At A Church Down By The River
Book of Acts • Sermon • Submitted
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Transcript
It’s with great joy that I want to welcome everyone that is joining us today.
First, for those joining us online, we are so glad you logged on today. And while you may not be physically present with us, you are definitely with us in Spirit, and represent a vital part of our church family.
But secondly, I want to especially welcome those who are physically present with us.
It’s hard to believe that it’s been 12 weeks.
Twelve weeks since the coronavirus changed our normal.
Twelve weeks since schools and businesses closed their doors.
Twelve weeks since kids and parents tackled online school.
Twelve weeks since we’ve watched a live sporting event.
Twelve weeks since toilet paper became the most sought after commodity on the planet.
Twelve weeks since many of us have seen family and friends.
And twelve weeks since we have been able to gather together as a church family.
I don’t know about you, but I’m so glad the last 12 weeks are behind us, and I can’t wait to see what God is going to do in the weeks to come.
Because I believe while the last 12 weeks have been difficult, that seeds have been planted. Seeds that are going to produce a great harvest. I truly believe despite the coronavirus, the best days of MCF are still to come.
All that to say, welcome back! Welcome Home! We missed you!
Transition to Message:
As I thought and prayed about what I would share with you today, part of me wanted to step outside of our study on Acts and focus on a passage that highlights the importance of fellowship and being back together.
Because if the last 12 weeks have taught me anything, it’s taught me how valuable fellowship and corporate worship is in the life of a believer.
But as I looked at our passage in Acts today, I realized God had already worked that out.
And to be honest, that’s one of the things I love about Expository preaching.
I love it, because as we walk through the book of Acts chapter by chapter, and verse by verse, it’s like God already knew in advance what we would need to hear today.
Like He knew that on June 7th, after 12 weeks, we would come back together, and Acts 16:11-40 would be waiting for us. A passage that would bring reflection on the past 12 weeks and a passage that would help us move forward in the weeks to come.
Don’t you just love how God is in full control despite the chaos that surrounds us.
And so to help us get our arms around this next story and what God is saying to us today, I want to begin by painting a picture of what our focus over the next couple of weeks is going to be.
And to do that, I want you to consider a scenario that I think most of us have probably found ourselves in at some point in our life.
The scenario goes something like this:
Scenario - Have you ever found yourself in a situation or environment where you were the odd one out? (Repeat)
In other words, you were in a a place, an environment, or a situation where it was obvious you didn’t belong or you were the stranger. A place where your presence stood out like a sore thumb. Have you ever been in a place like that?
Let me give you some practical examples of what I’m talking about:
For example:
Maybe in your elementary, Junior High, or High School years, you moved or transferred to a new school.
Kind of scary, right? And it’s scary because in that moment, you’re in an environment and culture where you’re the stranger. Scary because all of a sudden you are surrounded by people you don’t know, but they know each other. Scary because you are the new kid on the block and the obvious odd one out.
The same is true when you start a new job. Because while it’s exciting, it’s scary at the same time. Scary because once again, you’re the stranger. Scary because you’re working with people you don’t know, but they know each other. Scary because you’re the newbie and the obvious odd one out.
Or how about this, if you’ve ever been to a non english speaking country, that can be a little unsettling. Unsettling because you are literally a foreigner in a foreign place. Unsettling because you’re surrounded by a culture you don’t relate with that’s filled with people who speak a language you don’t understand. Unsettling, because as an American, you are the obvious odd one out.
Another great example would be a person who gets sent to prison. That’d be scary, right?
I mean I can’t personally relate with that, but I’ve watched documentaries on prison life. And for the person going into prison, it’s a scary journey.
Scary because they’re entering a foreign environment. Scary because they’re surrounded by people they don’t know, and probably want to kill them. Scary because in that moment, their the fish, the odd one out.
I ask you to consider these scenarios, because as we come back to Acts 16 today, the Apostle Paul is in such a scenario.
A scenario where he’s entering a foreign city where he’s the foreigner.
A scenario where he’s a Jew surrounded by Greeks.
A scenario where he’s not only the foreigner, but he’s the only Christian in a compeltely pagan city.
A scenario where without a lot being said, he’s the obvious odd one out.
