When A Church Is All IN
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This morning we are continuing our study in the book of Acts.
If your new to MCF, it would be good for you to know that we practice a form of preaching called, “Expository Preaching”. What that means is we believe the Bible is best taught by taking books of the Bible and then breaking them down from beginning to end, chapter by chapter, verse by verse, in order to understand what it means in our lives today.
With that said, we are currently doing that through the NT book of Act. A book that was written to tell us how the church was started and also gives us the template for how Jesus intends His church to accomplish the mission of taking the Gospel to the entire world.
So, if you haven’t been with us, I would encourage you to go online to mcf.life where you can listen to all the messages leading up to today.
You may recall last week, Luke took a moment to highlight what you might call the “Warning Label” of Christianity.
He did it by telling us the story about a couple named Ananias and Sapphira. A couple who had claimed to be All IN. A couple who said they were fully devoted followers of Jesus.
But in all reality, they were just faking it. They weren’t really All IN. And the proof of that came as Ananias and Sapphira sold a piece of property and gave a portion of it to the church, while at the same time keeping back a portion for themselves.
And as we learned, the problem wasn’t that they kept a portion for themselves. The problem was they had promised to give all of the proceeds to the church. But after the sale, they apparently changed their mind. And so instead of giving it all, they only gave a portion, while at the same time giving everybody the impression they had given it all.
And as a result of their deception, in shocking act of judgment, God struck them dead.
So, why did God strike them dead? Two reasons:
First, as we learned, when a person pretends to be All IN, they are in essence robbing from God. Because while they promised to give God their all, the truth is, they were holding back. They were keeping back from God what they promised, which in God’s eyes equates to embezzlement.
And the truth is, a lot of church goers still do this today. People who say they’re All IN. People who say they’ve committed their life to Jesus. But then they hold back or in some cases, hold on.
They hold back from trusting God financially. They hold back from giving God their time as they devote it to other things. They hold back from giving God their talents as they use them for their own desires and needs. They promised to give their life fully to Jesus, but they hold portions of it back.
And then some hold on. They hold on to sinful desires. They hold on to sinful living. They hold on to the worlds version of living. They said they were All IN. They said they were abandoning their old life, by instead they continue to hold on.
And the problem isn’t that their holding back or holding on. The problem is they aren’t doing what they promised God they would do. Instead, they are embezzling it back.
And unfortunately for people who do that, it brings death into their life. Death into their finances, death into their relationships, and ultimately, death into their relationship with God.
The second reason God strikes Ananias and Sapphira down is because by pretending to be All IN, they were misrepresenting Jesus. In other words, they were presenting a version of Christianity that doesn’t line up with the Bible. A version that says, “You can have your cake and eat it to.” A version that says, “You can live for Jesus on Sunday, and live like the world M-Sat.” A version that presents Christians as hypocrites, paints a false portrayal of Jesus, and potentially pushes people away from Jesus.
And so to show how much this displeases Him, God uses Ananias and Sapphira as an example to the early church of what happens to people who misrepresent His Son. It brings death into their life.
And again, many Christians are guilty of this still today. Christians who act one way on Sunday and live another way Monday-Saturday. Christians who have one foot in the church and another in the world. Christians who live out a version of Christianity that isn’t in the Bible. And for Christians who do that, it leads to death in their life.
And again, many church goers are guilty of this as well. People who act one way on Sunday and live another way Monday-Saturday. People who have one foot in the church and another in the world. People who live out their own version of Christianity. A version the Bible does not support. And for people who do that, it bring death into their life. Because now instead of living with a blessing on their life, they are living under a curse as they misrepresent the son of God.
So, how do you avoid faking your faith and avoiding this kind of judgment in your life? Two ways:
First, if you’re not going to be All IN, then just be All OUT. In other words, it’s better to not follow Jesus than to pretend too. The fact is, God will deal with the non-believer less severely than he will the pretend believer. In fact, for the pretender the Apostle Peter says:
21 For it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing it to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them.
Peter says, “Better they would have never pretended”.
But there’s a second way, and a better way to avoid faking your faith. The best way to avoid judgment period is to be All IN, and then be willing to confess and repent when you haven’t been.
The fact is, being All IN doesn’t mean being All PERFECT. Being All IN means your committed to not only following Jesus on Sunday, but your also committed to it Monday-Saturday. Knowing there will be times you’ll fall short. But in those moments having a willingness to confess and repent as you reengage your faith.
