14 Oct 07

It’s a beautiful morning for a church service, isn’t it?

I look around here and see all of the happy, smiling faces.

It feels good to come together again.

That song the choir just sang talks about that old country church and the wonderful memories people have as they think back to years gone by in the church.

Well, we’re not out in the country, but Roanoke Rapids isn’t exactly NY City either.

And I’m glad it’s not.

And this isn’t really an old congregation.

Coming up on 30 years, that’s not old at all.

But that’s long enough to create a lot of good memories.

And even right now, those little ones who were up here a bit a go, are making memories here that they’ll carry for the rest of their lives.

And I can’t help but wonder if, years from now when they grow up and move away, they’ll think back to “that old country church” in RR, and miss it.

If they’ll look back with fondness on the time spent here, and the people known.

I hope they will.

But even more, I hope that they will remember the lessons taught, and the things they’ve seen here, and live their lives for the Lord.

Friends, it’s important what the children see here, as they grow up.

It’s important because they are looking to the church to find out about God.

What do they see?

In a recent Barna Poll, George Barna found that only 20% of the people in this country in their 20’s, attend church. 

Only 20% spend time in prayer.

Only 20% read the Bible.

Only 20% attend church.

60% of this same age group, in their 20’s, said that they did attend church when they were teenagers.

But not anymore.

When they went off to college, or got out of their parent’s house, they dropped the church.

Friends, it’s critical what the children growing up in this congregation see here.

It’s critical what they see in the church.

It’s critical what other adults see here too.

Did you know that nearly one third of the adult population of the U.S. is unchurched.

They don’t attend church even twice a year.

But when they do come, do they see something in the church that makes them want to come back?

Do they see something that points them to Jesus?

Brothers and sisters, we are the church.

What do people see when they look at the church?

Not just what do they see when they come through those doors.

We’re here together four hours a week.

We’re out there in the community all the rest of that time.

What do people see in you?

For you are a part of the church.

The best thing we can do this morning is to think about what Jesus wants to see in his church.

It’s his church, bought and paid for with his blood.

His bride.

What does Jesus want to see in his church?

If we become what he wants to see, then our children will see him here.

The unchurched will find him here.

Transition

And so this morning I want to share with you six characteristics that Jesus wants to see in us, his church.

And if we can grow in these six things, we will be the church he’s called us to be, and those who see his church will be drawn to him.

These six characteristics are going to be very easy to remember because it’s an acrostic using the word “church.”

So if you wanted to take notes, you could start by writing the word “church” vertically down the left hand side of a piece of paper.

Centered on Christ

The first characteristic that Jesus wants to see in his church is that we are Centered on Christ.

Every day, as you go about your business, you should be centered on Christ.

Dale’s favorite verse.

Colossians 1:18 (NASB95)
18 He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything.

Jesus is to have first place in everything.

You know this.

I just want to remind you this morning that we should be centered on Christ.

When we wake up in the morning, we should commit ourselves to his service.

As we go through the day, we should look for ways to put him first at work, at home, at school, at the store, at the club.

Thinking of being centered on Jesus reminds me of Mrs. Smith who had the kids come up for children’s church.

She was going to do an object lesson using squirrels.

She told the children to raise their hand when they could guess what she was describing to them.

This thing lives in trees,

Eats nuts,

It’s gray,

Has a long bushy tail,

It jumps from branch to branch,

It chatters when it gets excited.

Finally one little boy slowly raised his hand.

“Well, I know the answer must be Jesus, but it sure sounds like a squirrel to me.”

That little boy was centered on Jesus, and we should be too.

In Philippians, chapter 1, Paul is writing to the church in Philippi.

Do you know where he was writing the letter from?

Paul was sitting in prison in Rome.

 Philippians 1:12-14 (NASB95)
12 Now I want you to know, brethren, that my circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel, 13 so that my imprisonment in the cause of Christ has become well known throughout the whole praetorian guard and to everyone else, 14 and that most of the brethren, trusting in the Lord because of my imprisonment, have far more courage to speak the word of God without fear.

Paul didn’t know what was in store for him.

He was in prison.

But he was centered on Jesus.

Are you centered on Jesus?

Do you ask yourself, WWJD?

When we gather together as the church, it is essential that we center on Jesus.

We all need to be focusing on the same thing.

Christ.

What can we do to serve him?

How can we point others to him?

How can we follow his example?

And living life during the week, we need to be centered on Jesus too.

