The Church That Matters

INTRODUCTION

OPENING STORY: SWITCH TO MCDONALDS ILLUSTRATION...IN THE 19TH CENTURY THE WORST DIAGNOSIS YOU COULD EVER GET WAS YELLOW FEVER. WIPED OUT WHOLE CITIES AND COMMUNITIES AND WAS A TRULY HORRIBLE WAY TO DIE. AND LIKE ANY OTHER DISEASE, AND TOOK A WHILE FOR THEM TO DISCOVER WHAT CAUSED IT. FOR THE LONGEST PEOPLE THOUGHT IT WAS POOR SANITARY CONDITIONS THAT SPREAD IT, OR EVEN RODENTS. HOWEVER WHEN THE CAUSE WAS FINALLY DISCOVERED IT PROVED SHOCKING- IT WAS LITTLE TINY INSIGNIFICANT MOSQUITOES WHO PROVED TO BE THE CULPRIT. THESE SEEMINGLY TINY, INSIGNIFICANT INSECTS TOOK THE DANGEROUS DISEASE TO FAR AWAY PLACES, RISKING THEIR LIVES- AND OFTEN THEY DID DIE- BUT IN THE END IT SPREAD ACROSS THE WORLD. COUNTED THEIR LIVES AS NOTHING.

POINT: THIS IS THE MESSAGE OF THE GOSPEL AND THE BOOK OF ACTS. FROM A LITTLE BAND OF 12 IN AN UPPER ROOM IN JERUSALEM TO THE TIME OF THE FOURTH CENTURY WHERE IT BECOMES THE STATE FAITH. TO NOW WHERE OVER A BILLION PEOPLE PROFESS FAITH IN CHRISTIANITY. HOW DID THIS HAPPEN? SAME WAY YELLOW FEVER DID. MEN AND WOMEN, OFTEN COUNTED AS INSIGNIFICANT- UNLEARNED, UNEDUCATED AS THEY WERE CALLED IN ACTS- WHO COUNTED THEIR LIVES AS NOTHING AND WERE WILLING TO DIE AND EVEN DID DIE, ARMED WITH THE POTENT, LIFE CHANGING MESSAGE OF THE GOSPEL…THROUGH THE LOCAL CHURCH. THIS IS HOW THE WORLD CHANGED!

APPLICATION: GOD’S PRIMARY INSTRUMENT FOR CHANGING THE WORLD ISN’T GOVERNMENT, IT’S THE CHURCH. THEREFORE IF YOU ARE A CHRISTIAN GOD’S WILL FOR YOUR LIFE IS THAT YOU WILL COMMIT TO AND SERVE IN A LOCAL CHURCH (I HOPE IT’S ALCF). CHURCH IS A LOT LIKE MARRIAGE. I PERFORM WEDDINGS AND STANDING AT THE ALTAR I’M LIKE YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT’S ABOUT TO GO DOWN. MY WIFE’S BEEN MARRIED TO FIVE DIFFERENT MEN…WE SAY THINGS TO HURT EACH OTHER…BUT IF YOU JUST STRAP IN AND COMMIT AND KEEP COMING BACK TO THE TABLE, YOU’LL SEE GOD DO AMAZING THINGS IN YOUR LIFE AND MOLD YOU IN WAYS…AND MARRIAGE DONE RIGHT WILL HAVE AN INCREDIBLE INFLUENCE ON THE WORLD. SO IT IS WITH CHURCH. YOU WILL GET HURT AND PEOPLE WILL SAY THE WRONG THINGS…BUT STICK WITH IT. AND YOU’LL SEE GOD MOVE.

A SHOCKING CHURCH-

EXPLANATION- HISTORICAL CONTEXT: THIS MORNING I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE CHURCH THAT MATTERS. I WANT TO GIVE YOU MY DREAM FOR ALCF AS FOUND IN AND THE CHURCH AT ANTIOCH. OF ALL THE CHURCHES I COULD’VE TAKEN YOU TO, ANTIOCH IS THE MOST INFLUENTIAL. IT’S NOT THE BIGGEST- AVERAGE SIZE WAS ABOUT 40-75. IT’S NOT THE SEXIEST, BUT IT’S FROM ANTIOCH THAT MOST OF THE CHURCHES IN THE NT WERE STARTED. DID YOU HEAR THAT? IF IT WASN’T FOR ANTIOCH THERE WOULDN’T BE A CHURCH AT ROME. NO ANTIOCH NO CORINTH. NO ANTIOCH NO CHURCHES OF GALATIA OR COLOSSIANS OR PHILIPPIANS. THE FINGERPRINTS OF THIS SMALL LITTLE CHURCH ARE FELT ALL OVER THE WORLD. AND THE THREE FIRST MEMBERS. A WOMAN, SLAVE, GENTILE AND JEWISH PASTOR. SHOCKING.