At the end of the day, you stay All IN by being committed to daily growth that comes through faith and repentance.
So, that’s the warning label for Christianity. And the warning simply states, “WARNING! Don’t pretend to be All IN if you’re not. Faking will lead to death in your life.”
So, again, if you missed last week, I would encourage you to listen to the message because I think it’s a warning that all people who seek faith in Jesus need to give thought to.
So
Today however, our subject matter isn’t as severe. In fact, today’s message has more of a positive tone as it focuses on the positive results of a church being All IN.
And what we’re going to learn today is that the road to being All IN for a church is a process. A process that at first might appear counter intuitive, but in the end produces results that bring growth and health to the body.
So, to help us get our minds around where we are going this morning, I want to begin by building some framework for how this process works, and to do that, I want to begin by asking you a medical question.
Medical Question - How many of you are familiar with the cancer treatment known as “Chemotherapy”?
I think we’ve all probably heard of it. In fact, Chemotherapy is probably one of the most common forms of treatments for most types of cancer.
So, a good question might be, “Why is it so popular, and how does it work?”
Well, it’s popular because chemotherapy kills cancer cells in the body. A process that is accomplished as Chemo is injected into the bloodstream, allowing it to treat cancer cells almost anywhere in the body.
And what makes it so affective is that it targets cells that are in the process of splitting into 2 new cells. Which is important because cancer cells spread through replication and multiplication. So, what the chemotherapy does is identify those cells, and then kills them. Mission accomplished.
However, there is an initial downside to the treatment.
The downside is chemo not only affects unhealthy cells, it affects healthy cells as well that are constantly growing and dividing. Such as:
Your hair, which is always growing.
Your bone marrow, which is constantly producing blood cells.
Your skin and the lining of your digestive system, which are constantly renewing themselves
And because these tissues have dividing cells, chemotherapy can damage them.
But here’s the good news. Because normal cells can replace or repair the healthy cells that are damaged by chemotherapy, the damage to healthy cells doesn't usually last. Most side effects disappear once the treatment is over.
So the damage to healthy cells doesn't usually last. Most side effects disappear once your treatment is over. Some side effects such as sickness or diarrhoea might only happen during the days you are actually having the drugs.
And once the treatment is over, the body begins to replenish itself with healthy cells.
The truth is, it’s not a fun process, but in the end, the hope is that the unhealthy cells are gone, and new healthy cells are populating the body.
So, in a nutshell, that’s how chemotherapy works.
Now, you might be thinking, “Ok Pastor, that’s great. Thanks for the medical lesson. But what does that have to do with being “All In”?
To be honest, in a way, chemotherapy models how a church that is All IN grows. Because when a church decides to be “All IN”, a process of spiritual cleansing and treatment begins. A treatment that will cleanses the church and brings new health.
So, what is this treatment? Well, it’s a spriitual “Chemotherapy” of sorts. The treatment is called “God’s Truth”. Because that’s what God’s Word is. It’s truth. And being All IN means a church is committed to that truth.
And like Chemotherapy, God’s Truth begins a process of cleansing the church as it identifies and destroys unhealthy thinking, unhealthy beliefs, and unhealthy worldviews. A process that initially seems to damage the body. But a process that eventually leads to the reproduction of new healthy cells and a stronger body with new cell members.
So, how does that work? That’s what Luke is going to show us today.
So, with that as our framework, I have three goals this morning:
Truth is our chemotherapy. Truth is what eradicates the deadly affects of sin.
So, to help
So, here’s what I want to do this morning.
First, we’re going to read through the passage so we can get some context for what Luke is trying to teach us.
Second, we’re going to go back through the passage and identify what the process of spiritual chemotherapy looks like and what we can expect.
Finally, we’re going to determine how this applies to our church and to our personal lives as Christ followers.
So, with that said, let’s pick back up in chapter 5 as Luke describes what happens when a church makes the decision to be All IN. Beginning in verse 12, Luke writes:
12 Now many signs and wonders were regularly done among the people by the hands of the apostles. And they were all together in Solomon’s Portico. 13 None of the rest dared join them, but the people held them in high esteem. 14 And more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women, 15 so that they even carried out the sick into the streets and laid them on cots and mats, that as Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on some of them. 16 The people also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all healed.
