Us & Them
Trey Little | 14-Mar-10
"Us & Them"
What a Sunday--we lost an hour of sleep; it is Spring Break and many of our friends and family are off doing fun things without us; and we are stuck in here!
I thought about getting a t-shirt made up for all of you that came to church this morning that said, "While you were away playing we stayed here praying!"
Of course, I am just kidding--I pray we will never feel that gathering together to worship the Almighty God as "stuck."
But the t-shirt would be kind of fun!!!!!
Let's continue our journey through The Hole in Our Gospel as we once again turn to God's word. Turn with me to Luke 12: 16-21--I will be reading from Eugene Peterson's The Message this morning.
Are you familiar with Alcoholics Anonymous? If so, then you probably know that every alcoholic who attends an AA meeting begins speaking by saying, "My name is _____, and I am an alcoholic." Obviously this is by design--"this forces the person to acknowledge his/her failure with humility and prevents them from playing any denial games that could trick them into believing they don't really have a problem" (adapted from p. 197).
As one friend put it: "The great irony is this, the success of AA is not derived from strength but from weakness. In AA, there are desperate drunks with messed up lives helping other desperate drunks with messed up lives stay sober one day at a time--beggars showing other beggars where to find bread" (thanks Dan Wilson).
You and I may not be addicted to alcohol. We may not be "alcoholics" according to the definition most often associated with the disease of alcoholism. In fact, many of us might go so far as to say that we are not one of "them" simply because we don't drink too much.
Yet, can there be any doubt that we have all lived in denial? Can there be any doubt that we have all, at least once, played little denial games with God and ourselves by saying such things as: "I don't really have a problem with the Gospel. I don't really have a problem moving out of my comfort zone in order to reach out to others. I don't really have a problem with people who look or act differently than me." Having said this--have you ever thought about why we come to a meeting every Sunday morning?
The fact is: we are all addicted to something. Perhaps it is work; perhaps it is money; perhaps it is self; perhaps it is stuff. Additionally, we are all desperate people with messed up lives. We, in a sense, consistently get intoxicated by the hustle and bustle of the world around us and in so doing we often offend the people God desires for us to love the most. It is as if we are Anonymous Christians!
A couple of weeks ago I was chosen to serve as a juror on a Driving While Intoxicated case. It truly was one of the most difficult things I have ever had to be a part of. When you are one of six people sworn in to uphold the law, based on the evidence, it is very difficult. The reason being: there is someone's life involved. But when we were in court I learned something--I learned the real definition of "intoxication" is: "Not having normal use of your mental or physical faculties."
Which of course begs the question: What is the normal use of your mental and physical faculties? Do you believe it is normal to think about how you can reach out to the lost? Do you think it is normal for you to mentally picture how you will serve the Lord by serving others? Is it normal for you to physically do something for someone else? If so--then if you are NOT doing these things you are in jeopardy of getting a LWI--Living While Intoxicated. Because when we deal with the Gospel peoples lives are involved.
In our sermon text this morning we hear Jesus tell a parable about a man who seemingly had it all. In fact, he had so much he found himself in an intoxicating quandary. He didn't have enough room for all he had--much less to fit anything else he would reap. But then, he got an idea: "I'll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I'll gather in all my grain and goods, and I'll say to myself, 'Self, you've done well! You've got it made and can now retire. Take it easy and have the time of your life!"'
Where are the barns in your life? I wonder, are we better at building barns than we are at the harvest? You see, everything we have--if you think about it--it is not really ours--it is God's. All we have comes from Him and we are entrusted with what we have--not entitled to it. And I believe God expects us to invest it in the Kingdom work--not just continue building barns!
God's word says, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field" (Matthew 9:37-38).
Listen, I don't think it is by chance that MMPC continues to grow. I think the Lord is preparing His workers--His workers in a small town and small church--to be fired up, available and equipped for the harvest. I think the Lord is working in and through us to remind us that it is not so much about building bigger barns as it is to share what is in them. I think God is preparing us to be LESS ANONYMOUS!
