SERMON: I BELIEVE IN THE FORGIVENESS OF SIN

Preached by Gregory W. Lee
27 April 2008

I. Introduction
-- turn in Bibles to Psalm 32 --

1. Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.
2. Blessed is the man whose sin the LORD does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit.
3. When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.
4. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. Selah
5. Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD"-- and you forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah

-- this morning we are going to be continuing in our series on the Apostles Creed -- and we'll be looking at the next line in the creed, "I Believe in the Forgiveness of Sin"
-- when we proclaim in the creed, "I Believe in the Forgiveness of Sin," we are doing two things -- first, we are proclaiming that we believe in the power of God to forgive sin -- and, secondly, we are also proclaiming that sin is real -- that it is something in our lives and in this world -- and that it is something that needs to be forgiven

-- in Isaiah 5:20, the Bible says, "Woe to those who call evil good" -- and in our society today, that is exactly what we have been doing -- rarely will anyone call sin what it is -- we hide it under nice platitudes or we just don't talk about it for fear of offending someone
-- in the 1950's, C.S. Lewis pointed out that evangelism was difficult because people didn't recognize themselves as sinners or that they were doing anything wrong -- and I would contend that this situation has gotten progressively worse to our day
-- that's one reason why the prayer that Rev. Wright delivered in January 1996 to open the Kansas House of Representatives session for that year was met with such hostility -- let me share with you part of his prayer:

Heavenly Father -- We come before You today to ask Your Forgiveness and seek Your direction and guidance -- We know Your Word says, ''Woe to those who call evil good,'' but that's exactly what we have done -- We have lost our Spiritual equilibrium and inverted our values

-- We confess that we have ridiculed the absolute truth of Your Word and called it pluralism
-- We have worshiped other gods and called it multiculturalism
-- We have endorsed perversion and called it an alternative lifestyle
-- We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery
-- We have neglected the needy and called it self preservation
-- We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare
-- We have killed our unborn and called it choice -- We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable
-- We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self-esteem
-- We have abused power and called it political savvy
-- We have coveted our neighbor's possessions and called it ambition
-- We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression
-- And we have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment [SOURCE: http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/k/kansasprayer.htm]

-- What a great and remarkable prayer -- and what courage Rev. Wright had to stand up before the legislators in his state and name sin for what it is and then to ask God to forgive this nation for those very sins -- if anyone is interested in a copy of this prayer, let me know, and I'll be happy to send it to you
-- What Rev. Wright did in this prayer is exactly what we do when we stand up and recite the Apostle's Creed and say, "I believe in the forgiveness of sin" -- we are proclaiming the reality of sin and acknowledging that we are all sinners

-- as it says in Proverbs 20:9, "Who can say, "I have kept my heart pure; I am clean and without sin"?" -- and in Romans 3:23, "All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God"
-- when we proclaim the reality of sin and acknowledge that we are all sinners, it leads us to the obvious questions, "What is sin and where did sin come from?"

II. The Definition and Origin of Sin
-- so, what is sin? -- well, the Bible gives us several definitions of sin -- in 1 John 3:4, we are told that sin is lawlessness -- and in 1 John 5:17, we are told that all wrongdoing is sin
-- the Greek word for sin is harmatia -- it is an archery term that literally means, "missing the mark" -- falling short of God's standard
-- the story is told of two men who were trying to escape an erupting volcano -- as the fiery lava gushed out of the crater, they fled in the only direction open to them -- all went well until they came to a stream of hot, smoking lava about 30 feet across -- sizing up their situation, they realized that their only hope was to get across that wide barrier
-- one of the men was old -- the other was young and healthy -- with a running start, they each tried to leap to safety -- the first man went only a few feet in the air before falling into the lava -- the younger man, with his greater strength and skill, catapulted himself much farther -- though he almost made it, he still missed the mark -- it didn't matter that he out-distanced his companion, because he, too, fell into the lava and died
-- that is what sin is -- falling short of God's standard

-- but, where did it come from? -- the Bible is mostly silent on the origin of sin -- but most scholars agree that sin was the only thing that Satan ever created -- you know, we talk about how Satan can only counterfeit what God does -- how he cannot really create on his own -- but scholars believe that Satan created sin by giving in to his own evil desire to make himself greater than God
-- Ezekiel 28:14-17 recounts the steps that Satan took into sin -- you can either turn there with me or just listen as I read them

14. You were anointed as a guardian cherub, for so I ordained you. You were on the holy mount of God; you walked among the fiery stones.
15. You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created till wickedness was found in you.
16. Through your widespread trade you were filled with violence, and you sinned. So I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God, and I expelled you, O guardian cherub, from among the fiery stones.
17. Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor. So I threw you to the earth; I made a spectacle of you before kings.

-- Satan was created as Lucifer -- the "son of the morning" -- he was a guardian cherub -- blameless in all his ways -- until he became prideful of his position and desired to place his throne higher than God's -- at that point, God tells us that "wickedness was found in him" -- and Satan sinned and was thrown down to earth
-- that is how sin came to earth -- and that is how sin found its way to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden -- when Lucifer became Satan and came to earth, he spoke deception to Eve and tempted her to disobey God's commands concerning the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil -- and Eve gave in to that temptation -- she gave in to her desires to be like -- and sin was born into the world -- and along with sin, the consequences of sin followed

-- when we sin against God -- when we miss the mark and do wrong in our lives -- when we fail to follow God and instead choose to follow our own will -- there are consequences for our actions
-- one of the major consequences of sin is that it separates us from God -- Isaiah 59:2 says, "your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you"
-- Adam and Eve's sin caused them to be cast out of the Garden of Eden -- out of God's presence -- and into a world cursed through their actions
-- our sin puts a barrier between us and casts us out of God's presence
-- but it does more than that -- we have to pay the consequences of our sins here on earth -- there is always a price to sin -- for one moment of indulgence, we amass a fortune in debt that has to be paid
-- all we have to do is look around us or to look at the news to see the consequences of sin in our lives -- broken homes -- hurting families -- addictions to alcohol and drugs -- crime -- violence -- despair -- the signs of sin are all around us -- and it exacts a heavy price on our bodies and soul
-- Psalm 32 is David's instruction for us on sin -- it recounts his experience with the consequences of sin in his life after he had sinned with Bathsheba and had Uriah killed
-- look at verse 3 again

3. When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.
4. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. Selah

-- David tried to hide his sin -- he tried to keep it silent -- but the consequences of sin shouted through his pain -- David says that his bones wasted away -- that he groaned all day long -- the physical anguish of his guilt and pain affected him greatly
-- God's conviction was upon him -- and David's strength and vitality were sapped away
-- and just like David, the consequences of sin weigh heavy upon our souls -- they affect us greatly -- David warns us here of the consequences that he faced so that we might not be tempted to give in to sin and suffer the effects of our sin

III. Confession and Forgiveness of Sin
-- but, thankfully, the story of sin doesn't end there
-- look back at verse 1

1. Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.
2. Blessed is the man whose sin the LORD does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit.

