Sunday, February 2, 2014

Everybody is Somebody to God

1 Corinthians 1:18-31

Most of the time my views of self worth are influenced by society and culture - without me even realizing it.  

I read an article of a young lady named Kate who feels the same way.  Kate lives in Florida, and for months her friends has been on her about upgrading her phone to the new iPhone.  Finally she did, and she says that it was the best thing that happened.  She fell in love with the iPhone.  She said that after a week of app-ing and texting like crazy she was hooked.  And then, one day it hit her why people love their smartphones - “it makes them feel important; it makes them feel needed; it makes them feel that they are a supply in demand.”  

This happens to me all the time!  Has it ever happened to you?  Do things ever make you feel important - smartphones, clothes, shoes, hair, relationships, cars, house, career?  If you don’t have the right one…well then you’re a nobody.  And nobody wants to be nobody. Society is really good at picking winners and losers - nobodies and somebodies.  And if we are not careful our views of self worth will be influenced by society and culture - without us even realizing it.

But when we turn to God’s Word, we realize something different…we realize that everybody is somebody to God.  God’s Word helps us find the truth about self worth.  The truth about self worth is that…

It’s already here (Genesis 1:27)

We were created in the image of God.  And that means that every person - man, woman and child (and even unborn child) bears the image of God, and therefore has no more or less of that image than anyone else.  The basic desire for self worth - to be more than we are - is in each of us because we were created to be more.  We were created with self worth.  But sin has tainted that image; it has created a barrier between us and God.  So we search for worth in all the wrong places.

This was the issue the Christians in Corinth faced.  Corinth was a proud Roman city.  A place where is was easy to pick winners and losers - somebodies and nobodies.  Lines were drawn, groups were formed, and labels were assigned.  Paul was teaching them that they were missing the point.  They were searching for self worth in all the wrong places.  They had forgotten that the truth about self worth is that its already here, and can be discovered through a relationship in Jesus.

And can be discovered through a relationship in Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 1:30-31) 

This should not be a surprise.  The logic is sound and consistent throughout Scripture.  
God created humans with ultimate self worth.
Sin has negatively affected all humans.
Therefore, sin must be removed.

Our passage this morning reminds us that through faith in Jesus our sin is dealt with once and for all - and the self worth that we were created with can be discovered through that faith.

Sunday, January 26, 2014

Church Division

1 Corinthians 1:10-18

Division within the church is devastating.  Crystal Cathedral in Orange County, California is the largest glass building in the world, and has one of the largest musical instruments in the world - the Hazel Wright Memorial organ.  The congregation was founded in 1955 by Robert Schuller and grew to be a world renowned mega church.  In 2010 the church filed for bankruptcy, and in 2012 it was sold.  What happened?  Different people wanted different directions.  Division took hold and this once mega church with wonderful preaching and fantastic music went the way of many churches.  

I think sometimes we feel like those early Christian didn’t have to struggle with what we struggle with; that they didn’t have an uncle Billy or aunt Bobby Sue who always has to get their way; that they didn’t have to put up with a neighbors that were apathetic to the message, children that fought all the way to church, or visitors that decided to sit in their pew, or discussions, meetings, and committees being formed to determine the single greatest thing we will accomplish this year - what color to paint the restrooms!  

I thank God for the apostle Paul, and his decision to put pen to paper.  Because one day, while ministering to folks in Ephesus, he received word about those Christians in Corinth.  And the word was not good.  They are not united!  They are dividing along lines of personal preference, and it’s going to destroy the church.  So Paul took to writing, and we have a letter to the church in Corinth.  This morning and during the month of February we will be learning from the struggles and challenges of those Christians.  And I think part of what we are going to learn is that we are not that different.  The struggles we face they faced, and if we are open we might avoid a lot of heart ache and division among our brothers and sisters.

This text underscores the challenge of a church being effective while dealing with internal divisions.  Divisions within the church based on groups, clicks, or personal preferences weaken the message and mission.

Divisions are self-serving, v 12

To visualize just how silly division is within the Body of Christ imagine someone shopping for new clothes and only considering what the eyes finds appealing…

The most recent statistics on church closings are alarming.  In 2010, according to the Barna Research Group an estimated 75 churches closed each week.  How many church closings are related to divisions from within.  You see, this is something Paul knew 2,000 years ago.  The moment a congregation starts to move inward - groups, clicks, personal preferences - they lose touch of their message and mission.  One of the most dangerous things that can happen to a church is for it to begin to think that it exist primarily for them (their group, click or interest).  The church does not exist to house the saints; it exists to make disciples of Jesus Christ.  And that brings us to our second point.

Churches are self-giving

When you account for our message and mission we are self giving!  Our message can be found in John 3:16, and our mission in Matt 28:19-20.  The single greatest way to avoid divisions within the church - stay focused on the vision!

Sunday, January 19, 2014

Sundays-a-coming

Mark 16:1-2

There are seven days in a week.  Each day has a distinct character, feeling, and attitude.  But one of those days is more important than the others.

Monday
There's not many folks who enjoy Monday.  For most of us it represents back to school or back to work.  If something is going to go wrong, chances are it's going to be on a Monday - but Sundays-a-coming.

Tuesday
What a difference a day makes!  Just about everyone loves Tuesdays.  It has a restaurant - Ruby Tuesdays.  It has a retail store - Tuesday Morning.  It even has a book - "Tuesday's with Morrie".  Most folks like Tueaday - but Sundays-a-coming.

Wednesday
It is loved for its "hump".  Wednesday is "hump day".  It is the middle of the week, and therefore enjoyed by every student and weekday employee.  It's only claim to fame is one holy day - Ash Wednesday.

You get the picture...but go to bed on Saturday and wake up the next day, and you will have Sunday!

Sunday
Sunday is different from any other day of the week.  It was the day that Jesus rose from the dead, and walked out of the tomb.  Of all the days of the week, God chose Sunday - the first day of the week.  That makes it special.  The hope that we have in Jesus Christ rest in the significance of that day.  The next time you are faced with a challenging circumstance or particular hardship remember Sundays-a-coming.

Sunday, January 5, 2014

Star Struck Joseph

Matthew 1:18-25

When Joseph became star struck with the news of Jesus he changed his mind about his future plans with Mary.  And in so doing he reminds us why change is so important to the Christian faith.

Change allows us to become partners with God
Joseph had to be convinced that Mary's pregnancy was a miracle; and once he was convinced he changed his mind about calling off the wedding, and in so doing he became a partner with God.

Have you ever considered your Christian service as being partners with God?

Change allows us to be part of God's plan
The angel suggested Joseph do two things: marry the young Mary, and name the baby Jesus.  Joseph's choice to partner with God and do as he was commanded allowed him to become part of God's plan.

Have you ever imagined that when we respond to God's calling in our life that we become part of God's divine plan.

And change allows us to be in new relationships
Had Joseph not changed his mind he would have missed arguably the two most important relationship in human history.  He would not have known Mary, the mother of Jesus.  He would not have married her, loved and cared for her, made a home and family with her, or anything else.  And Joseph would not have known Jesus - as a baby, as a boy, and as a young man.

Does God bring people together?  Have you ever considered the relationships you have as being part of a divine conspiracy?  The two greatest commandments are to love God, and to love our neighbor - God is in the business of making new relationships.  But if we are not willing to change, we might miss out on one of the most significant friendships we could ever have.

Followers