We in the church need to Center on Christ.

Humble

We also need to be humble toward one another.

That “H” stands for being humble.

Humility.

Turn with me to the second chapter of Philippians.

Philippians 2:3-4 (NASB95)
3 Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; 4 do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.

Jesus wants to see humility in his church.

It’s not enough that we center on Jesus and put him first.

We’ve got to get ourselves out of the spotlight entirely by putting others ahead of ourselves.

I love the name of one of our adult Sunday School Classes.

The Joy Class.

Jesus.  Others.  Yourself.

This is what Jesus wants to see in his church.

And this is what the unchurched want to see too.

When a person who is unchurched comes through those doors, what will draw them to Christ more than a group of folks who put others ahead of self?

I think I’ve shared with you how Jessica went and visited a church in the Fayetteville area while I was over seas.

One Sunday morning a lady came to the pew where she was sitting and told her that she was sitting in that ladies seat.

Thankfully, my wife is a strong Christian woman, and this didn’t turn her away from the Lord.

But what if she had been an unbeliever who was coming to see if there was anything to this Jesus person?

We need to put others ahead of ourselves.

Not only here when we’re together, but each day in life.

At work, put others first.

Make sacrifices.

Don’t always have to have your own way.

Be humble.

In a world full of selfish people looking out for number one, people are looking for a breath of fresh air.

And they find it when we who are the church, are humble and put others first.

We must be centered on Christ.

Humble toward one another.

And Urgent to share the Gospel with the lost.

What I mean by this is that we see the urgency of sharing the Gospel.

When something is urgent, it requires immediate attention.

It is a pressing need.

And we need to see the pressing need of the Lost, to hear the gospel.

Turn with me to Luke 24:46.

As we look in the Gospel of Luke, toward the end of Jesus’ ministry, again and again Luke points out that Jesus is on his way to Jerusalem.

You could go through Luke’s Gospel account and see several times when Jesus turns to the side for just a moment to heal someone, or to preach.

But he always kept his goal in sight.

He was on the way to Jerusalem to die for you and me on the cross.

Luke 24:46-48 (NASB95)
46 and He said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day, 47 and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48 “You are witnesses of these things.

These are the last words of Christ that Luke records in his Gospel account.

Matthew gives us details of Jesus’ last words to his Disciples before he ascended into heaven.

Matthew 28:19-20 (NASB95)
19 “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Taking the gospel to the lost was so important that it was the last thing Jesus told his disciples before leaving for heaven.

Friends, none of us knows the hour when Jesus will return.

But we do know that each moment that goes by takes us that much closer to the day when we will see him in all his glory.

And he would that none would perish, but that all would come to accept Jesus and have eternal life.

But how will they know Jesus if they don’t hear about Jesus?

And how will they hear about Jesus if you and I don’t go out and tell them?

Friends, we need to feel the urgency of sharing the Gospel with the lost.

That’s what Jesus purposed for his church to do.

That’s what he told his disciples.

That’s what he wants to see in his church.

Now, let me ask you, how do you think it looks to unbelievers when we don’t even care enough about them to share the gospel with them?

If we don’t feel the urgency to share the gospel, then maybe we don’t really believe the truth of that gospel.

We need to be centered on Jesus.

Humble towards one another.

Urgent in sharing the gospel with the lost.

And Real with one another about our messes.

In our culture today, everyone hides behind a mask.

That’s not something new.

We have always put up a front when we’re out in public.

We’re like a bunch of politicians who want people to only see the good in us.

But friends, you and I need to be real.

1 Timothy 1:15-16 (NASB95)
15 It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all. 16 Yet for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life.

Remember how Paul started out by persecuting the church?

Holding the coats while Stephen was stoned?

What Paul’s saying is, “Hey, I’m the biggest sinner there is.”

“And Jesus came to save sinners.”

“If he would saves me, then he’ll save anybody.”

You see, Paul knew he was a mess.

He had problems in his life.

He wasn’t perfect.

And he didn’t try to hide the fact that he was a mess.

In 2 Corinthians 12 he writes about a thorn in his flesh which keeps him from exalting himself.

This may have been a physical impediment like poor vision, or it may have been a temptation which he fell prey to.

We don’t know.

The point is, this great man of God freely admitted, I’m a mess.

Guess what?

I’m a mess.

You’re a mess.

We’re all a mess.

That’s why we needed a messiah to come.

What does it mean to be real about our messes?

Sometimes it means saying, “I can’t do that.”