-- David says, "Blessed is the man whose transgressions are forgiven -- whose sins are covered"
-- as the old saying says, "He that falls into sin is a man -- He that grieves at sin is a saint -- He that boasts of sin is a devil -- He that forgives our sin is God" -- in Psalm 51:4 we read that all of our sins are against God -- and so only God can forgive sin
-- we see the same thing in Mark 2:7 when the teachers of the law rightly said, "Only God can forgive sins" when Jesus told the paralytic man, "Your sins are forgiven" -- they just didn't know who they were talking to
-- forgiveness can only come from God, but forgiveness is not free -- a just and righteous and holy God demands that the penalty for sin be paid before forgiveness can be offered
-- and, since there was no way that we could pay the price of sin -- God did the only thing He could -- He came Himself to take our place and pay the penalty for our sin with His own body and blood on the cross of Calvary
-- Isaiah 53:4-5 says, "Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted -- But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed"
-- and 1 Peter 2:24 says, "He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. "
-- because Jesus took our sins on Himself -- because He became sin for us and paid the penalty for our sins -- David tells us in these verses that our transgressions and our sins are forgiven -- they are covered by the blood of Jesus -- but only if we believe in Jesus' atoning death on the cross and trust in Him for our salvation
-- look down at verse 5

5. Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD"-- and you forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah

-- David says that we have to acknowledge our sins to God -- we have to confess our sins to Him -- God already knows what you did -- He has already seen it -- He has already felt it -- He knows that you have separated yourself from Him by your actions
-- that is why God called out to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden after they sinned, "Where are you?" -- He wasn't talking about their physical location -- He was talking about their heart's location -- their heart was distant -- it was separated from Him because they had disobeyed Him and sinned against Him

-- when we confess our sins to God, we aren't telling Him a secret -- we aren't telling Him something that He doesn't already know -- what we are doing is admitting to ourselves what God already knows -- that we have sinned against Him -- that we have missed the mark -- that we have separated ourselves from Him -- but that we don't want to stay that way any longer
-- David says, "I confessed my transgressions to the Lord" -- and God forgave him for his sins
-- the Apostle John tells us the same thing in 1 John 1:9 -- "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and will purify us from all unrighteousness"

IV. Closing
-- One night in a church service, a young woman felt the tug of God at her heart -- and she responded to God's call and accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior
-- the young woman had a very rough past, involving alcohol, drugs, and prostitution -- However, the change in her was evident right from the start
-- As time went on, she became a faithful member of the church -- She eventually became involved in the ministry, and taught the young children's Sunday School class
-- It was not very long until this faithful young woman had caught the eye and heart of the pastor's son -- Their relationship grew and they began to make wedding plans -- and this is when the problems began
-- You see, about half of the church did not think that a woman with a past such as hers was suitable for the pastor's son -- while the other half disagreed -- so, the church began to argue and fight about the matter.
-- eventually, they decided to have a meeting -- As the people made their arguments and tensions increased, the meeting was getting completely out of hand
-- The young woman became very upset about all the things being brought up about her past, and she started to sob deeply
-- As she began to cry, the pastor's son stood up and asked to speak -- he could not bear the pain this meeting and this division in their church was causing his fiance -- and he began to speak -- "My fiancé's past is not what is on trial here -- What you are questioning is the ability of the blood of Jesus to wash away sin -- Today you have put the blood of Jesus on trial -- and the question before us is, "does it wash away sin or not?"

-- when we recite the Apostle's Creed and say, "I believe in the forgiveness of sins," we are proclaiming our faith in the power of Jesus' blood to wash away sin -- we are proclaiming our faith in the mercy and grace of God to forgive us for our sins
-- we are proclaiming that we believe in the reality and power of sin in our lives -- and that we know that God's grace is greater than all our sins
-- when we stand up and say, "I believe in the forgiveness of sins," we are announcing to the world that we believe that Jesus paid the penalty for all of our sins on the cross of Calvary -- and that everyone can experience the deep cleansing and purification that comes through confession and forgiveness and faith in Him

-- as we close this morning, I want to invite you to examine your heart and see if there are sins in your life that need to be confessed and forgiven -- maybe some of you have never turned to Jesus for salvation and the forgiveness of sins -- maybe you've been explaining away your sins -- not thinking them of any great consequence -- not knowing that you're going to have to leap a chasm of burning lava
-- if that's the case, then I want to invite you to come to Jesus this morning -- to ask Him to forgive you of your sins -- and to trust in His death and resurrection for eternal life with Him
-- maybe others of you have been saved -- you have felt the cleansing power of Jesus' blood -- but you have drifted away -- you have let sin creep into your life -- if that's the case, then I want to invite you to come again before the cleansing flow and ask Jesus to forgive you
-- whatever your need, I want to invite you to respond to God's word as you feel led
-- let us pray

SERMON: I BELIEVE IN THE COMMUNION OF SAINTS

Preached by Gregory W. Lee
20 April 2008

I. Introduction
-- turn in Bibles to 1 Corinthians 11

17. In the following directives I have no praise for you, for your meetings do more harm than good.
18. In the first place, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you, and to some extent I believe it.
19. No doubt there have to be differences among you to show which of you have God's approval.
20. When you come together, it is not the Lord's Supper you eat,
21. for as you eat, each of you goes ahead without waiting for anybody else. One remains hungry, another gets drunk.
22. Don't you have homes to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you for this? Certainly not!
23. For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread,
24. and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, "This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me."
25. In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me."
26. For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.
27. Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord.
28. A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup.
29. For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself.
30. That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep.
31. But if we judged ourselves, we would not come under judgment.
32. When we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned with the world.
33. So then, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for each other.
34. If anyone is hungry, he should eat at home, so that when you meet together it may not result in judgment. And when I come I will give further directions.

-- when little kids come up for communion, I try to change what I say from "the blood of Christ shed for you" to "take this juice and know that Jesus loves you" -- well, I read about this little 2-1/2 year old girl that went to church and had communion for the first time ever, and her pastor did the same thing -- when she went up to take the bread, he knelt down to her level, gave her the bread, and said, "God be with you"
-- apparently, this made a big impression on this little girl -- at lunch that day, they were having sandwiches -- so she took a piece of bread from her sandwich and told her mother to cup her hands and bend down -- when her mother did that, the little girl put the bread in her hands and whispered in her ear with her most angelic voice, "God will get you"

-- maybe this little girl misunderstood what the pastor had said, but she hit the nail on the head when it comes to the way a lot of us approach communion -- out of all that we do in the church, the sacrament of communion is one that never ceases to amaze me -- it is the one act that we do together as a body of believers that elicits more fear and misunderstanding than anything else
-- I have actually seen grown men get up and run for the back door when the bread and wine were uncovered on the altar
-- what is it about this simple act of sharing bread and wine that elicits such a response? -- what is it about this simple act that causes such fear and misunderstanding?
-- I think it is because we know, in our heart of hearts, that there is a great power and mystery imbedded in this sacrament -- that in the act of sharing together the Lord's Supper -- in joining as one to share the bread and the wine -- that we are ushered into the living presence of the Lord and it literally shakes us to our core

-- this morning, we are going to continue in our series on the Apostle's Creed -- and we are going to look at the next line in the creed, "I believe in the communion of saints"
-- last week, we talked about what it means when we say we believe in the holy catholic church -- how we believe that all Christians are joined together through the power and the presence of the Holy Spirit into one body -- the church of Christ
-- and as part of that message, we talked about how this holy catholic church includes the saints who have died and gone on before us -- the cloud of witnesses mentioned in Hebrews Chapter 12 and who are included in this phrase, "the communion of saints"
-- today, we are going to look at another aspect of this communion of the saints -- the mystical joining of believers into the body of Christ through the sacrament of holy communion