Now, you might be thinking, “Ok pastor, sounds like Paul is in a difficult situation. After all, it’s no fun being the odd one out, especially when you’re trying to tell people about Jesus. But what exactly does this story have to do with me?”
Here’s what it has to do with you and me.
The fact is, if you’re a Christian, and you’ve committed your life to follow Jesus, and you’re all about leading people to Jesus, then guess what, like Paul, you’re the odd one out.
And if you don’t believe me, turn on your television, log onto facebook, or go spend some time with some non-Christian friends, and you’ll quickly discover that your faith in Jesus has made you different. It’s made you the odd one out in the room.
In fact, the Apostle Peter says as much, because while he doesn’t call us the odd one out, he does have a similar word he uses to describe us. Listen to what he calls us in 1 Peter 2:
11 Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul.
Peter says we are sojourners and exiles, which can be literally translated “foreigners”.
Which implies, if you’re a Christian living on planet earth, you are automatically the odd one out. Or maybe a better way to put it would be, “You’re the odd Christian out.”
Why are you the odd Christian out?
Because at the end of the day, this world isn’t your home. This world isn’t what you are living for.
Instead, you’re living for Jesus and the life to come. The writer of Hebrews puts it like this:
14 For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come.
The writer says, “As Christians, this is not our home. This life isn’t what we are putting our hope in or living for any longer.”
And that my friends is what makes you a foreigner. Because you are living in a secular world with people who are focused on this life.
And this is where the challenge for most Christians comes in. Because in order to live for the life to come, you have to learn to live as a foreigner in this life.
To live as somebody who is obviously different because you’re committed to living for Jesus.
To live as somebody who obviously has a different perspective as you make leading people to Jesus a priority and the main focus of your life.
Because as we’ve learned in the book of Acts, that’s the mission Jesus gave us. That’s why we are here. To lead as many people to Him as we possibly can.
And that can be a challenge when everybody around you now views you as the odd one out. As a foreigner.
The question then is, “How do you do that? How do you live as a foreigner while at the same time effectively leading people to Jesus?”
That’s a great question. And thankfully, the Apostle Paul is going to help us answer that question as he models a strategy for us. A strategy for reaching people for Jesus in the midst of being the obvious odd one out.
That being said, if you are serious about living for Jesus and leading others to Him, then this next story will go a long ways in helping you become that kind of Christian.
And so, in order to learn from Paul’s strategy, we are going to break this next story into three parts. Parts that we are going to label as steps over the next couple of weeks.
That being said, I have three goals this morning.
Goal #1 - First we are going to read through the first part of this story so we can get some context for what is about to happen.
Goal # 2- Second, we’re to walk back through the passage so I can give some explanation to Paul’s circumstances.
Goal #3 - Finally, we’re going to identify the first step in living for and reaching people for Jesus when you are the obvious odd one out.
So, with that as our basis, let’s get started as Luke introduces us to this next story. Beginning in verse 11 Luke writes:
11 So, setting sail from Troas, we made a direct voyage to Samothrace, and the following day to Neapolis, 12 and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. We remained in this city some days. 13 And on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to the riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we sat down and spoke to the women who had come together. 14 One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul. 15 And after she was baptized, and her household as well, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” And she prevailed upon us.
So, there’s a lot going on here, but what I want you to notice first is that Luke begins this story by giving us some important details concerning Paul’s geographic location. And this is important for a few reasons:
First, Luke says after leaving Troas, Paul set sail and arrived in the district of Macedonia.
As you can see on the map, it’s this area right up here.
Now, you might wonder, “Why did he go to Macedonia?”
Well if you recall, a few verses back, Paul had a vision where a man from the region of Macedonia was begging Paul to come help them. Luke writes back in verse 9:
9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10 And when Paul had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.
That being the case, Paul is now in the region of Macedonia. Which tells us, he’s exactly where the Lord wants him to be.
Second, Luke says Paul is not only in the district of Macedonia, but he’s in a city called Philippi.
Again, you can see where this city is on our map.
So, a great question would be, “Why is he at Philippi?”
Well, there’s a few reasons Paul picked this city.
#1 he picked it because Luke says it was a leading city.
So, what does that mean? Simply put, it means it was the hub city for the region.
Think of it like this, when it comes to Marshall County, Marysville would probably be considered the leading city.