ALCF ILLUSTRATION: IN 1989 ALCF AS WE KNOW IT CAME INTO BEING. 34 PEOPLE GATHERED TOGETHER TO FORM THE CHURCH UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THEIR BRAND NEW PASTOR, PASTOR PAUL SHEPPARD. IMMEDIATELY HE SAID I DON’T WANT TO BE KNOWN AS A CHURCH THAT REACHES A CITY. I WANT TO BE KNOWN AS A CHURCH THAT REACHES THE BAY. AND BOY DID GOD DO EXCEEDINGLY AND ABUNDANTLY…WHAT’S CRAZY DO A GOOD BIT OF TRAVELING AND THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE TIME I WILL BE SHAKING HANDS SOMEWHERE AND A PERSON WILL COME UP TO ME AND SAY HOW THEY USED TO GO TO OUR CHURCH AND HOW GOD USED THAT CHURCH TO SHAPE AND FORM ME TODAY. STEVE STENSTROM WHO LEADS PAO…ALL OF THESE ATHLETES ARE COMING TO FAITH…MELVIN IN TEXAS SERVING...AND OTHERS....THAT’S THE LEGACY I WANT TO CONTINUE HERE…

RACIAL EXPLANATION: AND WHAT’S AMAZING IS THESE FACES ARE ALL DIFFERENT. WHITE. ASIAN. AFRICAN. AFRICAN AMERICAN AND SO ON. THIS IS ALSO THE CHURCH AT ANTIOCH. LOOK AT THE NAMES IN VERSE 1. BARNABAS A JEW…SIMEON WHO IS CALLED NIGER. NIGER MEANS BLACK. LUCIUS IS OF CYRENE WHICH IS IN LIBYA SO HE’S AFRICAN. MANAEN IT IS BELIEVED WAS RAISED UP AS A FOSTER BROTHER OF ROYALTY. SAUL A JEW. SO IF YOU WALKED INTO THE CHURCH AT ANTIOCH YOU WERE SHOCKED BY ITS LEADERSHIP. IT WAS CULTURALLY DIVERSE AND ETHNICALLY DIVERSE. IT WAS TRULY A SHOCKING CHURCH AS YOU WOULD SEE ALL THESE PEOPLE COMING TOGETHER UNDER THE LORDSHIP OF JESUS CHRIST.

POINT: AND THIS IS THE LEGACY OF ALCF…I BELIEVE THAT WHERE THE GOSPEL IS FAITHFULLY PREACHED AND PRACTICED AND THE COMMUNITY LENDS ITSELF TO IT, ETHNIC AND CULTURAL DIVERSITY WILL BE THE BYPRODUCTS.

MAGNET ILLUSTRATION: TAKE OUT A MAGNET AND IT WILL PICK UP SILVER LOOKING QUARTERS AND BRONZE LOOKING PENNIES. DIFFERENT COLORS…THAT’S THE GOSPEL.

APPLICATION: WE ARE IN A MOMENT WHERE BOY DO WE NEED MORE SHOCKING CHURCHES LIKE THE CHURCH OF ANTIOCH.CRM CHANGED LAWS…BUT THE REASON RACISM NIPS AT OUR HEELS TODAY IS BECAUSE IT IS NOT A LEGISLATIVE ISSUE BUT A HEART ISSUE AND THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST IS THE ONLY ONE THAT CAN GET TO THE HEART. TURN ON THE NEWS…WHITE SUPREMACY AND DIVISION. WE NEED HOPE…TWO EXTREMES ON THIS TOPIC- COLOR BLINDNESS…SHOW HOW THE SCRIPTURES SPEAK AGAINST THIS AND ETHNIC IDOLATRY…SHOW HOW THE SCRIPTURES SPEAK AGAINST THIS. PROXIMITY BREEDS EMPATHY, DISTANCE BREEDS SUSPICION.

A SPIRIT-FILLED CHURCH (2-3)

EXPLANATION: SO THESE MULTIETHNIC LEADERS ARE GATHERING AND THE THING WE FIND THEM DOING IS “WORSHIPPING THE Lord AND FASTING”. THEN THE HS SHOWS UP, SPEAKS TO THEM TELLING THEM TO SET ASIDE BARNABAS AND SAUL, AND THEN THEY GO RIGHT BACK TO “FASTING AND PRAYING”. SO THAT THE CENTRAL ACTIVITY OF THE CHURCH IS ONE OF WORSHIPPING AND THAT SETS THE ATMOSPHERE FOR THE HS TO SHOW UP. STUDY THE TWO BOOKS LUKE WRITES- LUKE AND ACTS- AND YOU’LL SEE A KEEN INTEREST IN THE ACTIVITY OF THE HS IN THE LIFE OF JESUS AND THE DISCIPLES. THESE AREN’T JUST SKILLED, COMPETENT, CAPABLE PEOPLE…THEY ARE A PEOPLE MARKED BY THE SUPERNATURAL. AND THIS IS WHERE THE REAL POWER SHOWS UP!

ILLUSTRATION: BEING IN LONDON OUTSIDE OF BUCKINGHAM PALACE AND AN UNUSUAL SENSE OF EXCITEMENT. I WAS LIKE WHAT’S GOING ON, AND SOMEONE POINTED TO THE FLAG ON TOP OF THE BUILDING- THE UNION FLAG, OR THE ROYAL RESIDENCE FLAG…THIS FLAG COMMUNICATES HER HIGHNESS IS IN RESIDENCE. AND THAT WAS THE EXCITEMENT- THE QUEEN IS THERE. WITHOUT THAT IT’S JUST A HISTORICAL BUILDING…BUT WITH THE QUEEN’S PRESENCE THE ATMOSPHERE CHANGES.