An African pastor named Morgan Chilulu once said, "A church that lives within its four walls is no church at all."
I think the Lord is growing our church in order that we can live and move outside our four walls. I think He is transforming our hearts not so we can build bigger barns but so we can build a bigger Kingdom.
What would you rather hear the Lord say to you? What was said to the rich man: "Fool! Tonight you die. And your barnful of goods--who gets them? That's what happens when you fill your barn with Self and not with God." Or would you rather hear, "Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things."
As I think about The Hole in Our Gospel I become more and more convinced that the Lord desires for us to no longer live in denial. I believe He expects us to no longer be a church that lives in an "Us & Them" paradigm. And I contend that our Lord is preparing MMPC to be a church that looks out on the world around us and shouts out with great compassion the names of as many people we can find. We shout out their names--and in doing so we are saying to them--we see you; regardless of the size of your barns; regardless of your addictions; regardless of your abilities; regardless of your race; regardless of your geographical location--you matter. The church--better yet, the Gospel--should never be about "Us & Them" but instead, "We."
We are all in need of the Good News of Jesus Christ. We are all in need of God's amazing grace and forgiveness. We all long for hope and acceptance. We all need joy. We all need, at some point or other in our lives, someone to reach out to us in love. And quite frankly, we are all needy.
And so this morning, I want to encourage us to think about how we are getting "intoxicated." What is affecting our normal mental and physical behavior--is it SELF or is it The Gospel?
Let me close with this--something Stearns' wrote. He said, "Perhaps every pastor, church leader, and parachurch ministry leader should begin their daily devotions with something similar to the Alcoholics Anonymous as they pray that God would open their eyes to their own blind spots so they can lead their congregations through the strong currents of our secular culture. My name is Trey, and I am blind to the injustices and sins of omission committed by my own church. Open the eyes of my heart, Lord, to see the world as you see it. Let my heart be broken by the things that break your heart. Give me the ability to see through our culture and to lead my people with Your vision, instead of the world's" (pg. 198).
Perhaps I should pray that.
Perhaps you should join me.
If WE pray this together, perhaps it will be the beginning of the end of "Us & Them!"
AMEN.
What a Sunday--we lost an hour of sleep; it is Spring Break and many of our friends and family are off doing fun things without us; and we are stuck in here!
I thought about getting a t-shirt made up for all of you that came to church this morning that said, "While you were away playing we stayed here praying!"
Of course, I am just kidding--I pray we will never feel that gathering together to worship the Almighty God as "stuck."
But the t-shirt would be kind of fun!!!!!
Let's continue our journey through The Hole in Our Gospel as we once again turn to God's word. Turn with me to Luke 12: 16-21--I will be reading from Eugene Peterson's The Message this morning.
Are you familiar with Alcoholics Anonymous? If so, then you probably know that every alcoholic who attends an AA meeting begins speaking by saying, "My name is _____, and I am an alcoholic." Obviously this is by design--"this forces the person to acknowledge his/her failure with humility and prevents them from playing any denial games that could trick them into believing they don't really have a problem" (adapted from p. 197).
As one friend put it: "The great irony is this, the success of AA is not derived from strength but from weakness. In AA, there are desperate drunks with messed up lives helping other desperate drunks with messed up lives stay sober one day at a time--beggars showing other beggars where to find bread" (thanks Dan Wilson).
You and I may not be addicted to alcohol. We may not be "alcoholics" according to the definition most often associated with the disease of alcoholism. In fact, many of us might go so far as to say that we are not one of "them" simply because we don't drink too much.
Yet, can there be any doubt that we have all lived in denial? Can there be any doubt that we have all, at least once, played little denial games with God and ourselves by saying such things as: "I don't really have a problem with the Gospel. I don't really have a problem moving out of my comfort zone in order to reach out to others. I don't really have a problem with people who look or act differently than me." Having said this--have you ever thought about why we come to a meeting every Sunday morning?