II. Scripture Lesson
-- before we look again at this passage from 1 Corinthians 11, let me share with you a couple of thoughts about the importance of communion -- I read one time about this couple who were running late to church -- and when they walked in through the back door, they looked up and saw that the altar was set for communion -- they turned to each other and said, "Great, we rushed here for another communion service"
-- out of all that we do in the church, there is little that is as sacred and as moving as holy communion -- in this act, we enter into a sacred moment with the Lord God Almighty
-- during this sacrament, the grace of God is poured out on us as we remember again the sacrifice of our Lord and Savior on our behalf -- how Jesus died on the cross and gave His very own body and blood to save us from hell
-- during this sacrament, we are bound together as one -- when we share in the Lord's Supper -- when we share our common experience of salvation through Christ -- we are joined together again as one body without division -- we become the church, and all the things that might separate us in the eyes of the world -- race, nationality, gender, social status, class -- these all cease to exist when God's grace comes to us through this sacrament
-- and during this sacrament, we are making a bold statement of faith -- by participating in holy communion, we are proclaiming to a watching world that we believe in Christ Jesus -- that we trust in Him and Him alone for our salvation -- and we witness to His continuing presence in our lives

-- let me give you another example of the way communion is important to us -- you might remember that last August, the I-35 bridge in Minneapolis collapsed killing thirteen people and injuring many others -- As engineers tried to find out why this eight-lane bridge failed, they noted one key component -- When the bridge was completed in 1967, "redundancy" was not a federal requirement -- In engineering, redundancy means that you double-up on supports to ensure safety -- for example, if you only need one bolt to hold a support in place, you actually use two bolts instead -- that way, if one bolt fails the other bolt can still keep the bridge standing -- in this case, the 1900-foot bridge in Minneapolis was not built with redundancy -- and when one part failed, the whole bridge collapsed
-- the sacrament of communion is a form of redundancy in the church -- it allows our relationships and our bonds with each other to be strengthened and renewed on a regular basis -- it imparts to us God's grace and the presence of the Holy Spirit on a regular basis -- and it makes it so that if one of us starts to fall -- if one of us starts to fail -- the rest of us can hold them up and keep them strong
-- through holy communion, we become the church at its best -- for that reason, we should never regard the sharing of the Lord's Supper as "just another communion service"

-- let's look back at this passage and discuss a few of the major points -- look back at verse 17

17. In the following directives I have no praise for you, for your meetings do more harm than good.
18. In the first place, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you, and to some extent I believe it.
19. No doubt there have to be differences among you to show which of you have God's approval.
20. When you come together, it is not the Lord's Supper you eat,
21. for as you eat, each of you goes ahead without waiting for anybody else. One remains hungry, another gets drunk.
22. Don't you have homes to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you for this? Certainly not!

-- in this passage, Paul is rebuking the church at Corinth for the way they were participating in the Lord's Supper
-- in the early days of the church, they would come together on the Lord's Day -- on Sunday and would share a meal together -- kind of like a covered dish dinner -- and, then, following the meal, they would participate in holy communion just like we practice it -- with the sharing of the bread and the wine
-- the church at Corinth was coming together for this sacred meal, but they were not treating it as sacred -- they would come to the supper -- called the agape meal or love feast -- and there was no sharing -- some would bring a lot of food or a lot of wine and wouldn't share with the others
-- and this was causing division in the body of believers -- it was separating people into classes -- those who had the money or the status to bring food and wine -- and those who did not -- Paul was saying, "This is not the way it should be -- this sacrament was given to the church to unite us -- to make us one -- to remove from us the divisions of the world -- but yet when you celebrate the Lord's Supper, you are causing these divisions in the church"

-- verse 23

23. For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread,
24. and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, "This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me."
25. In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me."
26. For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.

-- Paul reminds them that the Lord's Supper was started as a means of remembering Christ -- of remembering our shared experiences in Christ -- so that when we celebrate communion, we might be joined afresh with Him and with each other -- so that these very divisions that exist outside the church should be erased and that we would truly be Christ's body on earth

-- verse 27

27. Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord.
28. A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup.
29. For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself.
30. That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep.
31. But if we judged ourselves, we would not come under judgment.
32. When we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned with the world.

-- in a stinging rebuke to the church at Corinth, Paul told them that they were taking communion in an unworthy manner -- that instead of coming together as one body -- instead of being infused with the living presence of God and becoming renewed and refreshed as His church -- they were actually creating division in the church and were weakening the church and their proclamation of faith in Christ
-- Paul tells them in verse 28 that they should examine themselves before they participate in holy communion -- now don't misunderstand what Paul is saying here -- verses 27 and 28 have been used in harmful ways to keep people from the Lord's table by making them feel unworthy, and that's not Paul's intent here

-- Tony Campolo wrote about an experience he had as a young boy during a communion service --the pastor had read these verses about not taking communion in an unworthy manner -- and as the church started sharing communion by passing the bread and wine among the pews, a young woman in the pew in front of him began to weep -- as the bread was passed her way, she waved it away and lowered her head in despair
-- Campolo's father leaned over the pew and spoke to her sternly, "Take it, girl! It was meant for you. Do you hear me?" -- she nodded her head and then reached for the bread and shared in communion with the church
-- Paul's rebuke here does not mean that we have to be clean and sinless to share in the Lord's Table -- Communion is a powerful reminder that God's grace is greater than our sin, and by sharing in holy communion, we are renewed and refreshed with the living presence of the Lord God Almighty Himself -- the sacrament of communion was made for people like this young woman -- for people like you and like me
-- Paul was not saying that the people had to clean themselves up before they came to the Lord's Table -- Paul was trying to get the people in Corinth to look at their hearts -- to look at their motives -- as they came before the Lord in this sacrament
-- some in the church of Corinth were approaching holy communion -- not as a sacred moment with God -- not as a time for the church to be strengthened and renewed as one body of believers -- not as a means of grace -- but as a meaningless ritual
-- they were going through the motions without fully understanding why they were doing it -- and Paul was condemning them for turning this sacrament into just another meaningless religious act

-- verse 33

33. So then, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for each other.
34. If anyone is hungry, he should eat at home, so that when you meet together it may not result in judgment. And when I come I will give further directions.

-- Paul points the believers at Corinth back to the way communion binds us together and reunites us as one body and as one believer -- "Don't take communion in this way -- don't take it in such as way that you forget the others -- don't be selfish -- but wait for the others -- join with them as you join with the Lord"

III. Closing
-- holy communion should be a sacred moment with God -- a time when we come before God in remembrance of what Christ did and continues to do for us -- a reminder of Jesus' death on the cross -- of His presence in our lives -- and of the blessed hope we have of His coming again
-- communion should be a time of holiness and reflection -- a time when we recognize the presence of God and the grace that He imparts to us as we take the bread and the cup
-- as Paul pointed out in this passage, we need to examine ourselves and our motives before we take communion -- we need to make sure that we enter into this time knowing that it is not just another religious act, but a truly sacred moment with God -- a time when we are joining together with all the saints to proclaim to the world a living Savior -- to proclaim His presence in our lives and in our world -- and to proclaim that we are one body and one people -- united and created in Him to serve the world
-- when we share in holy communion with one another and with God, we are proclaiming with our actions, "I believe in God and I believe in the communion of saints"
-- I'm going to close in prayer and we'll go ahead and sing our last hymn as I prepare the Lord's table -- as I pray, I want to invite you to examine yourselves this morning and to prepare to celebrate Christ as we share in this sacrament together
-- I just want to remind everyone that in the Methodist Church we recognize this as the Lord's table and not ours -- and His table is open to all who would come with sincere and seeking hearts
-- let us pray

SERMON: I BELIEVE IN THE HOLY CATHOLIC CHURCH

Preached by Gregory W. Lee
13 April 2008

I. Introduction
-- turn in Bibles to Ephesians 5


22. Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord.
23. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior.
24. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.
25. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her
26. to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word,
27. and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.
28. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.
29. After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church--
30. for we are members of his body.
31. "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh."
32. This is a profound mystery--but I am talking about Christ and the church.
33. However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.


