Purpose of LHBC
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Intro: Again this week we there were multiple stories in the news about how COVID 19 has destroyed the mental health of so many people. Suicide among teen girls is the highest it has ever been. They are not the only ones being affected. Stats show that across the board people are struggling.
Churches are struggling too. With some major shifts in church attendance after lockdowns, churches are asking themselves, “Why are we doing this?”
Our church has a purpose statement. You may have read our purpose statement on one of those slides that flash by on the screen after the service is over and we are enjoying fellowship.
Here it is:
Living in the assurance of Christ’s salvation, we glorify God by sharing the truth of God’s Word and serving one another with hope and compassion.
1. Living in the assurance of Christ’s salvation,
A. Like our church name, our purpose statement starts with the word “living”.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
B. Assurance gives us hope!
but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
Assurance brings predictability
Think of it! The more we can predict what is coming, the better off we are. It can help us grow and help us with living in peace.
C. Christ’s salvation unites us!
In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.
2. we glorify God by sharing
A. God is worthy of all glory!
OT based
And God spoke all these words, saying, “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. “You shall have no other gods before me. “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments. “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.
I have often said that we do not live by the OT law in this church, but we live by GRACE! However, the OT tells us so much about God and how He thinks that we can ignore The Law and it’s teachings!
The ongoing importance of glorifying God was backed up by Jesus Christ.
“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”
So Jesus Himself brings this OT teaching of glorifying God into the New Testament dispensation (time frame).
Paul also said we are to live to bring God glory!
that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.
B. We were not created to live in isolation – so we share!
· the truth of God’s Word
Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
George Orwell once said, “ The further a society drifts from the truth, the more it will hate those who speak it.”
and serving one another
We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.” For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus,
Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace:
3. All we do as a church is to be done with hope and compassion.
A. We don’t do what we do because we are right, but because God gives us hope and compassion.
This church exists to lift our eyes and our minds from self-centredness to the far superior God centric view. You can live in a marriage where one person is self-centred, but it is never as good as a marriage that has both parties focused on the interest and love of the other. This is a picture of Christ and His church according to Eph. 5:25-27
B. Hope because it is what God gives and people in this world need!
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.
Who doesn’t need more joy and peace in life? As Josh was preaching from Jonah last week, he reminded us that even those we personally would like to hate are worthy of God’s mercy. People who are far from God also find themselves far from joy and peace and hope. This church exists to invite people, that God brings into our path, into a life abounding with those wonderful characteristics.
C. Compassion - Who doesn’t need it?!
For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”
Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience,
Compassion is an expression of an invitation to a better life. Compassion does not lower a persons feelings, mindset, or living standard. Compassion raises others up to a plane where we are - for their betterment.
As Christians, we understand that we are on that plain because of God’s grace, mercy, and compassion on us! As a church, we can use all that God has built into our lives collectively to lift others up.
Conclusion: Living Hope Baptist Church exists to glorify God as we live, learn and serve together.
Are you living with the assurance of salvation?
Are we growing in the Truth of God’s word?
Is our service of others bringing hope and compassion?