Is our congregation part of Jesus' church?

focusPoints: Announcement From Heaven

Revelation 1:4-8 is an announcement from heaven. In verse eight, heaven is telling us that Jesus is the beginning and the end, first and the last. It has always been that way. It is true today. It will always be that way. Jesus is the only thing that really matters!


forwardPoints:

Let's remember what a difference Jesus has made in this world. Without Jesus our world would be a different place.

Here are three reminders from REVELATION 1:4-8:

1-Reminder One: Without Jesus there would be no faith.

2-Reminder Two: Without Jesus there would be no church.

3-Reminder Three: Without Jesus there would be no hope.

(Fookes: Stockwell UMC Worship Message, 25 November 2007)


fellowshipPoints:

Everyone of us is too narrow in our understanding. We don’t want upsets in our lives, or changes in our habits, or threats to our opinions…Telling God it’s okay to change an institution we lean into for stability (like our church) is really scary. But we need to do it.

The narrowing of focus is a huge risk for every one of us. This insider focus is chaplaincy. It is not the vibrant ministry of the Gospel. The danger of that mind-set, sweet-spirited as it may be, is that it focuses on the church as an end in itself.

Here is the highlight: people who were not raised in the church are different…The hard news for us is that we can’t communicate well through the theological words or concepts that we’ve worked so hard to learn and now take for granted!

We had to re-think almost everything we were doing. We weren’t talking about our faith …We had never thought of all the little ways our worship and our educational classes made unchurched people feel awkward or ignorant. Why had we assumed that being nice was enough?

Remember, growing churches are changing. After a while, we will have to sacrifice things we love to help new people move into faith.

In some ways, our lives are a continual process of surrendering the old and adjusting to the new … We consistently face something new. Sometimes conflict will enrage and scare us.

(Reese: Unbinding the Gospel)

findingPoints:

Considering Fookes illustration points (without Jesus there would be no faith, no church, no hope) with Reese’s declaration that faith, church, and hope are often hijacked from Jesus and made to be what closed societies we know as congregations want them to be:

What are some of our congregation’s culture that are foreign to unchurched persons?




What are some of the ways Jesus would recognize this congregation as a group of believers in community?




What are some of the ways Jesus would not recognize this congregation as a part of His bride?




What are some things we could do that may be beyond that which we now know how to do, that would make our congregation evident as part of Jesus’ bride?




faithPoints:

Meditate in prayer on discovering how you can make yourself a recognizable part of Jesus’ bride.

25 November 2007--Christ The King Sunday

This is the last Sunday on the liturgical calendar. It is called CHRIST THE KING Sunday. Next week we begin a brand new Christian year with the first Sunday of Advent. On Christ the King Sunday we celebrate the completeness of Jesus. He sits in authority over all the political powers of our world. It is a good time to remember all that Christ has done for us. So, for this reason we turn to the last book of the Bible.

The book of Revelation was written by the Apostle John near the end of the first century A.D. John is arrested and sent to the island of Patmos, a Roman penal settlement. It is there that he writes the book of Revelation. This book is a collection of a series of visions that he has. This morning's scripture lesson comes from the very first chapter of this book.

Revelation 1:4-8 is an announcement from heaven. In verse eight, heaven is telling us that Jesus is the beginning and the end, first and the last. It has always been that way. It is true today. It will always be that way. Jesus is the only thing that really matters! Let's remember what a difference Jesus has made in this world. Without Jesus our world would be a different place.

So, here are three reminders from REVELATION 1:4-8:

1-Reminder One: Without Jesus there would be no faith.

2-Reminder Two: Without Jesus there would be no church.

3-Reminder Three: Without Jesus there would be no hope.


The words of Christian from the late fourth century gives some perspective. This is what he said (speaking of Jesus):

*He began His ministry by being hungry, yet He is the Bread of
Life.

*Jesus ended His earthly ministry by being thirsty, yet He is the Living Water.

*Jesus was weary, yet He is our rest. Jesus paid tribute, yet He
is the King.

*Jesus was accused of having a demon, yet He cast out demons.

*Jesus wept, yet He wipes away our tears.

*Jesus was sold for thirty pieces of silver, yet He redeemed the world.

*Jesus was brought as a lamb to the slaughter, yet He is the Good Shepherd.

*Jesus died, yet His death He destroyed the power of death.

11 November 2007--Three Great Truths Emerging

focusPoints: Just when we’re sure of our direction, God may have other plans.

In I Kings 17:8-16, we meet a widow who is in dire straits. She and her son are facing starvation. He had just enough flour and oil for one last meal. But God had other plans! He sent his prophet Elijah to ask this widow to share what she had with him. It didn't make much sense to do this, but as it turned out, God provided. The woman and her son were the big winners. Her supply of flour and oil never ran out. Elijah helped to bring the miraculous power of God into action.


forwardPoints:

Three great truths emerge from this Scripture from I Kings 17:

1. No one is so poor or weak or helpless as to escape God's notice.

2. The widow's security was not in her possessions.

3. God will out-give us every time.

Additional Scriptures to ponder:
+ Malachi 3:10
+ Luke 6:38

(Fookes: Stockwell UMC Worship Message, 11 November 2007)


fellowshipPoints:

Conventional wisdom tells us that if we give, we will have less to live on and to spend. But the Gospel truth is that if you give out of gratitude and obedience, God will out-give you every.

Personal stories of faith unbind the Gospel for others making it relevant for today. But sharing one’s faith is only a good first step. The Christian faith is built upon relationships, including a Trinity of Relationship—with God, with people outside the church, with people inside the church. Stories and relationships lead to transformed lives; that's what new members want and current members need to remember.

(Reese: Unbinding the Gospel)

findingPoints:

Considering Fookes illustration points (God notices us, our security need not be in our possessions, and God out gives us) with Reese’s Trinity of Relationship (with God, with people outside the church, and with people inside the church), reflect on the following:


When is a time I recall that God noticed me? How did I know God was noticing me?




How does my relationship with God help me understand that my security is not in my possessions?




How do I react when “God out gives me?”




How would I explain my relationship (or the relationship I would like to have) to God to someone else?




How do relationships with people inside the church hinder my relationship with God?




How do my relationships with people outside the church increase my relationship with God?




faithPoints:

Meditate in prayer on discovering how you can make yourself willing, ready, and able to implement God’s plans in your life.

Celebrating Laity--November 4, 2007--Inverting the Initiative

I. Instilling Initiative
A. Impacting Initiative
B. Illustrating Initiative
II. Imaging Initiative
A. Instructional Initiative
B. Introspective Initiative
III. Integrating Initiative
A.Interrupting Initiative
B.Intergenerative Initiative
IV. Increasing Initiative
A. Illuminating Initiative
B. Intriguing Initiative

Today is salvation day—For the Son of Man came to find and restore the lost. Luke 19:1-10

Grace and shalom come from God the Father and the Lord Yeshua the Messiah when trust grows greater, and the love we each have for one another continues to increase. 2 Thessalonians 1:1-4, 11-12

The vision is meant for its appointed time—It may take a while, but wait for it; it will surely come, it will not delay. Habakkuk 1:1-4, 2:1-4