And not because it’s better than Blue Rapids, Waterville, Oketo, Bettie, Home, Frankfort, Axtell, or Vermillion. Because those are all great towns.
Marysville would be considered the leading city because it’s the county seat. It’s where the Walmart is. It’s where the greatest employment opportunities can be found. And it’s where the biggest population resides.
Same with the city of Philippi. It’s the leading city because it’s at he center of regional activity. Which means Paul is right in the middle of where everything happens.
Which tells us this is one of the reasons Paul choose Philippi.
If Paul came to Marshall County, he’d probably come to Marysville first.
#2, he picked it because not only is it the leading city, Luke says it’s a Roman Colony. So, what does that mean?
What it means is this just isn’t any city. It’s a city that is connected directly with Rome. In fact as a Roman Colony it is a legal extension of Rome.
Which means if you live in Philippi, it’s like living in a mini version of Rome, the capital city of the Roman empire.
Which means it’s a city mostly inhabited by Roman citizens, which in Paul’s day wouldn’t have been true of every city.
Which means this was a city that was extremely romanized. Meaning it was a city strongly given to the roman way of life in all aspects of living and religous thinking.
All that to say, Philippi is located in the region God has called Paul too. It’s a city of great influence and power. It’s the city where everything happens. And it’s a city full of people who are given to paganism and know nothing of the God of the Bible. Which makes it a prime place for Paul to set up camp and plant a church.
So, as you might imagine, this is what makes Paul the odd man out in the city of Philippi.
Because here he is a Jew, not a Greek. A Christian, not a pagan. Not only that, he’s a Christian trying to plant a church in a Greek city. But not just in any Greek city, but in a Roman colony. The fact is, Paul would have stuck out like a sore thumb.
Which leads us to the first step that Paul took in dealing with this foreign environment. Because after arriving in the city, listen to what Luke says Paul did first. Picking up in verse 13 Luke writes:
“And on the Sabbath day we went outside of the gate to the riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer...” Acts 16:13a (ESV)
Luke says after arriving in Philippi, one of the first things Paul did was to go and find a place of prayer.
Now, that being the case, you might be thinking, “So, that’s the first step. The first step must be prayer.”
And while that’s a great step, that’s not Paul’s first step here.
How do I know that? I know that because the fact is, Paul had been praying all along.
His prayer is what has brought him to this city. Through prayer the Holy Spirit has guided him to this city.
So, this isn’t saying that now that he’s here, all of a sudden Paul decides he better pray. He’s already been doing that.
So, what is it saying?
Well, the answer is in the details, because look again at what Luke tells us. He says:
“And on the Sabbath day we went outside of the gate to the riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer...” Acts 16:13a (ESV)
The first thing I want you to notice is Luke says Paul went to find a place to pray on the Sabbath day.
Which means Paul went to find a place to worship and pray on his Sunday. That’s what the Sabbath day represents.
A day of rest and worship. A day for teaching and reflection. A day where a Jewish Christian like Paul would have gone to find a synagogue to worship in.
So, that’s the first thing I want you to notice. It’s the Sabbath Day.
Here’s the second. While it’s the Sabbath Day, Luke says Paul didn’t go to the synagogue. Instead, he went outside of the city gates and down to the river.
So, a great question would be, “If it’s the Sabbath day, why didn’t Paul go to the Synagogue? Why did he go outside and down to the river?”
The answer is simple. He went outside of the city and down to the river because there wasn’t a Synagogue in Philippi. How do we know? We know for a couple of obvious reasons:
#1, if there had been a synagogue in Philippi, you can bet Paul would have been there, because in every city that Paul visits, if there’s a synagogue, that’s the first place he goes.
In fact, if we jump ahead to Acts 17, Luke verifies that. He writes:
“Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. And Paul went in, as was his custom.” Acts 17:1-2 (ESV)
Luke says if there was a Synagogue in a city, Paul always went there first. But in this case, there’s not. So, why isn’t there a Synagogue?
#2, we know there’s not a synagogue because this is a Roman colony. A pagan city that didn’t have one aspect of the God of the Bible in it.
That being the case, since there isn’t a Synagogue to worship in, Paul goes outside of the city and down to the river?
