are part of a thrive group, when we volunteer and do life together, we are saying that we know we don’t always get it right, but we have a better chance when we do it together rather than on our own.

Now on the way to the festival Jesus makes a quick pit stop for a pool party.

POOL PARTY

Now I’m not sure how Jesus felt about mixed bathing, or how good of a swimmer He was. Maybe he couldn’t swim at all, thus the reason He decides to just walk on water in the next chapter of John.

How do we ignore the pool of Bethesda's in our life?… even though miracles are taking place. In our story when we see the response of the Pharisees we might wonder if they would have even argued with the angel that stirred the water if they could. People put down ministries that don’t look like theirs or disrupt their pre-conceived ideas of how things were supposed to take place.

Jesus was and is a disrupter of our ways. Too many of us go through life wanting things to change but we want them to take place on OUR terms and in OUR time.

When we want healing for ourselves or others, we need to expect major disruptions to take place that call for us to acknowledge or re-affirm the fact that what we have been doing on the normal could be the very thing that is keeping healing from taking place.

It’s one thing when people question how God wants to do things, but if we aren’t careful when can even question Him after we see the results.

One of my boys absolutely tore his leg open in a bicycle accident a few years ago, and in the midst of them sewing up a wound at midnight that just missed a major artery that could have cost him his life, the surgeon pointed to a scratch on his head and said, “He wasn’t wearing a helmet was he?” As a parent, the Holy Spirit helped me to keep my mouth shut in those moments as blood was pouring out of his lower body.

A man hasn’t walked for 38 years, and with no modern medicine like we have today, no treatment, no physical therapy, he’s up on his feet and someone points to the fact that he’s breaking a rule in the policy manual. Jesus had completely sabotaged their view of the sabbath.

SABBATH SABOTAGE

It would be easy in a moment like this for us to internally amen with the thought that we’ve got it right today. In fact, I would say that many of us have experienced healing on a day of worship or it may even be the time we seek it most earnestly.

When Jesus came on the scene He didn’t get rid of the sabbath He re-framed our understanding. You see the religious leaders had spent generations using the law to control the people. The intent was never to restrict us but to give us healthy freedoms. No other Gods was to keep us from being conflicted and duplicitous. Sabbath wasn’t to slap us on the hand for working, it was giving us permission to rest and be refreshed. Adultery wasn’t about forcing you to put up with one person, it was to help us recognize the joy that only comes from commitment and deep intimacy with ONE other person.

Maybe we wouldn’t go sabbath on others with our own personal rules and values, but what are that sabbaths that get in the way?

When we let our own visions, our own values, or our own way of doing things get bigger than that which is for the greater good of others, we take on a pharisaical posture that demands that anyone that disagrees with our way has to be removed or at very least dealt with.

VISION MAP AS A PLACEHOLDER

We’re going to transition to Cap City’s vision, mission, and values now. We introduced these ideas in May of 2025 and God impressed it upon me that we were due for a reminder. First our vision

Vision: Capital City Church exists to be a prayer centered ministry that equips every individual to fulfill their purpose. We believe purpose comes only from God and must be accomplished with others. One more for Jesus is our focus, because we know that the next act of obedience is the most important one.

I think of how the blind man of John chapter 9 was healed by Jesus and when questioned by religious authorities about how it happened and who did it, he responded, All i know is I was blind now I see…

Vision changed everything for him, and spiritual vision can do the same for us. Just like a blind man who saw Jesus when His vision was given, Jesus has to be the center of our vision after our spiritual eyes are opened. From there the next act of obedience is the most important one.

MISSION

Mission Statement: Every person created in the image of God was designed with a purpose. This purpose will always involve other people. Therefore, we believe that we fulfill our purpose by helping others fulfill theirs. This will always be a unique manifestation of what God has called each person to do.

Need this to fit on your screensaver… Our purpose is fulfilled in helping others fulfill theirs

Even a person that had been disabled for 38 years, even a man born blind, a leper, a demoniac, a fisherman, a tax collector…was created in the image of God designed with a purpose.

