Gathered to Scatter

Would they miss us if we were gone?

There are certain things in life that if they suddenly disappeared it would leave a void not only in our lives, but in many people’s lives as well.

Walmart in Ohio County- many people work there and most of us shop there. If it closed up tomorrow it would be missed.

The reason I would miss Walmart if it closed is not because I drive by it everyday, it is because the things sold there are things I need.

Ohio County Hospital- Many people work there and so many of us receive care there.

EHBC has existed as a group of believers in Ohio County for nearly 70 years.

Lots of people have been a part of this faith family, many have came to know the Lord here and have served this body.

Through the ups and downs, EHBC has made an impact on our community that we are all grateful to the Lord for.

But if EHBC disappeared tomorrow would we be missed?

I don’t want to make light of our history and the influence this body of believers have had on this community and on the lives of those present today.

I am not talking about this building or campus.

I am not talking about our programs or services.

But if EHBC, the family of God that gathers at 1309 Clay St twice on Sundays and make our home in Ohio County KY, if we as a the local expression of the family of God no longer existed would we be missed?

I don’t intended on answering that question today by the way.

I am not sure how to answer it, but it is a question that is helpful to ask.

Because the answer to that questions I believe is a measurement of impact and influence.

The more we impact and influence the lives of people in Ohio County with the message of Jesus and our lives lived for Jesus, the more we would be missed if we disappeared.

We are a GATHERING people.

Last week I talked about the rhythms of life for the early church being a GATHERING rhythm.

They gathered together to hear from the Lord through His Word.

They gathered to support and build one another up.

They gathered to share their resources so that no one had need.

They gathered to serve, to pray, and to be strengthen by one another.

In Acts 2:42-47 we see this early group of believers live in community together, true fellowship.

But they don’t stay there.

They gathered in order that they may scatter.

Follow the account

Acts 2:47 ESV

47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

The Lord added to their number every day those being saved.

We mistakenly think this is God bringing people into some kind of program or service, but this is people coming in contact with Jesus people as they live their lives in the community.

Acts 3 - Peter and John are walking to the Temple for prayer and encounter a lame beggar who they speak the gospel to and heal.

Acts 3- A crowd gathers and Peter begins to preach the Gospel.

Acts 6- The people had to raise up deacons in order to help with the ministry needs as the church grew and reached into the lives of those in need.

Acts 7- Stephen, one of those new deacons preaches the Gospel to the religious officials and is stoned because they refused the Gospel message.

Acts 8- Philip sets out for Samaria (Jerusalem and Judea have been hit)

Acts 8:4–8 ESV

4 Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word. 5 Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ. 6 And the crowds with one accord paid attention to what was being said by Philip, when they heard him and saw the signs that he did. 7 For unclean spirits, crying out with a loud voice, came out of many who had them, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. 8 So there was much joy in that city.

Later Philip is sent to Gaza and encounters and Ethiopian eunuch who is saved and heads back to Ethiopia (Gospel to the ends of the earth).

Acts 9 - Saul is radically saved on his way to Damascus to kill Christians. Later preaches in the Synagogues as a new convert.

Acts 10- Peter has a dream that leads the church to reach into the non-Jewish population, calling the church to scatter into all people groups around the world.

Acts 13- Paul and Barnabas are sent on their first missionary journey throughout the Romans empire.

Rest of Acts- Paul and many other disciples are scattered throughout the world to preach Jesus to the lost.

The church grows and it’s impact and influence grow.

Our lives have a greater purpose.

We often look at the stories in Acts as missionary tells like the ones we here from international missionaries or church planters in some far away place.

But we are missing something so central our identity as believers in Jesus and as members of His Church/Family.

As Paul, Barnabas, Peter, and others were going to far away lands, there were many many more believers in Jerusalem, Ephesus, Iconium, Lystra, Corinth, Rome, and many other places who were being used by God to impact and influence the place they lived.

The Church in those early years grew not only, or even primarily, because of Paul, Peter, and the other disciples, but because of those believers in their towns and cities who were seeking to live out the faith they had received in the places God had placed them, among the people God had placed around them.

The call to be a missionary is not only, or even primarily, a call to go somewhere far away, it is a call to BE a follower of Jesus WHERE EVER, WHEN EVER, and around WHOM EVER.

Our lives have a much greater purpose then simply to live, work, retire, and die.

