Sunday, July 4, 2021: Finding Hope at White Bluff - Genesis 12:1-4, Philippians 2:3-5, Matthew 16:18

Introduction

My first couple of Sundays at White Bluff, we’ve been talking about Hope. We’ve discussed that every person in all the world needs hope, and everlasting, never ending hope is found in Jesus alone. Last week, we talked about the importance of our life’s story, and how we need to allow the intersection of our life’s story, the good, the bad, and the ugly, with our encounter with Jesus to be known by all the world. Because, in Jesus there is hope, there is healing, peace, comfort, and so many other wonderful things. Not just that, but when others hear our life’s story, it burns like a wildfire that consumes everything around it. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness cannot extinguish it.

Today, our topic is “How do we have hope at White Bluff?” I would like to hone in on three critical elements that will allow the united body of Christ to experience hope as the church of God. Now, I remember my days of old in Waycross when the Christian Church used to say that they were the only Christians in town. And while I went along with it and appreciated the sentiment, that’s not what we’re talking about here. We’re talking about White Bluff UMC in Savannah, GA, yes. But we’re also talking about how White Bluff and its members are a part of a far greater church of all people who profess faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior. So, let’s get started.

I read an article this past week that said, “In order to set goals, do the following. Write down everything on a sheet of paper that even remotely may be a goal for you in your context. Now look at your sheet. How many did you come up with? Many people come up with 15 or 20 or 25. Now highlight the top three. Focus on those top three. Give your time and energies to those top three. What should you do with the other 12 or 17 or 22? Do not give them your time and resources. Why? Because you only have a finite amount of time and a finite amount of resources, and your time and resources need to be used on the things you value most. It does not mean that all the other goals are not important. It means that we have a limited amount of time and resources and we want to use them most effectively for building up the Kingdom of God.” I liked that, not because I like excluding things. Because, indeed I like to include everybody and everything most of the time… almost too much. But with our finite amount of time and resources at White Bluff, it will be important for us to quantify with our leadership what our priorities will be… to hone in and focus on those priorities… to do exceedingly well at the priorities… not to the exclusion of everything else, but because we realize we can only do so much, and we want to excel at what we do.

I’d like for us to discuss today the importance of worship, building one another up within the body of Christ, and reaching a lost world for Jesus Christ. While there are a ton of other functions of the church, for our time today, I believe these three will suffice.

What is Worship?

Genesis 12:1-4

12 The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.

2 “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”

4 So Abram went, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Harran.

Worship should be God-centered and Christ-centered. It is not about entertaining Christians with flashy displays or presentations, but about expressing our love by worshiping our Creator. We are to praise and glorify God in worship. As such, every Christian needs to be part of regular worship. In fact, everything we do should come out of worshipping of God, whether it is individually or corporately. Worship is about being obedient to the will of God so that God can Bless us. Worshipping God can take many forms.

In Genesis 12:1 and 4 the Lord tells Abram to “Go” and then Abraham went. In between, God gives a very clear understanding of what blessing will look like if Abram follows the will of God. Not only is that a good word for Abraham, but also for White Bluff! If we Go were he tells us to Go, then he will make of us a great nation. He will bless those who bless us and curse those who curse us. But the key is to ‘Go’. Perhaps one of the most well known passages that tells us to “Go” is Matthew 28:19. Go and make disciples. I believe that going is much more than evangelism. It is about a lifestyle that seeks to worship God, and then the blessings of God avail themselves. Another familiar passage that comes to mind is Malachi 3:10, “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,' says the LORD Almighty, 'and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.” In this case, we worship God through our tithe or giving to God. The blessing of giving is that God will throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that we will not be able to store it. But it starts with worship. A wise man once said, “Worship is attributing worth-ship to God.” It is about finding God worthy of our worship. Abram worshipped God through steadfast obedience to relocating the people to God’s chosen land. Malachi realized that giving the tenth of his income was an act of worship that brought great blessing. You and I should worship God not just on Sunday mornings, but as a lifestyle that attributes worship to God every day of the week.