God designed you in HIS image and has a purpose FOR YOU. As we mentioned Jesus not avoiding fellowship with other people, church is great place to find the other people that God might be using you to help fulfill or release you to your purpose.

I just found out that a group of women started meeting every week as a discipleship group, and get this the church didn’t sanction it. So I obviously made sure we shut it down. Of course not, to be CRYSTAL CLEAR I’m more than ok with this.

I know the ladies that are in this group and am excited about how they are pouring into and receiving from one another. They are choosing to not do life alone.

VALUES

VALUES

Prayer over Programs

People over Processes

Purpose over Preferences

What if our programs or processes are getting in the way? The crippled man in our story today was doing everything he knew how to do. 38 years without walking and he was told an angel caused healing so he set up camp by this pool, to have locked in for 38 years I believe he had even seen it with his own eyes. I like how in the interaction from our video this morning that when Jesus told the man he had a question, the man replied I don’t have many answers. There are people that are looking for answers, or maybe even better said they have grown tired of looking for answers. If we are not careful we can get so hung up on methodologies, theology and doctrines that we forget that people need THE answer which is to have an encounter with Jesus, and we might be… NO, WE ARE the voice that God wants to use to introduce them to Him.

I want to take a minute now to highlight a couple of great stories that I’ve heard over the last few months about how people are living out our values here at cap city. And what I love about these stories is that the involve people AT cap city but the stories are taking place outside the four walls of the church. The first is…

BRUCE AND STACEY CULVER PICTURES

Bruce and Stacey hosted a 4th of July event at their home for their neighbors. I love that part of what she shared with me is that she was so busy hosting and floating around that I didn’t get pictures of when the tent was full and the face painting line was long!

Your pastor loved this Stacey that you were more occupied with serving people than making sure we got the pictures for social media.

In staceys words… We had over 30 kids come for face painting and food. My fb invite to the neighborhood said 6-8pm, and at 8:30 I had to start turning kids/ families away as my poor mom needed a break. She had been non-stop painting since 5pm, as ppl started showing up early. While exhausted, she loved it!

I had several parents who graciously thanked me expressing how much they appreciated the invite and hospitality. I’m often reminded of how lonely and disconnected people are and this was yet another reminder.

Notice the family of 3 in the picture. This winter a mutual friend was telling Bruce and I about them. He said “we love them and they are close friends, but they don’t have faith.” Immediately the Holy Spirit told me “they’re next.” We didn’t know which house we’d move to yet, but God did. Just straight down the sidewalk from this family. Jesus wants them home so badly. This is Bruce and I’s call. To be fishermen and bring people who were once in the flock.. back.

VISION MAP AS A PLACEHOLDER

While so many in America are using their homes to fulfill their personal programs, processes, and preferences, Stacey and Bruce are using their home for PEOPLE.

By the way, the majority of church’s in Columbus won’t see 30 children in their building on a Sunday morning, the Culvers saw this in one night by meeting people where they are. Can we give the Culver’s a hand?

Next up is Theresa Gillispie

THERESA COFFEE SHOP PICTURES

The last couple of years have been a period of reflection for me. I recently shared some of my story with Pastor Jonathan and after looking back over the last two years or so, it’s obvious that God has intimately orchestrated and answered prayers, placing me exactly where I am today.        

For the last 17.5 years I have been fortunate enough to work for a company that I loved and believed in.  The vision and mission were something I was extremely proud to share with others and the many, many hours I worked hard to grow in my roles made the hard work worth it.  Being in Property Management as a Regional Vice President of Operations, I felt passionately about my responsibility to give my best to the teams and communities I was entrusted to serve.  Working to help change the world, one community at a time is what I used to tell others.  Imagine also the countless coworkers over all those years that turned into my friends, the work friends that turned into my family, and the wonderful residents (some who have actually lived in the same community for 17+ years) that send me holiday cards and check in to see how I’m doing. God has used this job for so many different reasons and I’m thankful for all of them.  Even at times, the challenging ones.      

