The Church is-people on a journey
The Church is: People on a Journey to Discover God
§ Drawing from the book of Acts to talk about the church.
o Acts tell of the beginning of the church
o Begin with what, to me, is a core description of who we are and what God is doing in our lives.
§ Start with a passage in Acts 7:17-36
o Stephen telling history of his people and how Jesus fit into it.
o Pick it up at a point when in Egypt
o Summarize details of time in desert.
§ Ended up spending 40 years wandering in the desert. What is really going on here? What was God doing?
§ Simple answer: people rebelled, God punished. I think that’s too simple.
§ Consider perspective of young Israelite
o Whole life: Egyptian styles, customs, even gods.
o Only had promise made to your ancestor
o Left it all behind on promise of Moses that God leading to promised land
o In desert…not even taking the shortest route.
§ Exod 13:17-God didn’t want them to face war too early.
o Excitement-released, Seen some amazing things. Wears off, though
o Over time, worry, stress creep in. What was really going on? Trust Moses? Barren desert vs. fertile strip in Egypt-punishment?
o Normal responses & in times of stress we fall back on ideas, habits we are used to-of course complained, grumbled. Of course worship Egyptian god…didn’t know any other way.
§ Can you relate? Found yourself falling back on old habits that you thought you dealt with/overcame?
o Personal:self-doubt/failure. God has done much to help me overcome those things…but there still times when I fall back on the old ways of thinking even though I know it’s wrong.
§ Could have predicted Israelite response in desert.
§ God could have too. Knew this would happen. Certainly frustrated, but God doesn’t simply react in anger to them…I think he knew what He was doing. Planned for this.
§ Just like a parent-sometimes need to react strongly in order to make an impact and teach something.
§ God knew He would need time alone in the desert. Change people, old generation-ways of thinking-had to pass away.
§ Result: some began to really embrace their unique relationship with God and live in complete faith. Began to experience His presence and power in their lives.
o Came out-changed people who changed the world. We are literally a result of the 40 year desert experience.
§ What does this have to do with us?
o Individually-Every person on a journey with God-God has plans for them-may not be responding, but wants all to be following Him on journey sets before us.
o Leading us through experiences to get to know Him….trust Him…desire Him more than anything else.
o Allows touch situations to see how we respond…knows we will fall back on old habits…keeps leading us. May lead us through touch experiences to cause us to focus on Him more-time for old habits/thoughts to die off.
o In time-greater faith, bolder/stronger witness to the world
§ Church
o Journey together to discover Him. Will guide us all through all kinds of experiences together as the church grows/matures.
o Take a look at our experience now: Being here, being a new church…I believe we are now in a vital, formational desert experience as a church.
o God wants to make us into a church for a new generation. Churches dying, new churches forming…entering a new phase in history-new ways of viewing the world-just like Israelites-preparation.
o School big part of it. God teaching that being a church is not about a building:
§ "The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. (Act 17:24 NIV)
o Setup/teardown-tabernacle. For years I have heard people complain…it is hard, but it also bonds us together/gives time for friendships to grow, gives us a common cause-not just setup equipment-creating a worship space. Need time and perspective to develop a worshipful/joyful attitude toward what we do.
o Need time focused on God in a “non-church” environment for old traditions/ways of thinking about church to die off.
o God provided food/clothing-allowing us to use resources better. Able to invest more into people than into building costs.
o Provides us with unique opportunities to influence community-praying for kids in the very halls they spend some of more formative years in…building relationships with school officials…need to learn to take advantage of those opportunities.
In their desert experience, God took a bunch of nomadic shepherds-placed them among giant nations of history:Egypt, Babylon, Persia…Rome…and created a powerful/influential nation from them.. Nation whose ways of thinking came to dominate the ancient world…Nation who’s devotion toward God affected Empires, and who’s Messiah we and millions of others around the world call our savior today.
Imagine what that same God will do with us in our own desert experience. Handful of ordinary people...meeting in a school building, in a park, in homes…wherever we can find a place to get together…focusing on Him…He’s gonna transform us into a small nation/army of people who will change the world around us.
Announcements:
Shower after church
Meal next week
Retreat-talk to Linda
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