Which leads us to the next question which would be, “Why the river?”
Well, historically when a synagogue was built, it was typically built near a source of flowing water. The reason being, water was an important aspect of Judaism when it came to Jewish rituals.
For example, in Judaism it was always expected that you would wash your hands before prayer.
Not only that, but Judaism often required ritualistic washings in the form of baptism in order for a person to be cleansed. As a result, most Synagogues had some sort of baptismal and water source nearby.
In fact, in many synagogues that have been excavated outside of Israel, archaeologists have found large water basins located within the Synagogues.
And the Jewish historian Josephus tells us that building a Synagogue near a seaside fit with ancestral custom.
All that to say, the reason Paul goes outside of the gate and down to the river is because since there isn’t a Synagogue in Philippi, for the Jewish person, this would be the next best place to worship.
But that’s not the only reason they go down to the river. Because listen to what Luke tells us:
“And on the Sabbath day we went outside of the gate to the riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer...” Acts 16:13a (ESV)
Notice he says, “…where we supposed there was a place of prayer...”
In other words, we went there because not only is that second best place to go, but we thought there might already be an established place for people to meet.
Meaning, if there are any people like us around here, that’s where we will find them.
And guess what, they were right. Because Luke writes:
13 And on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to the riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we sat down and spoke to the women who had come together.
Luke says as they approach the river, they see a group of women who have gathered together for the purpose of prayer.
Now, you might be thinking, “How do you know they had gathered there for prayer?” We know because of what Luke says happened next. He writes:
“One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God...” Acts 16:14a (ESV)
Luke says as they sit down with the women and begin to talk, a greek woman named Lydia joins the conversation and Luke says she was a worshiper of God.
So, what does that mean? It means while her and her friends are Greeks, somewhere along the way they were introduced to the God of the Bible, and they’ve gathered there to worship Him.
And so now here are Paul and his companions who have gathered together with a group of women in order to have church together.
Now, you might be thinking, “Ok pastor, this is all very intersting. And good for Paul. But what does this all mean? “
Here’s what it means. It means the first thing Paul did when he arrived in a secular city, where he was obviously the odd one out, is he looked for people who were like him. People who identify with his faith.
And in order to find them, he went to where people who were like him would typically gather. He went and found a church down by the river.
Why would he do that? He did it because that’s the first step as a Christian living in a secular world.
I would state it like this. As the odd Christian out, and in order to accomplish the mission Jesus has called you to, the first thing you have to do is:
Step #1 - Find and gather with like minded Christians.
And if you think about it, this step makes sense.
For example, If you’re the new kid at school, what’s one of the first things you do? You try and find a group that you fit in with, right? A group who you have similarities with. A group you can relate with.
So, if you’re a basketball player, you join the basketball team. If you’re into chess, you join the chess club. If you’re into volleyball, you join the volleyball team. If you’re into playing the trumpet, you join the band.
The same is true at a new job. If you’re the new person, you look for relationships with people you have something in common with. People who are in your age group. People who hold similar views and values.
Why do you do that? Because that’s how you overcome being the odd one out. You find a group of people you can relate with and do life with.
And the same is true for the Christian. Because while you may be the odd one out in a secular world, guess what, you’re not the only one.
The reality is, there are others like you. Other people who have put their faith in Jesus. Other people who are committed to living for Jesus. Other people who are gathering down by the river.
But here’s the deal, if you want to find them, you have to go where people like that gather.
And that my friends is why what we are doing today is so important. Because this is what our building represents. It represents the place where people who have put their faith in Jesus and are committed to living for Jesus meet.
No, it’s not a church down by the river. It’s actually the church out by Taco Bell. But it’s the place where people of like faith come together to worship Jesus and grow in their faith.
And this is a critical step for a Christian to take, because without this step in your life, your chances of survival as a Christian diminish greatly. And your ability to reach people for Jesus will be limited.
Because the fact is, in order to live for Jesus and do what Jesus has called us to do, we need this place. We need a place where we can exit the world, come together with other believers, and get strengthened.
Now, the truth is, some might disagree with that. In fact, during the last 12 weeks of online services, one of the statements that I’ve heard some people and pastors make is, “The church isn’t a building, and God is trying to show us that.”
