Untitled Sermon

STAYCATION PT 1

What is a Cows Favorite Car? CattleLac (Cadillac)

New Sermon Series where I want us to look at what I call “STAYCATION” -- what is a staycation -- IT’S a vacation spent in one’s home country rather than abroad, or one spent at home

My thoughts for us is simply this -- as a believer with our mind on the Mission -- we don’t have to get passports, luggage or buy plane tickets -- WE HAVE A HUGE MISSION RIGHT IN OUR OWN BACKYARD.

JESUS EVEN SHOWED US THE WAY!!

(GW) When Jesus came down from the mountain, large crowds followed him. A man with a serious skin disease came and bowed down in front of him. The man said to Jesus, “Sir, if you’re willing, you can make me clean.” Jesus reached out, touched him, and said, “I’M WILLING. So be clean!” Immediately, his skin disease went away, and he was clean. Jesus said to him, “Don’t tell anyone about this! Instead, show yourself to the priest. Then offer the sacrifice Moses commanded as proof to people that you are clean.”

When Jesus came down from the mountain, large crowds followed him. A man with a serious skin disease came and bowed down in front of him. The man said to Jesus, “Sir, if you’re willing, you can make me clean.” Jesus reached out, touched him, and said, “I’M WILLING. So be clean!” Immediately, his skin disease went away, and he was clean. Jesus said to him, “Don’t tell anyone about this! Instead, show yourself to the priest. Then offer the sacrifice Moses commanded as proof to people that you are clean.”

I think to Live On Mission or a Believers Staycation

[1] WILLINGNESS

If the Bible were to be written today, it just might say, “you gotta be a turtle,” -- In other words, you gotta stick your neck out in order to get anywhere

ILLUSTRATION

After I was first saved, no one at a church wanted a “Hippie” to speak or share in their pulpits, so I went to the streets -- set up in front of bars, dance clubs, wherever they would let us!!! Saw people saved, healed and delivered -- then we went from town to towns close by and set up in ballfields, parks -- No Great Revivals but people were being touched and lives changed in some way or another.

BEING WILLING TO

Lay hands on sick people out wherever you are

Pray for people’s needs wherever you go

Make your first answer to their questions JESUS CAN -- instead of our own opinions

SEE -- this leper ask “If you’re willing”

JESUS IMMEDIATELY REPLIED “I AM WILLING

We’ve got to be set on “JESUS IS ALWAYS WILLING”

(GW) It’s the same way with the Son of Man. He didn’t come so that others could serve him. He came to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many people.”

It’s the same way with the Son of Man. He didn’t come so that others could serve him. He came to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many people.”

(Phillips NT) You should look upon us as ministers of Christ, as trustees of the secrets of God. And it is a prime requisite in a trustee that he should prove worthy of his trust. But, as a matter of fact, it matters very little to me what you, or any man, thinks of me - I don’t even value my opinion of myself - but that doesn’t justify me before God. My only true judge is God himself.

You should look upon us as ministers of Christ, as trustees of the secrets of God. And it is a prime requisite in a trustee that he should prove worthy of his trust. But, as a matter of fact, it matters very little to me what you, or any man, thinks of me - I don’t even value my opinion of myself - but that doesn’t justify me before God. My only true judge is God himself.

GOD TRUSTS US TO BE ON MISSION AT ALL TIMES -- NOT JUST WHEN WE FEEL LIKE IT

WILLINGNESS -- I am ready to do something -- wherever I AM.

CHURCH -- WE can live missionally -- in OUR own communities -- to recognize and respond to the needs that are all around them.

Jesus was intentional, loving, and kind when responding to those needs!

God’s call for us IS to BE WILLING serve our neighbors in love.

THE most effective ministry WE HAVE is loving and serving THOSE AROUND US -- RIGHT WHERE WE ARE

Grocery Stores -- Restaurants -- Gas Pumps -- Work -- School -- Doctors Office -- Jails -- Hospitals -- Home

[2] FAITH FOR OTHERS

(GW) When Jesus went to Capernaum, a Roman army officer came to beg him for help. The officer said, “Sir, my servant is lying at home paralyzed and in terrible pain.” Jesus said to him, “I’ll come to heal him.” The officer responded, “Sir, I don’t deserve to have you come into my house. But just give a command, and my servant will be healed. As you know, I’m in a chain of command and have soldiers at my command. I tell one of them, ‘Go!’ and he goes, and another, ‘Come!’ and he comes. I tell my servant, ‘Do this!’ and he does it.” Jesus was amazed when he heard this. He said to those who were following him, “I can guarantee this truth: I haven’t found faith as great as this in anyone in Israel. I can guarantee that many will come from all over the world. They will eat with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. The citizens of that kingdom will be thrown outside into the darkness. People will cry and be in extreme pain there. Jesus told the officer, “Go! What you believed will be done for you.” And at that moment the servant was healed.

When Jesus went to Capernaum, a Roman army officer came to beg him for help. The officer said, “Sir, my servant is lying at home paralyzed and in terrible pain.” Jesus said to him, “I’ll come to heal him.” The officer responded, “Sir, I don’t deserve to have you come into my house. But just give a command, and my servant will be healed. As you know, I’m in a chain of command and have soldiers at my command. I tell one of them, ‘Go!’ and he goes, and another, ‘Come!’ and he comes. I tell my servant, ‘Do this!’ and he does it.” Jesus was amazed when he heard this. He said to those who were following him, “I can guarantee this truth: I haven’t found faith as great as this in anyone in Israel. I can guarantee that many will come from all over the world. They will eat with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. The citizens of that kingdom will be thrown outside into the darkness. People will cry and be in extreme pain there. Jesus told the officer, “Go! What you believed will be done for you.” And at that moment the servant was healed.