How can White Bluff grow this week? By the individual worshipping units of this church coming together to worship God with one voice that says, “God, you are worthy of our worship. Thank you for loving us. Now Lord, we want to love you back.” Do you know what I believe makes God smile a big smile? When His people together in unison worship Him. And, that’s exactly what we are doing today in this worship hour!

The other side note about Abram is that he was 75 when it all began. He was 75 when he was given the name Abraham. Abram means “exalted Father.” Abraham means “Father of many”. We are never too old to worship God and receive his blessings!

Building One Another Up

Philippians 2

3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:

The church is also a place that should build one another up and helping believers to mature in Christ. To this end, churches are tasked with a variety of ministries such as Bible study, continuing education in related areas, praying for one another, acts of genuine hospitality and more.

“In humility we should consider others better than ourselves.” You will hear me reference my grandfather, Francis Allen, a bunch in the coming years. I world of him. He was a prisoner of war and missing in action for a time during WWII. One story he told was that of befriending a British officer while in prison. The British would be shot if they tried to escape, but Americans would be recaptured and returned to the prison. So, the British soldier made a cap out of his coat and exchanged it with my granddad, who still had his officer’s hat. Eventually, the British man attempted his escape. While my granddaddy doesn’t know what happened to the man, he wouldn’t change a thing. Not only did my grandfather practice humility by considering others above himself in the war, he went on to serve in every leadership position of Cairo FUMC. It was never a question of want. It was a matter of serving because he was asked to serve. And he always did it with a smile on his face. He died in his 90’s, and the church was full the day we paid our respects to a soldier and leader, but more importantly, to a servant of God.

I believe that is what it means to build one another up. And that is a mission the big C Church needs to re-embrace. It’s not always about what we can get out of church as much as what we put into it that will make it better for the generations to come.

So, #1, Everything we do should come out of a lifestyle of worship.

#2, In all things, we should build one another up.

And #3, White Bluff should value reaching out to a lost world with the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Since people often have questions or doubts about Christ and Christianity, knowing the truth and being able to defend it (apologetics) is also part of the role of the church. But beyond evangelism in the sense of reaching out with the gospel, the church must also express compassion and mercy tangibly by helping others. In following Christ’s example to love others, the church, too, must seek to make a real difference in the world while not neglecting to share the message of Christ.

An inwardly focused church is doomed to decline and eventual closure. An outwardly focused church is a church that not only reaches its community, but it finds a vibrancy within the church as well. In my conversations this past week, a few people said the same thing. When key events happen during the year, it’s always fun to watch the children and youth participate. Right now, White Bluff only has a handful of younger people in the church. I’m a big baseball fan. I love my Atlanta Braves. Here’s what I know about the Braves. They have their ups and downs. They have their good years and bad years. But in the years they do better, they have stocked the farm system with exceptional talent. Acuna and Freeman didn’t just hit the major leagues ready to go. It was an intentional process that brought them into the organizational and nurtured them until they were ready to take the mantle of leadership themselves.... “the Braves way.”

But unlike baseball, God is the head of the organization. We are his hands and feet, going where he leads us. He doesn’t want us to make stuff up, he wants us to be obedient.

Matthew 16:18

18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades[b] will not overcome it.

On this rock I will build my church! Remember in the Old and New Testament what the cornerstone was? It was the rock the builders rejected and yet it became the chief stone, the cornerstone, that rock on which the foundation of the church is built.

That rock is Jesus! You and I are not the foundation of the church. You and I are the workers who are blessed to be allowed to build His Church, and we do that by bringing others into it!

Conclusion

If a church fails to fulfill any of these key roles – worship, building up one another, or evangelism – then the church is not functioning as God intends. Granted, there are times when churches face challenges and struggles to one degree or another, but a healthy church seeks to overcome such challenges in a way that honors God and His intentions for His church.

True everlasting hope is found in Jesus alone. It is at his table that we find life to the fullest, but as individuals and corporately as White Bluff United Methodist Church. Remember, the church is not a building or a steeple… the church is the people!

I invite you to take in hand your communion elements at this time. As you are directed by our ushers, you will be invited to come to the table of our Lord and partake in Holy Communion. Also, I invite you to pray. Pray for God to strengthen you and our church for the days ahead. As you are directed by our ushers, you are invited to come to the table of our Lord.