Despite having a position that paid off significantly, I began getting this feeling about 2 or 3 years ago that something was missing.  All the good things going on in my life and I still felt as though I should be doing something else. On top of these feelings, losing my mom a year ago helped put things in perspective, as well. 

I’m sure you’ve heard the saying, “Life is short, do what you love, love those who love you, take the trip, buy the things, do the things, etc., etc., etc.,”, well, with the steady prompting of the Holy Spirit, I did the things, and “I took a leap”!  I resigned from my high-profile position, leaving behind something I worked hard to build, a cause that I was devoted to and those I cared for tremendously, to pursue those who don’t know Jesus. I keep thinking of the scripture in Matthew Chapter 9, “the harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few” as I embark on this new journey of joyfully serving others while being steadfast in seeking those who need Jesus as a Savior.  All the good Jesus has done for me, the least I can do is tell people about him. Life really is short and I owe it to God, to give him glory whenever possible.  In addition, working as many hours as I have the last 31 years, “Lord willing” as my mom used to say, I get the opportunity to tell people about Jesus, while working alongside my beautiful adult daughters.  I missed a lot of time with them and I’m prayerfully hopeful this is a chance to also make up for some of that. 

I truly believe that there are many people who have been jaded by religion and sadly, they may never step foot in a church.  I pray that if that’s the case, our mighty and capable God will direct some or all those people to my path, and your path and that we all take a leap of faith and share the good news with them! Time after time in my life God has proven that without a doubt, I can trust him.  We can all trust him because evidence confirms he will do what he promises to do.  We just have to be willing to take the leap.    

Theresa’s jump reminds me of the call of the Disciples. Prior to them leaving their posts…

They were serving A purpose

They were doing things ON purpose

They were being Purposeful

But Jesus knew they were missing something.

They were all going to work everyday. They were all providing for their families. They were potentially providing a service to the community.

But their answer to the call of Jesus served a HIGHER purpose.

Theresa made a huge life shift to full a purpose that was bigger than her preferences

THERESA OPENING TOMORROW INVITE SLIDE

Merging our Mission and our Values this morning. The essence of our mission is to be God Centered and People Focused. God centered takes front and center as we seek our purpose in Him through prayer, and people remain our focus because every person matters to God.

RESPONSE

I’m not sure if everyone is called to full time ministry, but I believe millions are avoiding the call.

VISION MAP AS A PLACEHOLDER

Just some quick and easy math. About 300,000 pastors in America, About 400,000 churches in America. Does God want 100,000 of His churches to be without a pastor? We can’t stop there. With there being about 350 million people in America we would need 875 seats in everyone of those churches to fit everyone. If we say every pastor on average can take care of about 100 people, to reach just America, we aren’t even talking foreign missions here this morning folks. We would need 3.5 Million pastors. So if it’s God’s will that none should perish and all would come to repentance, it sounds like America needs about another 3.2 million pastors to accomplish God’s will. So stay with for a minute, that means in a room like this on a Sunday morning, that the approximately 200 of you that can hear me right now, all have permission to be used by God to help chip away at these deficits. Every single one of you have the capacity to be in full time ministry somewhere and somehow. It might not be in this church, it might not mean you are a preacher, but I believe with all of my heart there isn’t a Christian who can’t win 100 people to Christ during the course of their lifetime.

STAND

Talk more about this next week, but over the last year we saw 26 people give their lives to Jesus and be baptized (Give the Lord a hand) and for a church our size that’s above average. But it means on average in our church it took 10 of us to win 1 person. So if we are keeping stats on ourselves that means last year as a group on average each of us lead 0.1 people to Jesus.

Are you ok with that?

Your purpose is to help other people find their purpose. And most people think that’s a very specific call, but we can’t even begin to get to that until we’ve helped them find Jesus!

Romans 10:14“How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?

God has called you to reach one more for Jesus today.

PRAY

POST RESPONSE

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