Who We Are - The Church
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Happy New Year! Big thanks to Keith and Jeff. Great messages on the gifts of change…and really on how the spirit changes us and uses us. Changing to be used by God and paying attention to God and His spirit for how where those changes lead us to serve and shine His light.
We’re going to, in a way, keep moving along that same vein. On Christmas Eve you might have heard me talk about the idea of chasing life. We often chase life don’t we? We chase meaning and significance and purpose and success and security and relationships. And often we do it in our own way or the way we’ve heard others say is correct. We chase life...
If you remember, if you were hear, we read some scripture that led us to a different approach. :) Jesus came to give it to us. We don’t have to chase it. Amen?
Our text that we’re going to look at in just…in case you want to bookmark it ahead of time will be from Mark chapter 6.
I think there are ton of people seeking life…chasing it. Finding little truths here or there … and then sometimes chasing after the wrong things...
you know…5 steps to this…or 8 steps to stop doing that.
And many of these ways move far from what our creator might say about it…and then attempting to say that their way is the best way or the right way to live.
Jennifer was taking an afternoon nap so she would be able to be awake to see the New Year end later that night at the big party that had been planned.
After she woke up, she confided to Clayton, her husband, 'I just dreamed that you gave me a diamond ring for a New Year's present. What do you think it all means?'
'Wow, let me just say, you'll know tonight,' Clayton answered with a big smile.
At midnight, as the New Year was chiming in, and people left and right were kissing their sweethearts, Clayton approached Jennifer, kissed her while holding her a long time, then he handed her a small package.
Ecstatic and delighted, she opened it quickly.
There in her hand rested a book entitled: 'The meaning of dreams'.
Well sometimes we’re like that young lady…we chase meaning in life.
There’s no end to the list of people who want to help the rest of humanity find the “good life” or the “full life”…I think with the best of intentions…but they disregard the idea that God might be real and might really have something to say about it.
The people in Jesus’ time were no different. They might not have had social media or television or youtube. But they had books and education and the rumor mill and the like. Plato’s and Aristotle’s ideas about life had been around for a few hundred years before Jesus. Their philosophies about life had been around for awhile.
There were other philosophers for sure…teachers of “truth.”
The Jewish people had their scribes…those who kept the Old Testament text true and secure…making sure that it was copied and interpreted correctly.
They also had the Pharisees who would push the people to follow the law…the Law of Moses (found in Exodus Leviticus Numbers Deuteronomy). Given by God. They also added steps to these laws which in essence became law themselves. Made it very tough for the people to “live life.”
Example: Sabbath - dragging a chair…dirt floor…plowing = work
They had the priests who helped keep the act of worship holy and dedicated to God…following the law. These guys also treaded lightly with the Romans who watched every step they took because of the Roman occupation.
Many little villages had their own synagogue and synagogue leadership. Helping people to help each other remember God, His ways etc…but they often would rely on everyone’s collected wisdom in interpreting God’s instructions for life.
Which leads to the next thing…the ideas that Roman culture brought. Roman education, Roman wisdom, Roman philosophy, Roman religion. The best ways to live life. The right things to do the wrong things to do. They had…according to them…the best way to live. The Roman way of life. They had Herod Antipas Pontius Pilate…Roman leaders whom they were under.
These people had many many many leaders trying to help, or coerce people, in living the “right” way. Religious leaders, popular leaders, educators, …all trying to help people. Now of course we can probably look at these people in a couple of different categories....those who were selfish for power…they enjoyed being leaders. They enjoyed the power. Or they weren’t wanting power…they just really thought they had figured life out.
So many leaders…so many people who thought they knew the secret of life and wanted to share it for various reasons.
We have that don’t we? We have people all around us wanting to lead us. We have movements that want to influence and shape us. Politics can easily fit into this can’t it. What are the best values to have and what you do to live according to these values. Education....Religious....Social media influencers....the list goes on…and for sure we’ve talked about this before. But these people …again…some for selfish reasons…some because they think they’ve figured out a secret…think that they have the best way of life....and they try to influence or lead others right?
As you listen or watch people this week…watch for people who try to influence you into thinking they have the best way to live life. Now…you will probably find nuggets of truth and there…but you’ll see this process happening.
Now - just thinking…confessing - how many of you have had times in your life where you thought you were doing pretty well? You tried certain things, jobs, relationships…successes and failures…you thought you had something that was going to make you happy happy happy in life…give you joy and peace…and then - you found out that what you were doing trying jumping into did not work out like you had originally thought.