This man had Great Faith -- BUT -- not for himself but for someone else!! HE didn’t do anything GREAT -- except BELIEVE THAT JESUS COULD for his servant -- A SERVANT

ILLUSTRATION

How About the friends who brought their paralyzed friend to a house where JESUS WAS -- TOO MUCH OF A CROWD -- HOW MANY OF US WOULD HAVE TURNED AROUND -- BUT -- they climbed on the roof, tore open the roof & lowered their friend right down in front of JESUS -- JESUS HEALED HIM

(GW) When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the man, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.”

When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the man, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.”

LISTEN -- REAL FAITH FOR OTHERS HERE COMPELS ACTION

JESUS USED THAT WORD “COMPEL” -- to urge someone to do something

The Father’s Call To Us Is ....

(GW) ‘Go to the roads and paths! Urge the people to come to my house. I want it to be full.

‘Go to the roads and paths! Urge the people to come to my house. I want it to be full.

FAITH FOR OTHERS IS BRINGING THEM INTO THE FAMILY OF GOD – can you have enough FAITH to start bringing people to church with YOU

FAITH FOR OTHERS is 5th Sunday Lunches -- being willing to stay even when its NOT your thing BUT it’s all about having time with others to make connection

FAITH FOR OTHERS is serving somewhere in the church to make us the best we can be in order to bless others

FAITH FOR OTHERS is making time to serve at Fathers Wish Food Ministry food give out 2 Tuesdays a month to love others

FAITH FOR OTHERS is making time to come for a little bit on Fridays to PRAY

FAITH FOR OTHERS is being willing to GO THE 2ND MILE FOR SOMEONE EVEN WHEN NOT ASKED

FAITH FOR OTHERS is serving in a community organization to be a part of helping

[3] LIFE INTERRUPTED

(GW) Jesus replied, “A man went from Jerusalem to Jericho. On the way robbers stripped him, beat him, and left him for dead. “By chance, a priest was traveling along that road. When he saw the man, he went around him and continued on his way. Then a Levite came to that place. When he saw the man, he, too, went around him and continued on his way. “But a Samaritan, as he was traveling along, came across the man. When the Samaritan saw him, he felt sorry for the man, went to him, and cleaned and bandaged his wounds. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. The next day the Samaritan took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. He told the innkeeper, ‘Take care of him. If you spend more than that, I’ll pay you on my return trip.’ “Of these three men, who do you think was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by robbers?” The expert said, “The one who was kind enough to help him.” Jesus told him, “Go and imitate his example!”

Jesus replied, “A man went from Jerusalem to Jericho. On the way robbers stripped him, beat him, and left him for dead. “By chance, a priest was traveling along that road. When he saw the man, he went around him and continued on his way. Then a Levite came to that place. When he saw the man, he, too, went around him and continued on his way. “But a Samaritan, as he was traveling along, came across the man. When the Samaritan saw him, he felt sorry for the man, went to him, and cleaned and bandaged his wounds. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. The next day the Samaritan took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. He told the innkeeper, ‘Take care of him. If you spend more than that, I’ll pay you on my return trip.’ “Of these three men, who do you think was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by robbers?” The expert said, “The one who was kind enough to help him.” Jesus told him, “Go and imitate his example!”

ILLUSTRATION

This samaritan was on a journey, probably for business -- BUT HE ALLOWED HIS LIFE TO BE INTERRUPTED for a stranger -- and didn’t question whether he deserved it, brought it on himself -- he just simply took the time to meet his need,

JESUS ALWAYS allowed His Life to be INTERRUPTED -- NO MATTER WHO IT WAS

ILLUSTRATION

We all live in the tension between our plans and interruptions -- our expectations and the unexpected -- life as we want it to be and life as it happens.

Every one of us could tell a story about that. It happens in small ways and in large ways.

It’s the baby waking up early from what you thought would be a quiet hour

a day that had nothing on the calendar that turns into a day of one thing after another

It’s taking a new job and finding that you are not doing what you planned and you are doing what you never expected.

It’s a shattered dream, a divorce, a death.

Our life plans get interrupted in a thousand different ways and the unexpected happens all along the way of life.

When our life plans are interrupted it’s easy and tempting to rage about things not working out -- or pray that God will make it all go the way we want.

Jesus doesn’t do any of that. He doesn’t turn the boat around when he sees the crowd. He doesn’t get angry or resentful. He doesn’t blame or complain. He doesn’t ignore or deny the interruption. HE’S SIMPLY PRESENT TO WHAT IS.

Everyday life is where God shows up.

We cannot escape that there will be times when people interrupt our lives -- whether we think we have time for them or not.

We can follow the example that Jesus sets by being willing to face those situations -- through HIS power in us, to serve others as he modeled—with love and kindness

“STAYCATION” -- I’m encouraging YOU TODAY GUYS -- to serve and love others right where they are and to view life’s interruptions as GOD opportunities, LIKE JESUS DID.