Luke begins by giving us what you might call a ministry summary statement. In other words, in this paragraph Luke summarizes the positive affects of the Gospel message. And in this case, Luke highlights the signs and wonders that were taking place through the Apostles teaching and the results that came from it. And in this case, when I say signs and wonders, we are talking about supernatural healings.
Now, with that said, typically when people read this passage, the temptation would be to focus in on the signs and wonders. Because that’s what tends to stick out. And honestly, that’s what we tend to be most interested in. Because who wouldn’t want to experience that kind of healing. However, while signs and wonders are important, that’s not the focus of this passage.
Because the healings are just simply a byproduct of the gospel. In other words, they are one of the supernatural results of being All IN. Because when a church is All IN, supernatural works take place.
In a church that’s All IN, people get healed.
In a church that’s All IN, people get set free from addiction.
In a church that’s All IN, marriages get reconciled.
In a church that’s All IN, financial miracles take place.
In a church that’s All IN, God’s people experience the supernatural results of begin All IN.
So, if that’s not the focus, then what is? The focus is actually the process of becoming a church like that.
The question then is, “How does a church become that, and what does that process entail?” Well, as I said, it starts with a church being committed to some spiritual chemotherapy. To be a church committed to God’s truth. And if that’s the kind of church we choose to be, then the process can begin.
So, a good question might be then, “What happens when a church commits to spiritual chemotherapy?”
Based on our passage this morning, I’d like to suggest there are three stages we can expect.
The first stage is what you might call, a cleansing stage. And I would state it like this:
1. When a Church is committed to being All IN, there will be people who choose to leave.
Going back to verse 12, listen to how Luke says some people responded to the message and teaching of the early church. Luke writes:
13 None of the rest dared join them, but the people held them in high esteem.
12 Now many signs and wonders were regularly done among the people by the hands of the apostles. And they were all together in Solomon’s Portico. 13 None of the rest dared join them, but the people held them in high esteem.
Luke says as the apostles continued to teach and preach about Jesus, and as signs and wonders took place, there were a group of people who stopped associating with the believers and attending the services.
So, a good question would be, “Who are these people, and why have they separated themselves from the church?”
Well, what we have to remember is that this statement comes right after the death of Ananias and Sapphira. And do you remember what Luke said the deaths of Ananias and Sapphira caused? Concerning their deaths, back in verse 11 Luke writes:
11 And great fear came upon the whole church and upon all who heard of these things.
As it should, the sudden death of Ananias and Sapphira shook the church up. It caused everybody associated with the church to recongize God wasn’t messing around here. That if you were going to be a part of His church, then you better beAll IN heart and soul.
And so what Luke is highlighting, is after the incident with Ananias and Sapphira, there was apparently a group of people in the church who decided to leave the church. Why did they leave? I would say for a number of reasons, but they were all related.
Some probably left because they weren’t ready for that level of commitment. They were still in the “Hold back” mentality. They weren’t ready to give Jesus everything.
Some probably got offended and were angry because of what had happened to Ananias and Sapphira. It just wasn’t right.
Other probably thought this whole church deal is just way to radical. There’s no way they were going to go that far for Jesus.” And so they left.
And then some were afraid. I mean think about it, two people were just whacked by God for faking their faith.
And what was true then, is still true today. Because the fact is, when a church truly embraces Jesus. When a church truly commits to being All IN, there are going to be some people who aren’t on board.
People who aren’t fully committed.
People who don’t want to be held accountable.
People who get offended when the truth disrupts their version of faith.
People who aren’t ready to give their All to Jesus. So they leave.
And to be honest, for me, there’s nothing that breaks my heart more than to watch people leave for those reasons.
It’s breaks my heart because the last thing I want is for somebody to leave the church. The truth is, I want everybody who comes to MCF to embrace Jesus and the truth of God’s Word. I want everybody to experience the transformational work of the Holy Spirit in their life. But the reality is, not everybody is going to do that.
And if I’m honest, week to week I struggle with that. I struggle because I don’t want to push anybody out the doors. I don’t want somebody I’m trying to reach to get offended and leave. And so sometimes in my message preparation, I face the temptation to water it down. The temptation to not cite certain examples that I know will smack somebody square in the face. The temptation to make the gospel more user friendly.
But I can’t do that. To do that would only bring them greater harm. It would only encourage them to continue in their sin.