And while I understand what they are saying, that’s only partially true. Because their right, the church isn’t just a building.
So, what is a church. A church is the place where the people of God gather together.
So, in the case of Acts 16, that place is down by the river. No, it’s not represented by a building, but it’s the spot and place the church meets in Philippi.
Because as we are going to see next week, this isn’t the first time Paul will have church in this spot. Because later on in verse 16 Luke writes:
16 As we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by fortune-telling.
Notice Luke says, “As we were going to the place of prayer...”
What place? The place down by the river.
That being the case, anywhere that a group of believers choose to consistently meet together for worship, prayer, and teaching, becomes a church. Which means, if it’s a building, then that building becomes the church.
And in our case, it is a building. It’s a building out by Taco Bell. A building that every Sunday becomes the church as the people of God gather together. A place called Marysville Christian Fellowship.
Now, please hear me. By saying that I’m not saying we haven’t been the church the last 12 weeks. Because thanks to online capabilities, we’ve been able to meet online together.
But it’s not the same, and it could never replace the physical gathering of God’s people.
That being said, over the past 12 weeks, I don’t think God was trying to teach us that the church isn’t a building.
So, what was He trying to teach us? I’d like to suggest to you that Luke has the answer. Because I want you to notice again what Luke tells us about this woman called Lydia. He writes:
“One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purpose goods, who was a worshiper of God.” Acts 16:14a (ESV)
As Luke introduces this woman named Lydia, he gives us some important details about her.
First he says she was from the city of Thyatira.
Here’s why this detail is important. What this tells us is that Lydia is from an urban city that in the first century was well known for commerce and trade.
In our day, it would be a city like New York City. A city where all the new cultural trends, products, and styles come from.
Not only that, but he says she’s a seller of purple goods.
Which means, she’s not just from Thyatira, she’s has a business there. And not just any business, but a business that sells purple goods. Which in the first century was a hot commodity since purpose cloth was often worn by the upper class and royalty.
What that tells us then, is that Lydia is a high end successful fashion designer. Maybe even had her own Project Runway tv show, who knows.
All that to say, this is no ordinary woman. This is a high class business woman who in a world of male dominance has been very successful.
In addition to that Luke says she’s a worshiper of God. Which as we discussed a moment ago, means she was familiar with the God of the Bible.
So, that’s Lydia. So, why are these details important? Let’s find out. Luke writes:
“…The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul. And after she was baptized, and her household as well, she urged us, saying, ‘If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.’ And she prevailed upon us.” Acts 16:14b-15 (ESV)
Two things I want you to notice:
First, Luke says as Lydia listened to Paul she put her faith in Jesus.
How do we know that? We know because after listening to Paul, Luke says she was baptized. Which represents the first step of obedience for every Christian. A symbolic act that represents a person’s decision to make Jesus Lord of her life.
But not only does she get saved and baptized, but her entire household with her as they are all baptized.
Here’s the second thing I want you to notice. Upon putting her faith in Jesus, Lydia, the very successful business woman, invites Paul and his companions to come stay at her house.
In other words she says, “Paul, while I’m here in Philippi, I’m staying in my penthouse and I have plenty of rom. I’d like to invite you and your companions to come stay with me.”
You might ask, “Why would she offer that?” She offers it because apparently Paul and his companions had nowhere to stay. Because remember, they’re the odd one’s out here. They are the foreigners in a foreign city with apparently no money and no place to stay.
In fact, there’s a good chance they weren’t just having church down by the river, but that maybe there were living in a van down by the river.
Some of you know what I’m talking about.
So, recognizing they are in need, she offers for them to come stay with her, and more than likely, to finance their entire time in Philippi.
Now, again, you might be thinking, “That’s great pastor, good for Paul. But what does this mean?”
Here’s what Luke is trying to show us. He’s showing us that when Christians gather together in a place called the church, everybody present benefits from one another.
For example. In the case of Lydia, she benefited from Paul as Paul not only confirms her need for the God of the Bible, but introduces her to a relationship with God through faith in Jesus. And in that moment she becomes the first convert in the region of Macedonia.
In the case of Paul, he benefited from Lydia as through her resources she provides a place to stay, food to eat, and resources to begin his ministry there.
You see, both benefited from one another. Both were strengthened and encouraged as a result of meeting together in a church down by the river.
