The Miracle of Mt Zion

Have you ever stopped and considered what a miracle you walk into every week when you walk into this church? I mean, really, this is a miracle.

First, let’s think big picture.... there are at this moment in time around a hundred people or so in this room; we have 185 active members of this congregation. That means that what we have is a room full of people, who by their own works, and merit, were on their way to hell, and Jesus Christ stepped in, saved them, and we have in this room right now at least 100 miracles because we have 100 lives Jesus has saved from the pit of hell; I think that needs an amen!

Now, let’s think about this more specifically. There are a lot of gloom and doom opinions of the church going around. We hear that the nation is post-christian, we hear that people are leaving the church is droves; we hear that the majority of society as a whole has no more use for the church; there are no young people, no kids, churches are closing their doors, can’t pay the light bill, their baptismal pools have been dry for years....and yet....for us the story is different…

We have kids, and youth, young families and old families, we have had at least 1 baptism every year for the past 8 years- we have baptized over 30 people since 2010! We are a church that is ALIVE....

But can I be honest....I am afraid that we take it for granted…

Do you ever feel like we expect it, take it for granted, that we miss the miracle. We expect to see the pews full, the parking lot packed, we expect to see a pile of kids up front, youth crowding in the corner after service.... Never crossing our minds how amazing this truly is....

Do you think the disciples ever got that way with Jesus? For three and a half years they followed him around and watched him heal the sick, raise the dead, give sight to the blind. Do you ever think that when a sick person came to Jesus part of them expected the healing and took it for granted because “that’s just what Jesus does”

Here’s the problem, taking things for granted makes us lazy, unappreciative, and complacent. When an employee takes their job for granted and thinks they are irreplaceable their quality of work lowers; when a teenager takes their home for granted they become entitled and think the world owes them something; when an athlete takes their talent for granted they stop exercising and training.

I hope we are not that as a church....

You see, if we view what God is doing here as a miracle, then it changes our responsibility. In the past few weeks as I have read and reflected on these ideas the Holy Spirit reminded me of this fact:

Miracles are not to consume; miracles are for participation....let me show you what I mean....Consider the following list

When Jesus turned the water into wine the people had to fill the pots up with water and take a cup to the headwaiter

The man at the pool of Bethesda had to pick up his mat and walk

In the feeding of 5,000 someone had to give the food

The man born blind had to wash in the pool of Siloam

You see, these miracles were more than just consuming what Jesus had to offer, they took participation and effort on behalf of those needing the miracle...

Can I ask you today, how are you living into the miracle of Mt Zion?

Let me be completely frank with you today and say that for most of us the easiest thing we will do in our Christian walk is come to church…coming to church does not take that much effort.

I was reading a study a few weeks ago about megachurches. Did you know that as of 2012 churches of over 1,000 people only represented 6% of all churches, but more people- 38%- attend these than any other category. By the way, these megachurches keep growing. In this report the people who moved from a congregation of less than 250 were asked why they move and do you know what the answer was more than 70% of the time? I just want to go to church- I dont want to serve on committees or teach SS, or anything like that- I just want to go to church. Why? I would contend that just going to church is the easiest part....

It breaks my heart to think that for many people church is just a spectator sport. No, this is not how it was meant to be, my friends.

You see, I would argue that the effects of a miracle are drastically different between consuming and participating.

You see, when we consume a miracle the change is one dimensional- thanks God, now I am better. I can move on now, and we can move on with little to no impact on the rest of our lives. It empowers us to compartmentalize our lives and keep the work of God in one area.

However, when we participate in the miracle we are opening our entire selves up to God. We are stepping into an opportunity for God to holistically speak to our lives. We are breaking down the compartmentalization of our need for a savior and throwing ourselves into the mercy and grace of God....

So let me ask, how are you living into the miracle of Mt Zion today?

You can participate in the miracle in so many ways....

April tested VBS markers this week....

Rebecca Bowman chaperoned a youth treat....

Steve Funkhouser carried cinderblocks

Owen Priest mixed mud...

Gary Halterman drill pilot holes in boards....

Sandra was a board chair...

Lola was a deacon...

Maybe you placed a tithe check in the plate, or donated food for a ruritan meal...

No matter how big or how small, all part of the miracle of Mt Zion

In today’s Scripture Jesus tells Philip that anyone who believes in Jesus will do even greater miracles than Jesus did…WHAT? How can this be? Jesus healed the sick, raised the dead, made the lame to walk....

And every time you and I participate in the miracle of Mt Zion, when we give a meal, when we anoint a person, when we do all of the things we do, we are bringing the Kingdom of God to this Earth, one moment at a time. I think that is what Jesus was getting at.