And in fact, that’s what some churchgoers are looking for. They’re looking for a church or a pastor that will tell them what they want to hear. Something that suits their lifestyle. Something that fits their version of faith. The Apostle Paul puts it like this:
3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions,
And so what happens is when people like that come to a church like this, they tend to get their feathers ruffled. They get their toes stepped on. And then they get offended. They get angry. And unfortunately, some of those people who can’t handle the truth, leave. And as a pastor, it’s hard to watch.
And a long with begin hard, it’s sad. It’s sad because I know the truth would have set them free. I know if they had been open to the truth and would have allowed the Holy Spirit to minister to them, they could have experienced a hope and freedom they’ve never known.
And that’s what spiritual chemotherapy does. It identifies people who aren’t All IN. It pinpoints their sin. It uncovers their duplicity. It exposes their phoniness. And then, in their un-willingess to repent, they stop coming as they disassociate themselves from the church body.
And unfortunately, their leaving is a necessary component of church health and growth.
Because the reality is, the church can’t grow and reach people for Jesus if it’s full of half hearted people. A church can’t function in the power of the Spirit if its full of people who aren’t living according to the Spirit.
Why? Because the more half hearted a church becomes, the more unhealthy it becomes as a spiritual cancer sets in. Because the reality is, like attracts like. And so if a church isn’t committed to the truth and it’s only committed to telling people what they want to hear. Who do you think is going to attend a church like that?
That’s why it’s so imperative that we stay committed to God’s Word. Because without the truth, unhealth would set in.
I’ll tell you who. People with itching ears. People who want a pastor who will suit their own passions. I hate to say this, there are a lot of churches in America like that. And yes, a church like that might grow in numbers. It might even become a mega church. But it will be an in affective church. A church that isn’t leading people to truth, but instead is tickling their ears and the ears of their friends.
All that to say, that’s why proclaiming the truth is like giving a church a dose of Spiritual chemotherapy. Truth identifies the unhealthiness in a church. Truth exposes the apathy and sin. And when it does, one of two things happen. Either the person allows the truth to set them free, or they get all bent out of shape and leave the body.
And again, that runs contrary to what we would typically want to see in the church. Nobody wants to see people leave the church. I know I don’t. In fact, it’s the last thing I want. But the fact is, the unhealthy have to goin order to be healthy. Because A church can’t be healthy if it’s not full of people who are committed to health.
And please hear me, when I talk about people who leave, I’m not talking about seekers. Seekers are people who haven’t made a decision on Jesus one way or another. Seekers are people who don’t even know what it means to be All IN. Seekers are people who are kicking the tires of faith.
The people I’m talking about are people who say they’re All IN, but they’re really not. People who just want to play the part. People who know what the truth is, but refuse to live it. Those are the people who tend to get offended and leave. And they typically leave because it’s hard for a person who is not committed to the truth to stay in a place that is. In fact, it will become unbearable for them. At some point they’ll have to make a decision. Confess and repent, or leave.
This then leads to a second stage of the process. Because:
2. When a Church is committed to being All IN, more and more people get saved.
Luke writes:
2. When a Church is All IN, more people are going to come and get saved.
14 And more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women,
Acts 5:
What’s interesting is after the one group left, a whole new group showed up. In fact, Luke says now that the church has been pruned, more than ever believers were added to the Lord. Multitudes of people Luke says.
Because that’s how it works. When everybody is All IN, it allows for new to sprout. And Luke says, in the early church, that’s what happened. In fact, in Luke’s description, a revival took place.
Here’s what Luke is saying, “When the church committed to the truth, when people who were half hearted and weren’t fully committed to Jesus left, a revival took place.”
Here’s what Luke is saying, “When the church committed to the truth, when people who were half hearted and weren’t fully committed to Jesus left, a revival took place.”
Because contrary to popular opinion, that’s what most people are looking for. The fact is, there are a lot of people out there looking for truth. Looking for hope. People who are tired of a watered down message. People who are sick and tired of being sick and tired. People who want real change and a real God in their life.
And that’s what many churches fail to understand.
So many churches have bought into the lie that if you want your church to grow, you have to water it down.
That if you want your church to grow, you have to put on soft gloves.
That if you want your church to grow, you have to tell people what they want to hear.
And unfortunately we have a lot of churches that have bought into that lie.
Churches that are telling people its ok to be gay.
Churches that are telling people its ok to live together.
Churches that are telling people its ok to live how you want, as long as you repent on Saturday night.
Churches that are telling people you don’t have to give the tithe.