-- there is a made-up story that described Jesus returning to heaven after He had lived here on earth -- as soon as Jesus got back up there, the angels all gathered around Him to find out about all the things that had happened while He had been down here
-- Jesus explained to the angels how He lived among people, shared His teachings -- expressed His love -- died on the cross to atone for humanity's sins -- and was resurrected to declare that the new Kingdom was at hand
-- when He finished telling His story, Michael the archangel asked the Lord, "What happens now"
-- Jesus replied, "I left behind a handful of faithful men and women -- they will tell the story -- they will express the love -- they will spread the Kingdom"
-- "But, what if they fail?" Michael asked -- "What then will be the plan?"
-- Jesus answered, "There is no other plan"

-- the title of my message this morning is, "I believe in the holy catholic church" -- maybe you never thought about it before, but the church is the only thing that Jesus left behind on earth
-- despite all of Jesus' teachings -- despite all the wonderful words that He preached -- Jesus never wrote anything down -- the only time the scriptures tell us that Jesus wrote is when He scribbled in the sand while the Pharisees brought the adulterous woman before Him
-- there are no manuscripts left behind that He wrote -- no letters to His believers -- no wood carvings showing the path to glory
-- the only thing that Jesus left behind -- other than His words and His teachings -- was the church -- the church is the only physical reminder that Jesus was ever on earth because it was all part of His plan
-- it was Jesus' plan to reach creation with the good news of the cross through the church -- it was Jesus' plan to transform and change the world through the church
-- all of Christianity hinges on the success or failure of the church of Christ
-- so, this morning, I want to spend some time looking at the holy catholic church that Jesus established as we continue in our series on the Apostles' Creed

II. The Church
-- so, what is the church? -- what are we talking about when we talk about the church of Christ?
-- well, the first thing that we have to know is that the church is not a building -- a lot of times, that's the only way we refer to it -- we have people stop by and they tell me, "I like your church," but what they're talking about is our church building -- our sanctuary -- and that's not the church
-- I heard an advertisement one time on the radio -- this guy was asking a preacher, "Where's your church?" -- and the preacher replied, "Well, Janet lives over on Oak Street -- and Bob's family lives on Main Street -- and several of our families live in that neighborhood across the street"
-- the man was wanting to find out where the church building was located -- but the preacher was making a point -- the church is not a building -- the church is not a location -- the church is something entirely different
-- look back at verse 22

22. Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord.
23. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior.

-- Paul tells us that the church is the body of Christ -- and that Jesus Himself is the head of the church
-- we see that analogy used many times in Scripture -- in Ephesians Chapter 1, Colossians Chapter 1, 1 Corinthians Chapter 10, and Romans Chapter 12, Paul tells us that the church is the body of Christ
-- but what does that mean?

-- if you would, hold your place right here but flip back over to 1 Corinthians 12, to a passage that we looked at just a few weeks ago

12. The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ.
13. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body--whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free--and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.
14. Now the body is not made up of one part but of many.

-- what Paul is trying to get us to see with his analogy of the body is that each individual person -- every single person who comes to Christ -- who trusts in Jesus for the forgiveness of their sins -- is just one part -- one member -- of a new and complete organism -- the body of Christ
-- it takes many different parts to make up your body -- your hands -- your arms -- your feet -- your torso -- your face -- your nose -- all your internal organs -- all your cells -- millions and millions of tiny parts
-- and just like all of those things combine to make your complete and individual body -- all of the people who have been saved by Christ are individual parts that come together to form a new body -- the church

-- some of you might say, "Well, then, there's no difference between the church and any other club -- a club has many different members and they all come together to form the club or the organization"
-- but there is a difference -- Paul tells us in this passage in Ephesians that the body of Christ is different from all other organisms and from all other bodies because Jesus is the head of the church -- and that makes all the difference in the world

-- let me carry Paul's analogy a little farther to show you what I mean
-- every part of your body shares the same DNA -- if you were to look at a cell from your arm and compare it with a cell from your heart -- you would find the same DNA -- a scientist could look at a cell from any place in your body and tell, without a doubt, that it belongs only to you -- your DNA is what makes you different and unique from all other bodies
-- there is one thing that separates Christians from non-Christians and that makes us different and unique from all other bodies and all other organizations -- and that is the living presence of God within us in the person of the Holy Spirit
-- the Holy Spirit becomes for us spiritual DNA that make us one -- that binds us together -- and that joins us for all eternity
-- so, that means that if you look at me, you will see the Holy Spirit -- and if you travel half-way around the world -- and find a believer in China and look at them -- you will find that same Holy Spirit
-- we are separate parts -- separate members -- but we share spiritual DNA -- we share the Holy Spirit -- and so we are actually part of the same body

31. "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh."
32. This is a profound mystery--but I am talking about Christ and the church.
33. However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

-- Paul is trying to make the same point here -- the Bible teaches that when a man and woman unite in holy matrimony -- when they become married -- they actually become one flesh
-- well, in the same way, all of the parts of the church -- every individual believer who is indwelt with the Holy Spirit -- join together to become one flesh -- one body
-- this is different from any other organization or club -- I don't care how close you might get with your friends in the Lion's Club or the Kennel Club or the Chess Club or whatever club you might belong to -- you are not physically or spiritually joined with them -- there is nothing that unites you and makes you truly one flesh or one body -- you don't share the same DNA
-- but, in the body of Christ, all the different members are united to become one body through the presence of the Holy Spirit with Christ Jesus as our head
-- that is what we are saying we believe when we say, "I believe in the church"

III. The Catholic Church
-- but what do we mean when we say that we believe in the "catholic" church?
-- the word catholic has caused more misunderstanding than any other term in this whole Apostles' Creed
-- I was at a Walk to Emmaus one time, and at that retreat we all join together and say the Apostle's Creed and then share in Holy Communion -- we actually had one person walk out of the room when we started saying that creed
-- one of the other spiritual directors went out with him and asked him what was going on -- and he said that he didn't want anything to do with the Catholic Church -- he had misunderstood what this word means
-- if you look at the Apostle's Creed in your hymnal or if you look up the word "Catholic" in a dictionary, you'll see that the word means "universal" -- it doesn't refer to any branch or denomination of Christianity
-- when we recite, "I believe in the holy catholic church" -- we aren't talking about the church in Rome -- we aren't talking about the Pope -- we are talking about the church universal -- the worldwide church of believers in Christ

-- what we're talking about here is the true body of Christ -- all of the different parts -- all of the different members -- all of those with the same spiritual DNA and with the same Holy Spirit -- who are joined together through Christ to form His body
-- it doesn't matter if you're Methodist or Baptist or Presbyterian or Episcopalian or non-denominational -- it doesn't matter what you call yourself -- if you have accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior -- if you are trusting Him for your salvation and for the forgiveness of your sins -- then you are all part of one body -- of one church -- the catholic, universal church
-- one body -- one church -- the catholic, universal church

-- and this includes all of those who have ever believed, living or dead -- that's what the next line in the creed stands for -- it says, "I believe in the communion of saints"
-- now a saint is nothing more than someone who believes in Jesus -- a person is not a saint because the Pope says they are -- a person is a saint because they have been saved by Jesus -- if you want to start calling yourself by the title, "Saint," then go right ahead -- you are biblically justified in that
-- the communion of saints -- in Latin, the Communio Sanctorum -- refers to the spiritual union of all Christians, living and dead, into one body with Christ as its head
-- what this means is that those who have died and gone on before are still part of the church of Christ -- the cloud of witnesses that Hebrews 12 talks about who surround us and whose faith propel us to go forward in faithfulness and ministry to Christ
-- they are the church invisible -- those who have gone ahead -- while we who are here are the living church -- the church visible
-- together, we all make up the catholic -- universal -- church
-- that is what we mean when we say, "I believe in the catholic church and the communion of saints"

IV. The Holy Catholic Church
-- but what about the whole phrase, "I believe in the holy catholic church?" -- what does the word "holy" bring into the mix?
-- look back at verse 25 in Ephesians 5

25. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her
26. to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word,
27. and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.