In fact, when Luke says, “And she prevailed upon us”. It’s the idea that what she offered them was meant to strengthen and encourage them.
What Luke is showing us, is that when the people of God gather in a place called the church, something happens in that place that can’t happen anywhere else. Something that can’t happen online. Something that can’t happen in your workplace. Something that can’t happen in school. Only something that happens when the people of God gather.
And that my friends is one of the things I believe God was trying to teach us over the past few weeks. That meeting together as a church isn’t an optional activity. No. Instead it’s something we can’t live without. Something we can’t get anywhere else during the week. Something that is necessary in our life. Why?
Because out there, in the world, you’re the odd one out, but in here, in the church, you’re not.
In this place we are one. In this place there is no Jew, Greek, black, white, brown, or whatever other color of skin you want to add to the list. In this place nobody is the odd one out. And in this place, when we gather, we become the church and we are mutually strengthened and encouraged by one another.
And I don’t now about you, but I’ve come to appreciate that more than ever in the past 12 weeks.
Because friends, this is something we cant’ live without. That’s why the writer of Hebrews writes:
24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
The writer says, “Do you want to know how to get strengthened and encouraged? Do you want to know how to find hope in the midst of chaos? Here’s how. Don’t ever neglect to meet together. Don’t ever make it a habit to skip church. Don’t ever put the lake, a game, a practice, or some meaningless activity ahead of meeting with your church family. Because this is where you’re not the odd one out. This is where you find strength. This is where you find encouragement as the world is falling apart around you. This is where the body of Christ builds each other up.”
And the fact is, nothing can duplicate it replace it.
Think of it like this, in a way, the church is like an embassy. It’s the place in a foreign land where fellow citizens from their home land can gather. It’s a place of shelter. A place of grace. A place of refuge. A place where the enemy has limits. A place where the world can’t touch you. A place that should never be taken for granted.
And that’s especially true now. Because listen to what the writer says. He says we should do this especially as we see the day drawing near.
The “Day” he’s referring to is the return of the LORD. It’s the day the sky cracks open and Jesus returns for His church. A day that is quickly approaching. And again, if you don’t believe me, look around, turn on the news, and listen as it seems our world is coming undone at the seams.
Again, this is why our gathering is so important. Because if we’re going to survive until He returns, we need each other. We need to have a place down by the river. A place out by Taco Bell. A place where we aren’t the odd ones out. A place where we can be mutually strengthened and encouraged. A place called the church.
The bottom line is this. What I’d like you to consider, is that maybe part of the Covid-19 pandemic, was meant to be a reminder. A reminder that what happens in this place on a Sunday morning is important.
A reminder that when we gather together we become more than we are alone.
A reminder that as great as online church is, it can’t replace this.
A reminder that when we gather together, we gain something we can’t obtain the other 6 days of the week.
A reminder that we need the church. We need each other.
A reminder that the first step in reaching a world for Jesus is finding and gathering with people who are just as odd as you are.
That being said, as we close today, I’d like to offer you three challenges:
Challenge #1 - I’d like to challenge you to consider your need for the church. To consider that over the past 12 weeks one of the things God was trying to show you is that your church family is much more important and necessary in your life than you ever imagined.
Challenge #2 - I’d like to challenge you to never take our gathering together for granted. That because it’s necessary and important, you would make it a priority over everything else in your life. That moving forward, you’d not let other things take its place on a Sunday morning. Because I don’t know about you, but after what we’ve just experieneced, I don’t ever want to go more than a week without being with my church family.
Challenge #3 - I’d like to challenge you moving forward to not just meet at church, but to be the church. What I mean by that, is to not just treat MCF as a place to gather, but a place to strengthen and encourage others.
A place where you get involved. A place where you are generous with your time, talent, and treasures. A place where you make others more important than yourself. A place where nobody ever feels like their the odd one out.
Church, our country and community need a church like that more than ever. We need to be the place that is different. The place where race and background aren’t a factor. A place where social class has no place. A place where the people of God gather to strengthen, love, and encourage one another.
I believe we can be that kind of church. But for that to happen, we all have to take the first step. We all have to recongize that in a world where we are the odd one’s out, that we need one another.
Let’s Pray