Churches that are telling people you can leave your spouse if you’re not happy.
Churches that are catering to cultural ideas and philosophies.
Churches that are afraid they might offend someone, might make somebody mad, might cause them to stop giving money, or cause them to leave the church if they tell them the truth. So, instead of telling them the truth, out of fear they tell them a lie and encourage them to continue to live in darkness. And that’s exactly what the enemy wants us to think and do.
Churches that are afraid they might offend someone, might make somebody mad, might cause them to stop giving money, or might cause them to leave the church if they tell them the truth.
So, instead of telling them the truth, out of fear they tell them a lie and encourage them to continue to live in darkness. And that’s exactly what the enemy wants us to think and do.
Because the truth is, if you tell people the truth, yes some will leave, but more who want the truth will come.
The fact is, the more you shine the light of truth, the more people it attracts.
Because contrary to popular opinion, that’s what people are looking for. The fact is, there are a lot of people out there looking for truth. Looking for hope. People who are tired of a watered down message. People who are tired of wandering around in darkness. People who are sick and tired of being sick and tired. People who want real change and a real God in their life. People who want to be set free. And the truth of God’s Word offers that.
You see, spiritual chemotherapy washes out the unhealthy and makes room for people who want to be All IN.
Listen, I know it sounds harsh. It sounds harsh to say that some have to go so more can come. But it’s a reality. And there are seasons for it in a church. Seasons where God prunes the church. Where God weeds out people who aren’t All IN. Where God identifies the Ananias and Sapphire’s. Because if the church is going to accomplish the mission, it has to be a church full of people who are All IN.
To be honest, it’s happened at MCF before. We saw it happen in 2013. Unfortunately, we had some individuals in the church who weren’t All IN. They weren’t for the vision. They weren’t open to change. They wanted church their way or no way. And God moved them out.
And if I’m honest, it was a tough blow to the church.
It was tough relationally because the relationships went deep.
It was tough financially. These were people who gave regularly and consistently to the church.
It was tough numerically. When they left, they took some people with them.
And it was tough personally. It was hard for me to watch people leave. It was hard for me to endure the criticism. It was probably the most difficult and painful experience I’ve ever had in ministry.
And it was tough personally. It was hard for me to watch people leave. It was hard for me to endure the criticism. It was probably the most difficult and painful experience I’ve ever had in ministry.
During that season MCF got a dose of spiritual chemotherapy. But once the pruning was over, God began to move. And as we entered 2014, God began to bring more people to MCF. People who were hungry for truth. People who wanted to grow in a relationship with God. People who were willing to embrace the truth. People like you.
And by saying that, I’m not saying we’ve arrived or that we’re a perfect church. In fact, we’re far from it. But we are a church committed to the truth regardless of who stays or goes. Because we know, truth is what sets people free. We know truth is what draws people to Jesus. We know truth is the light that draws people out of the darkness and into the presence of God.
This leads us to the final stage in this cleansing process. Because:
3. When a Church is committed to being All IN, God’s favor extends from it.
3. When a Church is commtited to being All IN, God’s people experience the favor of God.
Luke writes:
15 so that they even carried out the sick into the streets and laid them on cots and mats, that as Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on some of them. 16 The people also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all healed.
Luke says as the church continued to grow, an interesting phenomena began to take place. Luke says when people heard Peter was coming their way, they would put sick people on mats in the street so that as Peter passed by, his shadow might fall on them.
Kind of strange, right? So, what’s going on? Well, without going into a lot of detail, in the ancient world a person’s shadow was the subject of much superstition and was believed to represent that persons power and to literally be an extension of that person.
So, more than likely, some desperate people are holding onto that belief in the hopes that Peter’s shadow might have a healing affect on them. Because they’ve heard, “People are getting healed by these guys”.
So, is that what Luke is implying here? That Peter’s shadow had some kind of power attached to it? Were people actually getting healed by Peter’s shadow?
Well, Luke doesn’t say that. So, why does he mention it?
Here’s what Luke is doing. In this case, “That Peter’s shadow may fall on them” isn’t pointing to the power of Peter’s shadow, but more than likely represents the glory and presence of God.
Not at all. In this case, “That Peter’s shadow may fall on them” more than likely represents the glory and presence of God.
First, to show us that the church’s reputation of power preceded it. In other words, word was out that something powerful and substantial was taken place through this new movement.