-- the word "holy" means "to set apart," "to sanctify" -- "To cleanse and make pure"
-- these verses tell us that Jesus loved the church and gave himself up for her -- dying on the cross in our place so that He might make the church holy and blameless -- without stain or wrinkle

-- when we proclaim that we believe in the holy catholic church, we are proclaiming that we believe in the finished work of Christ on the cross and in the on-going work of the Holy Spirit as He sanctifies us and continues to make us more and more like Christ
-- this word "holy" also speaks to our purpose -- the reason He created us in the first place -- Jesus set us apart and sanctified us for the work that He has called us to do
-- the church exists for a reason -- to glorify Christ and to proclaim the good news to the world around us -- this includes witnessing to people -- telling them about Jesus -- and this includes ministering to them -- meeting their needs as parts of Jesus' body -- being His hands and His feet in this world -- reaching out to people with His love so that they might respond to His word and be saved
-- this is what we mean when we say, "I believe in the holy catholic church and the communion of saints"

V. Closing
-- there once was a college student who was struggling in many areas in his life -- he spent a great deal of his time feeling angry and frustrated -- finally, he couldn't stand it any longer -- so, he got up and went to the little chapel on campus that very few people ever visited
-- he paced up and down the aisles -- slapping the back of the empty pews -- he yelled -- he cried -- and he raged at God
-- "God, you created this world -- what could you have possibly been thinking? -- look at the problems in this world -- look at the pain and the suffering and the hunger -- look at the neglect -- the waste -- the abuse -- Everywhere I look, I see messed-up people -- hurting people -- lonely people"
-- this went on for a long time as the student ranted on and on and on
-- finally, exhausted, the student sat in the front pew and looked hopelessly at the cross -- its tarnished surface reflected the dusty sunlight filtering in through the stained glass windows
-- "It's all such a mess -- this world you created is nothing but a terrible mess -- why I could make a world better than this one"
-- and then, in the silence of that dusty, deserted chapel, the young man heard a voice that made his eyes open wide and his jaw drop
-- "And that is exactly what I want you to do."

-- that is why God created the church -- that is why He built it with His very own body and blood -- why He loved it into being -- and breathed into it His very presence
-- as God's church -- as members of the holy, catholic church of God, we have been called to be the hands and feet of Jesus -- we have been called to minister the presence and the message of Jesus to a broken and hurting world
-- I believe in the holy catholic church -- I believe in the communion of saints -- and I believe that God can use us to change lives and transform hearts and turn this world around
-- the church is not a building -- it is not a location -- it is you and me and all the other saints in this place and around this world
-- what is the church? -- the body of Christ
-- who is the church? -- we are
-- and who will leave this place -- who will go forth and answer the call of Christ -- to be part of His body -- to be His hands and feet in this world -- ministering in His name to those around us? -- only you can answer that question
-- let us pray

SERMON: I BELIEVE IN THE HOLY SPIRIT

Preached by Gregory W. Lee
6 April 2008

I. Introduction
-- turn in Bibles to John 16

7. But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.
8. When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment:
9. in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me;
10. in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer;
11. and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.
12. "I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear.
13. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.
14. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you.
15. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you.

-- In 2007, life in the African country of Malawi changed dramatically -- for a long time, this country had hovered on the brink of famine and survived only because they received food and resources from other countries -- but in 2007, things changed -- in 2007, Malawi sold more corn to the U.N. World Food Program than any other country in southern Africa and also exported tons of corn to Zimbabwe
-- how did this happen? -- how did this country go from being a welfare state to a country that was not only self-sustaining but was capable of reaching out and exporting food to other nations? -- the answer is quite simple -- the dramatic change came from nothing more than fertilizer
-- Malawi's president got tired of begging for charity so he pushed for the expanded use of fertilizer and fertilizer subsidies -- the government encouraged the farmers to start using fertilizer, and it made all the difference -- now the nation is not only feeding its own people, but helping other nations as well -- their once depleted soil has become a source of renewed life and livelihood -- and Malawi is not just a consumer, but also a major producer1
-- for those of us who are seeking to become disciples of Christ, the same principle that Malawi used applies -- adding spiritual fertilizer to our lives can move us from famine to feast -- from being consumers -- people who just take up space in the pews -- to being producers -- people who multiply and who produce fruit for the kingdom of God
-- Jesus knew of our tendency to become complacent -- to become stagnant -- to become routine in our spiritual lives -- this has been a problem in the church all the way back to the days of Moses -- it causes us to trade in vibrant spiritual lives for the dryness of religion -- it causes us to trade in knowing God in a real and personal way to just being satisfied going through the motions on a Sunday morning
-- Jesus knew that we were going to need His continual presence in our lives to keep our soil productive -- He knew that we were going to need the constant inflowing of His life into ours to help us be true disciples -- and so He sent us spiritual fertilizer -- He sent us the Holy Spirit

-- this morning, we are going to start a series of messages on the foundations of our faith as recognized in the Apostle's Creed -- having just come through Christmas and Easter, we are not going to focus on the first paragraph of the creed, which covers our belief in the Lord God Almighty and in Christ Jesus -- I think that our messages through the Christmas and Easter seasons quite clearly fleshed out our belief in the Father and the Son -- the first two persons of the Holy Trinity
-- instead, I want us to focus on the second paragraph, which primarily concerns itself with the work of the Holy Spirit in calling us to salvation and sanctification and in building the church of Christ
-- so, we are going to start by considering the first phrase in this second paragraph, "I Believe in the Holy Spirit"