CHARLES SPURGEON GAVE TOURS OF HIS CHURCH AND HE WAS LIKE OF THIS ONE ROOM-THAT’S WHERE THE POWER IS.

…THERE WAS AN ORGANIC COMMUNAL WORSHIP NOT LINEAR WHERE THERE WAS THIS ATMOSPHERE CREATED THAT SAID HS YOU ARE WELCOME HERE. REALITY SF IS DOING THIS AND MY WIFE AND I WERE BLOWN AWAY.

APPLICATION: WHAT WE WANT TO BECOME AS A CHURCH…SO BEGINNING FIRST SUNDAY IN OCTOBER WE ARE GOING TO GATHER AT 930AM IN THE SANCTUARY FOR PRAYER…GIFTS LIKE WORDS OF WISDOM, KNOWLEDGE, PROPHECY IS GOING TO BE ENCOURAGED, OUR LEADERS WILL BE HERE TO HELP DISCERN. WE WANT TO INVITE THE HS HERE. NOT GOD THE FATHER, SON AND HOLY SCRIPTURES, BUT ROOM FOR THE HS TO SPEAK. THIS IS A BIG DEAL BECAUSE WE CAN’T GET DONE ALL THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN ON OUR OWN. WE NEED THE HS. PRAYER IS THE UMBILICAL CHORD THAT PUMPS THE LIFE OF THE SPIRIT INTO THE WOMB OF THE BELIEVER AND CHURCH!

A SENDING CHURCH (2-3)

EXPLANATION: THE HS SPEAKS CALLING THEM TO SEND OFF THEIR BEST LEADERS FOR SERVICE TO HIM. WHAT NOW HAPPEN IS THE FIRST OF WHAT’S CALLED THREE MISSIONARY JOURNEY’S. ON THESE JOURNEY’S CHURCHES ARE PLANTED IN PLACES LIKE ATHENS, EPHESUS, CORINTH, BEREA AND SO ON. FROM THIS TINY CHURCH THE GOSPEL IS LAUNCHED OUT AND THE WORLD IS CHANGED. THIS IS THE REAL POWER OF THE CHURCH AT ANTIOCH- THEIR POWER WAS NOT IN THEIR SEATING CAPACITY, BUT IT WAS IN THEIR SENDING CAPACITY!

US MILITARY ILLUSTRATION: WHEN YOU ENLIST YOU GO OFF TO BOOTCAMP FOR TRAINING. AND THE PURPOSE OF THE TRAINING IS NOT JUST TO GET KNOWLEDGE AND TO KEEP COMING BACK TO THE TRAINING FOREVER AND EVER. NO YOU’RE THERE UNDER THE REALITY OF THERE WILL COME A MOMENT IN WHICH YOU GET DEPLOYED. SOME WILL BE SENT OUT TO HAWAII, OTHERS THE PHILIPPINES, OTHERS IN EUROPE, AFRICA AND SO ON. YOU GATER TO SCATTER.

APPLICATION: AND THAT’S THE CHURCH. THIS IS A SENDING STATION. THE EMPHASIS HERE IS NOT ON OUR SEATING CAPACITY BUT ON OUR SENDING CAPACITY. SOME OF YOU THERE’S A BARNABAS TYPE CALL WHERE YOU WILL BE SENT OUT TO VOCATIONAL MINISTRY. LIKE STEVE SENSTROM AND HIS FAMILY. PLAYED FOOTBALL FOR STANFORD THEN THE NFL. WHILE HERE WITH THE NINERS HE CAME TO THIS CHURCH, AND GOD DID A WORK AND HE GOT ORDAINED THROUGH US AND IS NOW LEADING TONS OF ATHLETES TO CHRIST AS PRESIDENT OF PAO. SAT WITH A COUPLE NOT TOO LONG AGO WE SUPPORT OVER IN AFRICA. WE’VE SENT THEM OUT. AND THEY ARE REPRESENTING US. THE EASTERHAUS’ PHENOMENAL WORK AT STANFORD WE SUPPORT THEM…WE’VE SENT THEM OUT. AND SOME OF YOU. AND WE WANT TO DO MORE OF THAT. OTHERS SHORT TERM MISSIONS.

MOST OF YOU THAT’S NOT THE CALL, BUT YOU ARE STILL A MINISTER NONETHELESS. SENT OUT IN PLACES LIKE YOUR JOB TO FAITHFULLY REPRESENT CHRIST. I GOT NEWS FOR YOU, YOU’RE NOT AN ENGINEER WHO HAPPENS TO BE A CHRISTIAN, BUT A CHRISTIAN WHO HAPPENS TO BE AN ENGINEER. NOT A DOCTOR WHO HAPPENS TO BE…NOT A LAWYER OR TEACHER…BUT A...

CONCLUSION:

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY? MOSQUITO/YELLOW FEVER CONCLUSION. WORLD IS TURNED UPSIDE DOWN.