Second,
In other words, what Luke is implying here is the idea that Peter’s shadow represents the favor of God that naturally follows a person who is All IN. A favor that falls on people who interact with a person like Peter.
Let me explain it like this:
As you all know, today is the Super Bowl. Two teams, and not the teams we were hoping for, are going to battle it out tonight for the championship. 53 men on each team squaring off against one another.
But what’s interesting, and something we don’t often think about, is that the game will be played out not by 53 guys, by only 22-30 guys on each team
In other words, on each team there will be 20-25 guys who never take the field. 20-25 guys you’ll never hear mention of by a commentator. 20-25 guys who will stand on each side of the sideline and watch their team win or lose.
And here’s what’s amazing for those 20-25 guys. For the team that wins, those 20-25 guys who never played, who never got their uniforms dirty, who never broke a sweat, who never even touched the ball, each of those guys will experience the favor of the win. Because every player, all 53, will get a Super Bowl ring. Every player, all 53, will get $112,000. Every player, all 53, will get invited to the Whitehouse to meet the President. Every player, all 53, regardless if they played or not will experience the favor of the win.
And what is true of a winning Super Bowl team is true of a church that is All IN. The fact is, regardless of where you are at in your faith, if you attend a church that is All IN, by association alone you will experience the favor of God in your life.
You will experience God’s favor on your marriage.
God’s favor on your finances.
God’s favor on your health.
God’s favor on your kids.
And the truth is, you may not even be aware its happening. All you know is since you started attending MCF, since you started associating with people of faith, your life has somehow gotten better. Your marriage has gotten better. Your kids are acting better. You feel more joy than you’ve never had. You have more hope. More peace.
In fact, just coming to church makes you feel better. In this place you find a peace and security that doesn’t exist outside these doors.
And the reason you feel that way, is because in many ways God’s favor is like a shadow. A shadow that symbolically represents the favor of God that follows and surrounds a person or a church that is All IN. A favor you experience when you walk through the doors of this church. A favor that is extending from somebody that is All IN and is falling on you.
The Apostle Paul explains it like this. In he writes:
The reality is, the closer a community lives to the holy/Biblical ideal, the more self-selective their core group.
14 For the unbelieving husband is made holy because of his wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy because of her husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy.
However, despite the fear of some, the insistence on sincere converts led to greater long-range growth.
In this passage Paul makes the point that if two people are married, and one is a Christian and one is not, that the person who is not a Christian benefits from the one that is.
In other words, if your spouse is all in and you’re not, whether you realize it or not, their’s a favor on your life because of them.
Meaning, when God blesses them, by association you get blessed as well. No, you’re not on the field of play. No, you haven’t fully committed to Jesus. But because of your spouse, you get to experience the favor of God. You get to experience the spiritual health of your spouse. It extends to you.
Now, does that mean your spouses faith can save you? No, that’s not what Paul is saying. Nobody can save anybody. Paul writes:
15 But if the unbelieving partner separates, let it be so. In such cases the brother or sister is not enslaved. God has called you to peace. 16 For how do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?
1 Corinthians
Paul says it’s not our job to save our spouse. But the hope is, through their association with us, as they experience the favor of God, that they will eventually recognize their need for Jesus as well. But Paul says, that may or may not happen.
That Peter’s shadow may fall on them more than likely represents the glory and presence of God. It’s the idea that there is a secondary affect on people not intended by someone like Peter. Another way to look at it would be the favor of God that comes when you are associated with people of faith. In those cases there is often a secondary affect on those who may not even believe. Paul puts it like this:
I see this a lot in the church. I see a lot of couples who come to church, and one spouse is All IN and one is not. One that fully commits and one that just kind of sits there in the shadow of their spouse. And little do they know, so much of the good that is taking place in their life is the result of the favor of God coming off of their spouse.
15 But if the unbelieving partner separates, let it be so. In such cases the brother or sister is not enslaved. God has called you to peace. 16 For how do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?
I see it with families and their kids. I see a couple who is All IN, but their kids are not as their kids sit in the shadow of their parents. Little do they know, but much of what is good in their life is a result of the favor of God that has been extended to them through their parents faith.
14 For the unbelieving husband is made holy because of his wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy because of her husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy. 15 But if the unbelieving partner separates, let it be so. In such cases the brother or sister is not enslaved. God has called you to peace. 16 For how do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?