God has made us and saved us, and brought us into this family that we might be used by Him to make His name known.

We are a SCATTERING people.

This is Paul’s message in 2 Corinthians 5

2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

This is such a well know passage, all who are in Christ are NEW CREATIONS!

Saved by the blood, set free from our sin, given a hope for New life here and eternal life when we die.

But that is not the end of Paul’s description of our identity.

2 Corinthians 5:18–21 ESV

18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

What does it mean to be an Ambassador for Christ?

To SERVE like Jesus.

Ministers of Reconciliation

What has happened to us in 5:17 makes us into the ministers of reconciliation

The word “Reconciliation” means to restore broken relationships and peace where hostility and discord have existed.

God has reconciled us to himself (brought us back into relationship with Him) through the blood of Jesus.

“In Christ God was reconciling the world to Himself...”

But then, through us being reconciled to God, He send us out as reconciler of those we are sent to live alongside.

To be agents of His reconciling work.

This isn’t just mediating relationship conflict (though includes that).

We are called to show others the reconciling work of God our father.

We typically don’t live like every aspect of our lives is to be lived like we are followers of Jesus.

We as westerners have the awful habit of compartmentalizing our lives.

Who we are at home is different then who we are at work.

When we are at the ball field we speak and act differently then we would if we were with church friends.

But to be a minister of reconciliation our New Identity ought to permeate every area of our lives.

Work, home, school, the ball field, out with buddies…or where ever we are.

To SPEAK about Jesus.

TO be agents of reconciliation we must understand ourselves also as “Messengers of reconciliation”

You ever met someone who talks differently depending on the person they are around?

If they are at home they speak with a southern draw, but if they are at work they sound like a prim and proper gentleman.

Or preachers who get on stage and start talking in “preacher voice” (I try not to have preacher voice).

It isn’t just the tone or the inflection in our voices that change based on who we are around, it is also the content.

We compartmentalize our message as much as we compartmentalize our lives.

The Gospel is not just good news for church people.

It is good news for everyone and speaks to the struggles, trials, and questions everyone you come into contact with is dealing with.

1 Peter 3:15 ESV

15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,

Peter tells us to be ready in ANY situation or location to give reason to the hope you have in Jesus.

But He also adds “with gentleness and respect”.

That is important in our world today, which is full of beliefs, convictions, opinions, and advice, but is not always given respectfully and gently.

But we are bearers of a message that speaks to the needs of all and, compelled by love, we ought to be speaking that message every chance we get.

Who do you speak Jesus to, or why are you not?

To SHOW Jesus by our lives.

Ambassadors for Christ

How can we be influential here so that will would be missed if we were gone?

By representing Jesus where ever we work, live, play, and serve.

By living out the way of Jesus in our marriages, families, and all other avenues and areas of life.

God has placed us in our neighborhood, jobs, families, and pockets of people to show what it means to be reconciled to God.

Check out this map.

I took every address we have in our database and plotted them on a map.

Not all showed up and some might be outdated, others might not be in the database yet.

But just look at the spread of people all throughout Ohio County (even Butler county).

What if every one of us understood that dot on the map our Jersualem, our mission field close to our home.

Now in your brains put a marker on where you work everyday.

What about where you go out to eat some time during the week.

Where you get your hair cut.

Where you do your grocery shopping, banking...

Where you take your kids for sports and other activities.

Imagine the people you come into contact with.

It is no accident that God has placed you in those places intentionally.

He is making an appeal THROUGH YOU! WOW What a calling!

Agents of reconciliation.

Messengers of Hope and Life

Representative of the Kingdom of God

A life of radical, glorious, eternal purpose for all of us who have been reconciled to God and are now called the Church.

That is more than a building, more than a weekly event, more than a club, or a social service organization.

Response

We need not become obsolete because the God who called us, saved us, brought us together, and sustains us day by day has not and will never become obsolete

And is mission and purpose for us has not be thwarted, so may we all embrace it, live it, and do it all together as we gather and scattered as the people of God.

We will not be influential by simply meeting on Sundays or even gathering in groups throughout the week.

Our influence comes from us ALL embracing this wonderful mission God has for each of us who have trusted in Him for salvation and brought us into this family.

May we all commit to be a gathering AND scattering people for the glory of Christ and the good of one another.