II. The Holy Spirit
-- when I talk to people about God, nothing seems to confuse them more than the idea of the Holy Spirit -- growing up, it seemed to me like no one ever talked about the Spirit -- and when they did, they called Him the "Holy Ghost," which just made it all the more confusing and mystical
-- when you're 7-years-old and the preacher is saying you need the Holy Ghost, I can tell you, that's the last thing that you want in your life -- I was always scared of ghosts -- holy or not -- and I sure didn't want one hanging around with me day in and day out
-- But, thankfully, if the past 20 years or so, there has been a revival of sorts in the understanding of this third person of the Trinity -- in the presence and purpose and power of the Holy Spirit -- people now have a better understanding of the Holy Spirit -- and it has made a big difference in our churches and in our ministries and in our individual spiritual lives
-- so, who is the Holy Spirit? -- well, as I said, He is the third person of the Trinity -- now, don't misunderstand what the Trinity is -- there are three persons, but there are not three gods -- there is only one God -- each person in the Trinity is distinct in function, but they share the same deity and reflect the attributes of the one living God
-- this means that the Holy Spirit is fully and completely God -- just as the Father and the Son are fully and completely God -- it is perfectly acceptable to pray to the Holy Spirit just as you pray to Jesus or to the Father
-- the Holy Spirit is not just a force or a power like some denominations and some cults teach -- He is not impersonal or unthinking -- the Holy Spirit is a person, just like Jesus -- just not in a physical body -- He is a living being -- the very presence of God in our lives
-- I like the way A.W. Tozer explained the Holy Spirit in his book, "The Counselor," -- Tozer wrote: "Spell this out in capital letters: THE HOLY SPIRIT IS A PERSON -- He is not enthusiasm -- He is not courage -- He is not energy -- He is not the personification of all good qualities, like Jack Frost is the personification of cold weather -- Actually, the Holy Spirit is not the personification of anything...... He has individuality -- He is one being and not another -- He has will and intelligence -- He has hearing -- He has knowledge and sympathy and ability to love and see and think -- He can hear, speak, desire, grieve and rejoice -- He is a Person."
-- the Holy Spirit has intellect, emotion, and will -- He speaks to us -- He has feelings -- He can love -- He can be grieved -- He can be hurt -- He has all the characteristics of God because He is God -- He is all-knowing -- all-present -- and all-powerful
-- but as the third person of the Trinity, He has specific roles and functions in our lives and in the life of the church --this is what I want us to look at in this passage

III. Scripture Lesson
-- this passage covers the Thursday night of Holy Week -- Maundy Thursday -- the day that Jesus and His disciples shared the Last Supper in the Upper Room and the day that He was betrayed by Judas Iscariot and turned over to the High Priest and the Romans
-- as this passage opens, the last supper is over -- Jesus has washed the feet of the disciples -- Judas has left to go to the temple to betray Him -- and now Jesus and His remaining disciples are making their way to the Garden of Gethsemene, which is located on the western base of the Mount of Olives
-- as they are walking along, Jesus is sharing with them His final instructions and His final teachings to help them understand what is about to happen and what it means for the Kingdom of God -- He has told them that He is going away and that this is the plan of God the Father -- and to calm their fears and to make sure they understand that He will never leave them or forsake them, He shares with them now a teaching about the coming of the Holy Spirit

-- if you would, look back with me again at verse 7

7. But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.

-- the disciples were distraught at what Jesus had been telling them -- they couldn't understand why He was leaving -- they didn't understand why He was saying that He had to die -- don't forget, the disciples are still living on the mountain of Palm Sunday -- they are still expecting Jesus to start a revolution and conquer Rome at any moment -- they have no idea that Good Friday is coming -- they have no idea what Jesus means when He says that He must die and then rise again on the third day
-- this is a man that they had lived with for three years -- a man that they knew intimately -- a man that they knew was from God -- some of them, I am sure, thought He was God at that time, even though they did not have a full understanding
-- so Jesus is trying to encourage them -- to lift up their heads -- to help them see that things are really going to be better when He leaves
-- "When I leave, I will send the Counselor to you -- He cannot come while I am here -- but when I go to the Father, I will send Him to you" -- the Greek word that Jesus uses here is "paraclete" -- it means counselor, comforter, advocate, and helper
-- these were all roles that the Holy Spirit had performed in the past in the lives of God's chosen people as He would come upon them -- men like Moses and David and Samson -- but in the times before Jesus, the Holy Spirit would only come and rest on them as they served God's special purposes and accomplished His will
-- this anointing of the Holy Spirit could be taken from them -- that is why David wrote in Psalm 51:11 after he sinned with Bathsheba and killed her husband, "Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me."
-- the difference this time is that the Comforter -- the Holy Spirit -- would not just come upon the believers of Jesus for a temporary time -- but would instead indwell them -- as it says in John 14:17, the Holy Spirit lives with and within believers -- filling them with the very presence and power of God in their lives
-- when you are saved -- when you respond to Jesus' invitation to come to Him for salvation and the forgiveness of sin -- at that moment, the Holy Spirit comes to live within you
-- that is why Jesus said it was good for the disciples and us that He was physically going away -- this way, the Holy Spirit would be a part of our lives at all moments and at all times -- when Jesus was on earth, God incarnate in a human body, He was bound in one place at a time -- He could not be in multiple places -- but in the person of the Holy Spirit -- living in us -- He could

-- verse 8

8. When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment:

-- as our paraclete -- as our Counselor and Comforter and Advocate -- these are the three overarching purposes of the Holy Spirit -- the roles and functions that God intended the Holy Spirit fulfill in us and in the life of the church as He worked in us and through us to accomplish His will
-- the reason the Holy Spirit has come is to convict the world -- to point out its guilt -- in respect to sin, righteousness, and judgment -- so that the world might respond in faith and repentance to the finished work of Jesus Christ for us all
-- in a nutshell, the Holy Spirit has come to empower the witness of Christ on earth among non-believers -- using us -- His church -- as His voice and His hands and His feet to reach out to a people who desperately need the grace of God in their lives

-- verse 9

9. in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me;

-- the Holy Spirit has come to convict the world of its sin of unbelief -- the Holy Spirit is here to speak in counter to those people who tell us that there are many paths to God -- who tell us that all religions lead to God -- Jesus says here that it is a sin to not believe in Him -- to not recognize and trust in Him and His saving grace for our salvation and the forgiveness of sins

-- verse 10

10. in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer;

-- the Holy Spirit has come to convict us that Jesus is the righteousness of God -- our tendency is to compare ourselves to others -- to think that we are doing o.k. because we are more righteousness than those around us -- "I go to church more than so-and-so, so I know I am going to heaven"
-- but Jesus came to show us God's standard of righteousness -- complete and total sinlessness -- life without any sin at all -- holy perfection -- and then He fulfilled that requirement of righteousness with His own body and blood on the cross
-- Romans 10:3-4 says, "Since they did not know the righteousness that comes from God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness. -- Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes."
-- the Holy Spirit convicts us -- He opens our eyes and pricks our hearts to this truth

-- verse 11

11. and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.

-- the Holy Spirit has come to convict us of the fact that the power of Satan has been broken -- that the curse of sin and death on all creation has been lifted -- and that judgment has come to the unrighteous
-- the Holy Spirit has come to let the people who are still living in this chains of sin know that there is a hope and a future in Christ Jesus

-- verse 12

12. "I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear.
13. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.
14. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you.
15. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you.

-- the Holy Spirit has come to speak the truth of God in our lives and in the lives of this world -- leading us and those around us into the truth for the glory of Christ Jesus
-- His purpose is to lift Jesus up -- to proclaim the work of the Father through Jesus so that all might be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth
-- and He does it through us

IV. Closing
-- turn over to Romans 8

11. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.