And the hope is, that the longer a person sits in the shadow of God’s favor, that at some point they too will make the decision to be All IN.
So, why is important we understand this? It’s important because the more each of us are All IN, the more the favor of God will extend through us and from our church. A favor that will draw more and more people to Jesus. A favor that will bless people by association alone. A favor that will give them a taste of what Jesus wants to do in their life.
1 Corinthians 7:
People were brining the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all healed. This refers to people with actual illnesses being healed as well as those with demonic activity in their life.
Using hands of the apostles refers to the idea that God works through people.
A favor they will sense as you walk past them in Walmart.
A favor your co-worker will sense as they sit next to you at work.
A favor your extended family will experience as you go to a family gathering.
A favor that will give people a taste of the saving power of Jesus.
And I don’t know about you church, but I want that for our church. I want the shadow of our church to touch every individual in Marshall County. I want God’s favor to spread through us. But that can only happen if we are all committed to being All IN.
So, if that’s the case, what do we need to do for that to happen? I’m glad you asked. Because as we close this morning, I have a two suggestions for you to consider. A two that I believe will help our church be more All IN.
Suggestion #1 - I’m going to suggest that each of us be willing to undergo some spiritual chemotherapy. A dose of truth. That each of us would be willing to recognize that there are some unhealthy and cancerous areas in our life.
Because the fact of the matter is, nobody in this room is sin free. We all have something sinful we’ve allowed in our life. Something, that like cancer, is destroying or hindering our walk with God. Something that if we’re not willing to deal with, is only going to grow and spread to other parts of our life.
Because that’s what sin does. Like cancer, it multiplies and spreads.
For some, it’s the sin of pornography. And while you may think its an innocent picture. It’s actually a cancer. A cancer that is going to not only destroy you, but destroy your marriage and anything good in your life.
For some, it’s the sin of inappropriate relationships. You say, “It’s just a text. It’s just a friendship. It’s just somebody to talk to.” No, it’s a cancer. Something that’s going to multiply. Something that’s going to overcome you. Something that’s going to destroy your marriage or someone else's marriage.
For some, it’s gossip. You say, “It’s just words. It’s just conversation.” No, it’s a cancer. A cancer that multiples through rumors. A cancer that destroys friendships and reputations.
For some, it’s un-forgiveness. It’s you holding animosity towards someone that hurt you. A cancer that is eating you alive. A cancer that is robbing your joy. A cancer that is hardening your heart.
And the list goes on. But we all have something. Something we are holding onto. Something we are hiding. Something we aren’t willing to let go of. Something that is destroying us.
And the only way to deal with it, is by exposing it to a good dose of God’s truth. Truth that will set you free. Truth that will kill the cancer and expel it from your life.
But for that to happen, you have to be open to the truth.
Suggestion #2 - For those of you that aren’t All IN yet. For those who haven’t given their lives fully to Jesus. I’d like you to consider this morning the favor of God. A favor that whether you realize it or not is on your life. A favor that has been extended to you through your spouse, through your parents, through your sibling, or through a friend that invited you to church.
I want you to consider that
And what I want you to consider is that God loves you so much, that He put those people in your life so even when you weren’t seeking Him, you could experience what He wants to offer you. And the truth is, he wants to offer you more than a shadow of His favor. He wants to offer you the full blessing that comes through a relationship with His Son Jesus.
But for that to happen, you have to be willing to undergo some spiritual chemotherapy as well. You have to be willing to accept the truth. The truth that you are a sinner in need of saving. The truth that Jesus is the answer to your sin problem.
And if you’re willing to accept that. It’s the truth that will set you free. It’s the truth that will end the pain you can’t explain. It’s the truth that will calm the raging storm in your spirit. It’s the truth that will unleash a joy you’ve never known. It’s the truth that will transform you literally into a different person. It’s the truth that will open the door for you to have a relationship with God.
The truth is, you are a sinner in need of being saved.
But here’s the deal. Nobody can make you accept the truth. It’s something you have to choose. Jesus puts it like this:
31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
Do you want to be set free from sin this morning? Do you want to expose and expel the cancerous sin in your life? Do you want to experience the freedom and blessing that God offers?
Then all you have to do is open your heart to the truth.
The truth is, without Jesus, you are going to die in your sin.
Would you bow your heads with me.
The truth is, if you don’t put your hope and faith in Jesus
You are the shadow of our church. You represent what God is doing at MCF.