Anyone?? I’m sure there are more of you who have your hand down that probably could lift it right? Let’s look at this a different way. How many of know of someone who tries and tries and tries in life…maybe sometimes very successful in life…but in the end…is never satisfied with life? Maybe something here or there but is struggling with failure? Anyone know someone like that?
Let’s look at our text in Mark 6. Specifically we’re going to look at one verse but first I want to give you the context here in Mark. What’s happening around the time of what is written.
Jesus has gotten His 12 together. He is traveling with them and teaching. He has recently visited His hometown of Nazareth and nobody there seems to care much for His words. But then he sends out the 12 to the area villages and towns to teach and perform miracles and its happening. People are beginning to respond to His message… so much so that the name Jesus is becoming more and more known. It seems that in this time John the Baptist is also beheaded by Herod. But when the disciples had finished their ministry tours…their mission trips…they come back to Jesus and He encourages them to rest after hearing their stories. Here’s about where we find our text verse for the day. They get into a boat to move away from the crowd for awhile…but there were so many people …those people saw them getting into a boat…and by now the disciples and Jesus, the text says, are becoming recognizable.
So the people said…there they go! Word got out and people ran ahead of them…spreading the word where they were going…and the crowds got to the other side of the lake and were waiting for Him. Not much down time.
Our text for the day is next
34 When he went ashore, he saw a large crowd and had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. Then he began to teach them many things.
Notice how Mark writes this. And this is the beginning of the miracle of Jesus feeding the 5000. This account is in all four gospels by the way…neat trivia for you.
But Mark…he writes this. “…He had compassion on them...” Why? Because “…they were like sheep without a shepherd.”
These people had tons of shepherds. Tons of people leading them. Tons of people who had the best way to live! Lots of shepherds. But what does Jesus say about them?
They were like sheep without a shepherd. My guess? These people were searching. They were interested. They were the ones who had heard it all from all of these other leaders and influencers in their lives and what they were trying was not working. It was not bringing eternal peace. It wasn’t bringing the purpose or meaning they were searching for in life.
They hadn’t gotten that sense that…”wow, life now makes sense to me! I’ve figured it all out!”
Maybe short term happiness here and there but…but their lives were not “fulfilled” like they knew they could be…maybe even like they should be.
I would suppose that most of these people were Jews as well. Those who knew they were children of God…but wow, life still wasn’t getting it. Something was missing. Many were probably looking for the Messiah…they knew the Old Testament stories and probably the rumors going around that the Messiah might be here.
And in a group this large…think about this…I’m sure…there are families, people who traveled far from home to catch a glimpse of this guy. There were working people, probably those who were pretty well off. Poor, sick, those struggling with joblessness. There were probably some who had criminal records. Some struggling with mental health. Some who were struggling with relationships. Some who had experienced extreme loss. Some who were leaders in their own rights.
One thing in common among all of them though.....
What was Jesus feeling and what did He do in response? Compassion.
He saw them as people who needed THE shepherd. They all needed a savior.
And what did He do? He spent time with them…teaching them about God, about the Kingdom that He was bringing, New Life, about sin and repentance…about Him. Then He began to teach them many things…is what the text say
What do you think He was teaching them?
You know I think we can make some very safe assumptions here. I think we can easily read into the text some safe guesses.
We can answer this question by going back and looking at all the reasons Jesus came…to be born to grow…and live among His people, to die, to live again.
Remember what we lost…in the beginning, when sin presented itself through the selfishness of Adam and Eve. We lost a perfect relationship with our creator. And here He is…walking towards a crowd of people…who are eternally separated from Him because of sin…the sin that He would soon be dying for? …so that they could soon be with Him forever …life as it was intended to be…returning. He beginning to make all things new. This is His foundation of compassion.
These people are His creation. They are the ones who are without their Shepherd.
So you might be asking…Ok Ed....the title had to do with the church. What’s this have to do with us?
Jesus at one point said that He was going to build the church and that the Gates of Hell would not be able to overpower it…the church that is…His family, His body, His people. That’s us.
There are many ways that we can be kind to people and how we can serve people and be generous with them. That’s true kindness. You all giving up your time and energy and your own possessions to give to other people. That’s true giving.