-- in one of his books(2), Dr. Tony Campolo -- a well-known pastor and evangelist -- related a story about the time he was teaching a seminary class -- he turned to one of the young men in his class and asked him, "How long have you lived?"
-- the startled young man responded, "I'm 22 years old" -- Dr. Campolo responded, "I didn't ask you how long your heart had been pumping blood -- I asked you how long you had lived."
-- Dr. Campolo was trying to point out that there is a difference between living and being alive -- as St. Irenaeus said, "The glory of God is man fully alive" -- a person who is alive is doing more than just trudging through life -- just merely existing
--a person who is alive is doing more than just waking up in the morning -- going to work -- and then going to bed at night
-- a Christian who is alive is doing more than just getting up -- going to church -- and then going home again
-- to be fully alive means that you have been joined with the eternal -- that you have been given a glimpse of the presence of God -- in nature -- in people -- in your life -- and in that moment, you felt more truly alive than at any other time in your life
-- Dr. Campolo told about the time he had a moment in eternity at the top of the Empire State Building -- a time when he was caught up in the glory and the majesty of creation -- how looking over the edge of that building at creation was a moment in which he was so fully alive, so fully aware of the presence and the majesty and the glory of God, that he knew it would always be a part of him
-- after hearing that story, Campolo's student responded, "Then I guess I have only been alive for a few minutes -- it's hard to say -- most of my life has been the meaningless passage of time between all too few moments of genuine aliveness"
-- the Apostle Paul tells us in this verse that we have been made alive through the power of the Holy Spirit living within us -- that through Him we have become truly alive

-- J. B. Phillips wrote in, "Plain Christianity," "Every time we say, "I believe in the Holy Spirit," we mean that we believe that there is a living God able and willing to enter human personality and change it"
-- the reason we have been given the Holy Spirit is to change us -- to make us alive -- to make us like Christ -- to lead us into the full and abundant life that Jesus said He had come to give us -- and to make us better able to serve those around us
-- as we are filled with the Holy Spirit, we become more aware of God's presence in our lives -- more aware of those around us who need His touch and who need to hear the good news of the Lord Jesus Christ
-- and we become empowered to be His witnesses and to be Christ's hands and feet in this world -- changing it and changing those around us as we seek to follow Christ in all our ways

-- it is the Holy Spirit working in the life of the believer who changes the church -- and it is the Holy Spirit working in the life of the church who changes the world
-- every revival that has ever been seen -- every outpouring of the presence of God leading to repentance and salvation and life-transforming power has been through the direct work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of God's people
-- if you want to be truly alive -- if you want to experience revival in your life and in the life of this church -- then you must be filled with God's Holy Spirit -- not just indwelt -- but filled -- baptized in His presence
-- this means that you are filled with the joy and peace and presence of God -- that you are submissive to God and empowered to serve Him where He calls -- this means that you are living in faith -- not just on Sundays, but every day of your life
-- as John Piper points out, "this should be our aim, our goal, our great longing."3
-- it won't happen every day -- we won't go through life filled with the presence of the Holy Spirit -- but there will be those times when we are truly alive -- when we are experiencing eternity in our lives -- when we are empowered and filled to overflowing with the presence of God and are able to reach out and touch that one person -- to speak the words of grace that they need to hear -- to minister to their need and point them to Christ
-- it is those times that we should be living for -- striving for -- aiming for with our lives as we seek the Holy Spirit's presence
-- it is those times that we and the church were created for

-- I believe in the Holy Spirit -- I trust in His power and presence in our lives -- and I pray that we would be filled to overflowing with His goodness and grace so that we might be truly alive and serve God more effectively with our lives -- so that we might see revival break out in our homes and in our church and in our community -- so that we might see lives changed and hearts transformed for Christ
-- I believe in the Holy Spirit -- do you?
-- let us pray

1
2Campolo, Tony. Let Me Tell You a Story.
3Sermon, "Be Filled with the Spirit," by John Piper.

SERMON: BEING A DISCIPLE

30 March 2008

I. Introduction
-- turn in Bibles to Romans 12

1. Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship.
2. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.

-- several years ago, The Sunday School Times carried the account of a Christian school in India that was created before World War II to minister to the children of the "untouchables" -- the Dalits -- the people in India at the bottom of the caste social system who perform the most menial and degrading tasks and who live in slums and poverty that we can only imagine
-- each year the "untouchable" children in this school received Christmas presents from children in England -- the girls got a doll, and the boys got a different kind of toy
-- on one occasion, the doctor from a nearby mission hospital was asked to distribute the Christmas gifts to the children in the school -- during his visit, he told the youngsters about another village in India where the boys and girls had never even heard of Jesus
-- he suggested to them that maybe they would like to give them some of their old toys as presents -- this would be a way that they could show the love of Jesus to these boys and girls who were even worse off than them -- they liked the idea and they all agreed to give up one of their toys
-- the doctor said that he'd come back in one week to collect the gifts of old toys from the children -- this would give them time to pick out the one they might want to give up
-- a week later, the doctor returned to the school to collect the gifts of old toys from the children -- the sight was unforgettable -- one by one the children filed by and handed the doctor the doll or toy that they had selected to give up
-- to his great surprise, every single one of them gave back the new presents they had just received several days earlier -- when he asked why, a girl spoke up, "Think what God did by giving us His only Son. How could we give Him less than our very best?"

-- Last week, I reminded you that Jesus has invited each and everyone of us to two things -- first, He invited us to the cross -- He invited us to come to Him for salvation -- to ask Him to forgive us of our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness and to be our Lord and Savior -- that was the first invitation -- the first call -- of Christ
-- the second invitation that Jesus gave us was for discipleship -- to follow Him in ministry by picking up our cross and getting involved in sharing His love and His life with those around us -- this means that we do like the untouchable children in this story -- we give Jesus our very best
-- we get outside the walls of this church -- we get out of our comfort zones -- we get off the sidelines -- and we get in the game -- we enter the battle -- and we make a difference in this world
-- this is exactly what the Apostle Paul is saying in the passage that we opened with this morning
-- if you would, let's look at this chapter in a little more detail

II. Scripture Lesson
-- look back at verse 1

1. Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship.
2. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.

-- Paul is writing this letter to the church at Rome -- we don't know much about the church in Rome in Paul's day -- but it seems like Paul was trying to help this church grow -- the Christians in Rome had responded to Jesus' first invitation -- they had received Him as their Lord and Savior -- and now Paul is saying, "There's more -- there's more to this Christian life than that"
-- so he writes here in verse 1, "I urge you" -- the King James Version says, "I beseech you" -- other versions say, "I appeal to you" -- He is trying to strongly encourage the church at Rome to get up and do more than they were doing -- He was trying to get them to respond to Jesus' call for discipleship
-- Paul says, "I urge you to do this -- in light of everything that Jesus has done for you -- in light of God's mercies -- I want you to give yourselves back to Him -- I want you to offer yourselves as a living and holy sacrifice"
-- in other words, Paul is saying, "I want you to get out of the church and to get in the game -- I want you to touch someone else's life in the name of Jesus -- I want you to be a disciple of Jesus"

-- Paul's call here for discipleship reminds me of the story of the Alamo -- as you might remember, the Texans in the Alamo were surrounded by Gen. Santa Anna's forces -- The fighting raged on for days until it was obvious that the 15 men in the Alamo could not hold the Mexicans off -- They knew the wall would be breached -- and they knew that if that happened, they would be killed
-- So, Colonel Travis took his sword and drew a line across the ground -- and he issued a call -- he said everyone who is willing to fight for Texas, come and stand with me behind the line -- the rest could leave and surrender to the Mexicans and save their lives -- every single man chose to stand behind the line, and all died for their cause.
- That's what Paul is trying to get us to do here -- He's trying to get us to draw a line in the sand and say, "I don't care what happens to me -- from this point on, I am going to live for Christ -- I am going to make Him the most important thing in my life and I'm going to share Him with those around me"

-- this is the call to discipleship -- the invitation to follow Jesus -- but it begs the question, "How? -- How do I become a disciple of Jesus? -- What does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus in 2008? -- What does it look like?"
-- that's what the rest of this chapter is about -- look down at verse 3

3. For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.
4. Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function,
5. so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.
6. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith.
7. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach;
8. if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.


