Renewing our Focus

CENTRAL TRUTH  God has entrusted His church with the gospel, and every ministry must remain focused upon proclaiming it and making disciples.

PRIMARY REFRAIN  We cannot become so occupied with doing church that we neglect the mission of the church.

0:00-3:30 | Flight 401: A Fatal Loss of Focus

On December 29, 1972, Eastern Air Lines Flight 401 departed John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York for Miami. The Lockheed L-1011 carried 163 passengers and 13 crew members. The flight was routine until the aircraft began its final approach to Miami International Airport.

The crew lowered the landing gear, but the green light confirming that the nose gear was down and locked failed to illuminate. They discontinued the approach. Air traffic control instructed the flight to climb to 2,000 feet and circle over the Florida Everglades while the crew investigated.

The concern was legitimate. No responsible pilot wants to land without knowing whether the landing gear is secure. The captain, first officer, flight engineer, and an additional airline employee became absorbed in troubleshooting the indicator. They tested the light, attempted to remove and reseat its assembly, and discussed whether the problem was the indicator or the landing gear.

But while they focused on that one light, the aircraft began a gradual descent. No one recognized it in time. The crew members were trained. They were experienced. The aircraft could have remained safely in the air. But they became so preoccupied with a secondary problem that they stopped monitoring their primary responsibility: the flight path.

Flight 401 descended into the Everglades, and more than 100 people lost their lives. The official investigation determined that the crew failed to monitor the instruments and detect the unexpected descent because their attention had become fixed on the landing-gear indication.

HINGE  Flight 401 was not lost because the crew was doing nothing. It was lost while capable people were doing something important, but they lost sight of what was most important.

That can happen to a church. We can fill calendars, maintain facilities, conduct worship, organize classes, hold meetings, share meals, and operate programs. Those things may be important. But while we are watching the indicators, someone must keep flying the airplane.

While we are doing the work of the church, we must not lose sight of the mission of the church.

3:30-4:30 | Read

Ezekiel 3:17–19 NKJV

17 “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore hear a word from My mouth, and give them warning from Me: 18 When I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life, that same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand. 19 Yet, if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul.

Clarify briefly: Ezekiel received a unique prophetic commission to Israel. The church does not assume Ezekiel's historical office, but the passage establishes a vital principle:

PRINCIPLE  When God entrusts His people with a life-saving message, silence is not faithfulness.

4:30-7:00 | 1. We Have Been Stationed

Ezekiel 3:17 NKJV

17 “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore hear a word from My mouth, and give them warning from Me:

"I have made you a watchman."

A watchman did not select his own post. He was stationed there for the protection of others. God has placed this church in this community, in this generation, and within a network of homes, neighborhoods, workplaces, schools, teams, friendships, and community connections.

· Our community is not simply where we conduct services; it is our mission field.

· Our relationships are not interruptions to the mission; they are where much of the mission happens.

You may have been born in Chatsworth and lived here your whole life, but it is not an accident. You are here because God has stationed you here to serve Him.

KEY LINE  God has not merely given this church a location. He has given us a post.

7:00-10:00 | 2. We Have Been Entrusted With a Word

Ezekiel 3:17 NKJV

17 “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore hear a word from My mouth, and give them warning from Me:

"Hear a word from My mouth."

The church does not exist merely to offer religious inspiration, helpful advice, wholesome activity, or temporary encouragement. We carry a message of eternal consequence:

· God is holy.

· Humanity has sinned.

· Sin separates us from God and brings judgment.

· We cannot rescue ourselves.

· Jesus died for our sins, was buried, and rose from the dead.

· Forgiveness and eternal life are available to everyone who repents and believes.

Revelation 22:17 NKJV

17 And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.

2 Peter 3:9 NKJV

9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

It is important that we remember that the word we must share is God’s Word.

But, this is not an issue, because we have been given a Word.

John 3:16 NKJV

16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

KEY LINE  We have not been entrusted with good advice about improving life; we have been entrusted with good news that gives eternal life.

10:00-12:30 | 3. We Must Sound the Warning

Ezekiel 3:17 NKJV

17 “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore hear a word from My mouth, and give them warning from Me:

"Give them warning from Me."

We must never fail to warn people of the consequences of sin. Adrian Rogers said that some people don’t want to go to church because there are hypocrites that may be there. But, its better to spend a few years with some of them, than to spend eternity with all of them.

The world needs to know that the wages of sin, are still death.

The watchman could not control the response. His responsibility was to sound the warning. We cannot save anyone or force anyone to believe. Only the Holy Spirit can convict a heart and give spiritual life. But we can pray, love, listen, tell our stories, explain the gospel, invite a response, and point people to Jesus.

KEY LINE  We are not responsible for producing the harvest, but we are responsible for entering the field.

12:30-14:00 | The Gospel Must Be the Hinge

· We worship because Jesus is worthy to be known.

· We teach Scripture so believers can live and communicate the truth.

· We disciple people so they can make other disciples.

· We fellowship so witnesses are strengthened.

· We serve so people experience the love of Christ.

· We pray because only God can open hearts.

· We care for one another so no one carries the mission alone.

FOUNDATION  The gospel cannot be one ministry among many. It must be the mission upon which every ministry hinges.

14:00-15:00 | Launch the Journey

Today we are starting a 12 week journey that will led us to active gospel engagement. We are calling it SENT because that is what Jesus said. He would send us.

SENT is not another temporary program. It is a journey to restore the gospel to the center of our church. We will understand the church's purpose, learn the gospel clearly, prepare our testimonies, identify our mission fields, begin conversations, cross barriers, depend upon the Holy Spirit, pray for people by name, and answer God's call.

John 20:21 NKJV

21 So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”

S.E.N.T.

SERVE the ETERNAL, NOT the TEMPORAL

Closing Rally

Church, we must not lose focus.

We have been stationed at our post.

We have been entrusted with the gospel.

We have been commanded to sound the warning.

The danger is real. The message is clear. The rescue is available. Jesus saves.

We will not become so busy doing church that we neglect the mission of the church.

We will pray. We will love. We will listen. We will speak. We will go.

Everyone needs the gospel. Everyone who calls upon Jesus can be saved. Everyone who belongs to Jesus has been sent.

Everyone. Everywhere.

Sources for the Flight 401 Illustration

Federal Aviation Administration, "Eastern Airlines Flight 401, N310EA." https://www.faa.gov/lessons_learned/transport_airplane/accidents/N310EA

National Transportation Safety Board, Aircraft Accident Report NTSB-AAR-73-14. https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Reports/AAR7314.pdf