“I don’t have the ability.”

Sometimes it means going to a brother or sister and asking them to hold you accountable for a temptation you’re struggling with.

“Will you help me with this?”

It means that when someone in this family stumbles and falls, we come along side of them and try to help them get back on their feet instead of gathering up a bunch of rocks to stone them.

And it’s a whole lot easier to do that when we remember that Jesus came to save sinners, among whom I’m foremost.

And you’re foremost.

You look around this room today.

Go ahead look at one another.

There are some wonderful people here.

There are some people here who look like they’ve got it all together.

Brothers and sisters, I want you to turn to the person sitting beside you and tell them, “You’re a mess.  And I’m a mess too.”

(Wives had too much fun.) 

I’m convinced that unbelievers want to see a church where they know they aren’t the only messes.

I’m convinced that Jesus wants his church to admit that we’re messes.

That’s why we need him.

We need to be centered on Christ.

Humble toward one another.

Urgent in sharing the Gospel with the lost.

Real about our messes.

And we need to be compassionate to the hurting.

Don’t you know Jesus wants to see compassion in his church.

Turn with me to Matthew 9.

Jesus has just called Matthew to come and follow him, and he’s gone to Matthew’s house and is eating a meal with sinners.

The Pharisees, in all their wisdom, say that Jesus ought not to be spending time with these lowly people.

Matthew 9:12-13 (NASB95)
12 But when Jesus heard this, He said, “It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick. 13 “But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire compassion, and not sacrifice,’ for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

The two greatest commands are to love God, and to love people.

And Jesus says, I’m more interested in you loving people and having compassion for the lost, than in all your religious worship and sacrifices.

What does it mean to have compassion?

It means you’re sympathetic with someone in distress or trouble and doing what you can to help them.

That’s what Jesus wants to see in his church.

Compassion is what draws others to Christ and his church.

And we will have compassion for the hurting when we share life together as a family, and when we’re real about our messes, because then we begin to see needs.

We begin to see when our brother or sister is in need, physically, emotionally, or spiritually, and we can do something to help.

Three times in the Gospel of Matthew we read that Jesus saw people and felt compassion for them.

He saw people in need.

We’ve got to open our eyes and see people.

We’ve got to see the need.

There are brothers and sisters here today who are hurting.

They need someone to come along side of them in the mess their in, and help them make it through.

When we are compassionate for the hurting, it causes us to reach out to one another to help in any way we can, and it also causes us to have that urgency in sharing the gospel with the lost.

For that is the biggest need anybody could ever have.

We need to be centered on Christ.

Humble toward one another.

Urgent in sharing the Gospel.

Real about our messes.

Compassionate for the hurting.

And Holy in All things.

Turn over to Ephesians 5.

You already know that we as Christians are to be holy.

I just want to remind us this morning that Jesus wants to see holiness in his church.

And outsiders need to see holiness in the church too.

  People look at the church today and they see hypocrisy.

“You guys get together in your Sunday best, and act like angels on Sunday, but then you go into the week and live no different than the rest of the world.”

Friends, this should not be.

How can we share the gospel with the lost, if they don’t see holiness in our lives?

How can we grow in Christ and minister to one another the way we ought if we aren’t trying to live holy lives?

Ephesians 5:25-27 (NASB95)
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, 26 so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.

The church is the bride of Christ.

And he has washed us with his blood.

He has cleansed all who come to him.

And he wants his bride to be glorious and pure, with no spot of wrinkle.

I like that old hymn, “tis a glorious church without spot or wrinkle.”

I don’t think it’s even in our hymnal anymore.

Jesus wants to see holiness in his church.

Turn with me to 1 Peter 1.

I’ve shared these verses with you many times.

 1 Peter 1:14-16 (NASB95)
14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, 15 but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; 16 because it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

Conclusion

Brothers and Sisters, the people you work with are looking at the Church when they see you.

At the ball game, other moms and dads are looking at the church when they see you.

As you go from class to class, or run the sonic 500, or shop in Walmart, people are looking at the church when they see you.

When people visit us here for a service, they are looking at the church when they see you.

What do they see?

What so the lost see?

And these little ones, as they grow up here and make memories that will last them a lifetime, what do they see?

Do they see what Christ wants to see in his church?

That we are:

Centered on Christ.

Humble toward one another

Urgent in sharing the Gospel with the Lost

Real about our messes

Compassionate to the hurting

          And

Holy in all things

Let’s be the Church.