-- first, we have to know who we are in Christ -- when you are saved -- when you receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior -- then the Bible tells us that we are indwelt with the Holy Spirit -- and the Holy Spirit graces us with spiritual gifts
-- Paul lists some of those gifts in these verses -- and what he's saying here is that we should primarily minister within our graces -- that if we are gifted in serving, then we should serve -- if we are gifted in teaching, then we should teach -- if we're gifted in encouragement, then we should encourage -- and so forth
-- that doesn't mean that we can't help in other areas, but it means that we are going to be most effective in the areas that we were called to minister in -- Paul says, "Know what your gifts are, and use those gifts, for that's the area that God wants you to work in"
-- that's why I encourage people to get involved in lots of different types of ministries -- this way, you can find out where you are gifted -- you can find out what you like doing -- and you can see where you are the most effective for the kingdom of God
-- it will also show you areas where you aren't really gifted -- there was a lady in a church I used to belong to who believed that she was called by God to lead the worship service -- but after a few Sundays, it was obvious to everyone that this was not a ministry that she was called to -- so the pastor replaced her and she promptly quit the church and tried to find a new church who would let her lead the worship
-- that's why Paul warns here in verse 3 to not think more highly of ourself than we should -- know your graces -- know what you're called to do -- because it is there that you will be the most satisfied

-- verse 9

9. Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.

-- now Paul is getting into what a disciple of Christ looks like -- a disciple must be filled with sincere love -- their acts of ministry must be done out of love -- out of love for Jesus and out of love for the person that they are ministering to
-- people can tell whether you're real or not -- we've all seen those people who are just full of smiles and just so friendly and just so helpful and when they walk off we say to ourselves, "I don't believe any of it -- that person wasn't real"
-- as Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 13:1-3, "If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. -- If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. -- If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.
-- our ministry has to be real -- it has to be driven by and filled with sincere love -- otherwise, it is useless

-- verse 10

10. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.

-- this is what sincere love looks like -- honoring our brothers and sisters -- caring for them -- ministering to them -- meeting their needs

-- verse 11

11. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.
12. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.
13. Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

-- we have to remember why we're ministering to others -- there's a lot of good deeds being done in the world today -- there's a lot of people trying to change the world -- but the difference between them and us is our perspective
-- they are trying to change the world to make it a better place -- we are trying to change the world for eternity -- we are trying to meet people's needs -- to minister to them with the love of Christ so that they might be brought into the kingdom of God
-- this doesn't mean that we witness to them and give them the gospel message every time we hand them a bottle of water or do something else for them -- but it means that we tell them the reason why we are doing it
-- we have some friends who are missionaries in Pakistan -- and Laurel wrote one time about them helping this Muslim woman in the airport -- she was in a wheelchair and no one would help her with her luggage or help her get to her flight -- so Laurel and her kids took care of her -- and all the while, the woman kept asking, "Why are you doing this -- why are you doing this?" -- and they were able to say, "Because Jesus loved us we have to love others"
-- Paul is saying that we should keep our spiritual fervor -- we should remember that we are serving the Lord when we serve others -- and that our acts of service should be done in remembrance of the eternal -- praying for the people as we serve them and share the love of Christ with them

-- verse 14

14. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.
15. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.
16. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.
17. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody.
18. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.
19. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord.
20. On the contrary: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head."
21. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

-- Paul reminds us here that our ministry should be for all the people -- not just for those that we like -- it's easy to serve our family and our friends -- it's hard to serve those and to love those who are unloveable -- but that's what we are called to do as disciples of Christ -- and that is who we are called to reach out to
-- if you remember, Jesus stayed in trouble with the Pharisees and the church leaders because He spent His time with the poor and the sinners and the outcasts of His day -- Jesus didn't minister only to those He liked or only to those society liked -- He ministered and served everyone -- even those who didn't like Him -- even those who betrayed Him
-- never forget, Jesus washed Judas' feet at the Last Supper, too, knowing that Judas was going to betray Him -- we are called to minister to everyone in need -- not just to those we want to help -- but to those who need help
-- Paul says, "If your enemy is hungry, feed him -- if he is thirsty, give him something to drink -- in doing so you will heap burning coals on his head"
-- this phrase can mean one of two things -- first, it can mean that your enemy has a burning conviction in their heart because of the kindness you are showing them -- it makes them see how they were wrong to you
-- or, secondly, it might refer to the practice of lending coals from your fire to help your neighbor start their own fire -- in Paul's day, fire was a precious commodity -- and if you shared your fire with someone, you were really making a difference in their life
-- regardless, the lesson here is that we shouldn't discriminate but that we should minister to all that come in our path -- sharing with them the love of God and pointing them to Jesus

III. Closing
-- o.k., let me close with just a few final thoughts on discipleship
-- Following Christ doesn't mean you change the world by yourself, but you change it where you are -- with who you are with -- in how God has graced you
-- simple things done with grace and power can affect the world -- ripple through time and space and touch eternity itself
-- the question is, "Where can we act now -- as individuals or as a church?"
-- we are in a post-Christian society and we can no longer do church as we used to -- our churches are dwindling -- numbers of members at all mainline churches and at the SBC are declining -- we must change the way we do church -- the way we live out our faith in the world -- we must start being intentional in our discipleship
-- to be true disciples of Christ -- to pick up our crosses and follow Him -- we first have to recognize the value of all humans and of all lives -- no matter their size, their shape -- their class -- their financial or economic status -- their position -- born or unborn -- these are all people, created in God's image -- and we need to minister to all of them
-- second, we need to meet these people at the point of their need -- everyone needs help -- everyone needs a touch from Christ -- notice where Jesus was in His day -- He wasn't in the church -- His ministry, by and large, did not happen in the temple or in the synagogues -- it happened in the street -- with the poor and the sick and the outcast and the maligned -- we have to return to this understanding of ministry and of missions and of discipleship and we have to start getting outside the walls of the church -- we have to start looking for ways to help those around us
-- I think our Second Saturday Servants program is a good start -- and I think we're doing some great ministry through it -- but there are many other areas where you can get involved
-- think about the current economic crisis in our country -- the subprime mortgage crisis -- this is an opportunity to minister to people -- perhaps by offering Christian financial classes or by simply helping them make ends meet during this tight time
-- think about the recent news that 1 in 4 teen-aged girls has a sexually transmitted disease -- that's a failure of the church to reach out to these girls -- how can we reach out to them now -- how can we minister to them in the name of Christ -- maybe some of you feel led to do that in one way or the other
-- maybe God has gifted you in auto repair or in plumbing or something else -- is there a single-parent home that you might be able to serve in that way -- using your gifts and your talents to show the love of God in a tangible way?
-- we've been hearing a lot about a possible flu pandemic -- people are worried -- they don't know what to do -- we can reach out to them -- we can help them
-- the list is endless -- but one thing is sure -- if we are going to be disciples of Jesus -- if we are truly going to follow Him -- then we have to get in the game -- we have to enter the battle -- we have to cross that line and take our stand with Jesus and minister in His name outside the walls of our church
-- I want to leave you with this thought from Chuck Colson -- talking about the economic tragedies and the natural disasters and all the things going on in our world and in our country and in our communities today, Chuck wrote this, "These tragic events [are] a chance to demonstrate the compassion of the Church...We ought to be a witness to the world that when times get tough, Christians can be counted on to be merciful. Remember the Church in Acts 4 -- Members shared everything with others in need."
-- that is the picture of a true disciple of Christ -- that is who Jesus wants you to be -- will you answer His call today?
-- let us pray