Is that what Jesus, our model for life, is having compassion over here in this text? No it’s not. We know that because in a number of hours…he’s going to notice that they are getting hungry and he’ll help to feed them with a miracle…feeding 5000+ with a couple of fish and 5 loaves of bread. He took care of the physical needs. But before that…he was teaching them…because of His compassion for them. What was He teaching them? I’m guessing this…and His common message is recorded in many places in the Gospel and then affirmed in the letters of the New Testament.
Jesus was teaching them about living…truly living in reality. In view of God.
When we, as the body of Christ…the ones who go in the name of Jesus and in His power with His spirit, when we serve, spend time with others…do we do it with this kind of compassions? Not just looking for their earthly physical needs, but truly seeing the long game? Do we see people who truly need Jesus? Are we driven to serve because we then will have an open door to share the true Gospel (Good News) message with them?
…that Jesus is real. That He was born and did die for them. That they need to believe and repent…because of sin? And that He offers them so much more than this world can ever even begin to give. He offers them true…eternal…life. The life that He created for them.
Is that what drives our compassion?
I think Jesus saw people who had been deceived by Satan, the one who He calls the thief..who steals life…lies to us and gives us a false sense of reality.
And here the Creator is…wanting to bring the Kingdom…wanting to reveal true reality. The true meaning of life…life with Him.
Is this what drives our compassion?
Please know that I don’t ask that question for the purpose of quilt.
Personal story…someone messaged me…needed help. Their family needed help.
Jesus did not have pity....he truly knew why He was there.
Those people needed. Him.
We now carry this message. His message.
What Did Jesus Do?
It’s significant to notice what Jesus did NOT do
—He didn’t entertain them;
He didn’t try to lure them with social attractions;
He didn’t seek to wow them with a charismatic personality.
He simply instructed them in what they needed to know.
Information…truth…that would help them see who they really were and what they really needed. …and this wasn’t just what they needed to have a more successful 401K plan.
So again, what drives our compassion? That’s a big question isn’t it?
Now…I’m not sure if many people there figured out completely who Jesus was that day. But if its true that they might have responded the way others responded throughout the gospels, we would probably see people tilting their heads, squinting their eyes…thinking this man speaks words like no one else does.
He’s different. I need to hear more. Follow Him more…there’s something there …something I need.
Here’s what drove His compassion. Those people needed Him as their savior. He was the only one who could save them. He was the only one who could forgive their sin. He was the only one who could bring them into eternity with God.
HE was the only one. It was why He came. Sure He wanted to bring a little bit of heaven to them and help them and heal them…but ultimately He wanted to heal their hearts…so they could be with Him forever. Not lost forever.
This is why He had compassion on them. They were sheep with their Shepherd. They were lost.
How will we, as the church…as the body of Christ…view other people this week? Or…from here on out? Will we just see people who might need a little bit of truth here or there or will we…as the church…as the body of Christ…the ones who carry His message (the good news) will we see others as people who truly need Jesus…who might be lost without Him? Will we see others with that kind of compassion?
Let’s pray for the spirit to truly begin to change our hearts so that He can use us in new and different ways this week so that …just maybe…we might help someone see who Jesus really and truly is.
If you need to make a decision today for Jesus like you never have before, I pray that you would. I’ll be right up here and there will be some others who will pray with you if you need that too. That’s what we’re here for. So I encourage you to make your way up here.
Let’s pray - Lord, we come before you now…humbly before you…knowing that sometimes we race through life selfishly. Sometimes we don’t look around us…looking with your eyes…with your heart. Lord change us from the inside out so we can have compassion the way Jesus did. Help us to rely fully on your spirit for the encouragement, the will, the where with all, the bravery to maybe do or say things that might have a lasting and eternal impact on those around us this week.
We are all in need of Jesus as our Shepherd. We admit that…we know we’re not perfect. So many things to repent of. But we are grateful we have Jesus. You in the flesh. Who came to die for the sin that we can’t get rid of…so we can be with you forever. Help us to always be in view of the long game…not just the day to day things. Help us to have the heart of Jesus.
It is in His name that we pray…Amen.
Now.....this is just a jump off point. We’re going to be looking at idea of what the church does…what we can get better at doing.
One New Year’s Day, in the Tournament of Roses parade, a beautiful float suddenly sputtered and quit. It was out of gas. The whole parade was held up until someone could get a can of gas. The amusing thing was this float represented the Standard Oil Company. With its vast oil resources, its truck was out of gas.
Even though Christians have access to God’s omnipotence, if we do not avail ourselves to it we will run out of power.