The fact is: we are all addicted to something. Perhaps it is work; perhaps it is money; perhaps it is self; perhaps it is stuff. Additionally, we are all desperate people with messed up lives. We, in a sense, consistently get intoxicated by the hustle and bustle of the world around us and in so doing we often offend the people God desires for us to love the most. It is as if we are Anonymous Christians!
A couple of weeks ago I was chosen to serve as a juror on a Driving While Intoxicated case. It truly was one of the most difficult things I have ever had to be a part of. When you are one of six people sworn in to uphold the law, based on the evidence, it is very difficult. The reason being: there is someone's life involved. But when we were in court I learned something--I learned the real definition of "intoxication" is: "Not having normal use of your mental or physical faculties."
Which of course begs the question: What is the normal use of your mental and physical faculties? Do you believe it is normal to think about how you can reach out to the lost? Do you think it is normal for you to mentally picture how you will serve the Lord by serving others? Is it normal for you to physically do something for someone else? If so--then if you are NOT doing these things you are in jeopardy of getting a LWI--Living While Intoxicated. Because when we deal with the Gospel peoples lives are involved.
In our sermon text this morning we hear Jesus tell a parable about a man who seemingly had it all. In fact, he had so much he found himself in an intoxicating quandary. He didn't have enough room for all he had--much less to fit anything else he would reap. But then, he got an idea: "I'll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I'll gather in all my grain and goods, and I'll say to myself, 'Self, you've done well! You've got it made and can now retire. Take it easy and have the time of your life!"'
Where are the barns in your life? I wonder, are we better at building barns than we are at the harvest? You see, everything we have--if you think about it--it is not really ours--it is God's. All we have comes from Him and we are entrusted with what we have--not entitled to it. And I believe God expects us to invest it in the Kingdom work--not just continue building barns!
God's word says, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field" (Matthew 9:37-38).
Listen, I don't think it is by chance that MMPC continues to grow. I think the Lord is preparing His workers--His workers in a small town and small church--to be fired up, available and equipped for the harvest. I think the Lord is working in and through us to remind us that it is not so much about building bigger barns as it is to share what is in them. I think God is preparing us to be LESS ANONYMOUS!
An African pastor named Morgan Chilulu once said, "A church that lives within its four walls is no church at all."
I think the Lord is growing our church in order that we can live and move outside our four walls. I think He is transforming our hearts not so we can build bigger barns but so we can build a bigger Kingdom.
What would you rather hear the Lord say to you? What was said to the rich man: "Fool! Tonight you die. And your barnful of goods--who gets them? That's what happens when you fill your barn with Self and not with God." Or would you rather hear, "Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things."
As I think about The Hole in Our Gospel I become more and more convinced that the Lord desires for us to no longer live in denial. I believe He expects us to no longer be a church that lives in an "Us & Them" paradigm. And I contend that our Lord is preparing MMPC to be a church that looks out on the world around us and shouts out with great compassion the names of as many people we can find. We shout out their names--and in doing so we are saying to them--we see you; regardless of the size of your barns; regardless of your addictions; regardless of your abilities; regardless of your race; regardless of your geographical location--you matter. The church--better yet, the Gospel--should never be about "Us & Them" but instead, "We."
We are all in need of the Good News of Jesus Christ. We are all in need of God's amazing grace and forgiveness. We all long for hope and acceptance. We all need joy. We all need, at some point or other in our lives, someone to reach out to us in love. And quite frankly, we are all needy.
And so this morning, I want to encourage us to think about how we are getting "intoxicated." What is affecting our normal mental and physical behavior--is it SELF or is it The Gospel?
Let me close with this--something Stearns' wrote. He said, "Perhaps every pastor, church leader, and parachurch ministry leader should begin their daily devotions with something similar to the Alcoholics Anonymous as they pray that God would open their eyes to their own blind spots so they can lead their congregations through the strong currents of our secular culture. My name is Trey, and I am blind to the injustices and sins of omission committed by my own church. Open the eyes of my heart, Lord, to see the world as you see it. Let my heart be broken by the things that break your heart. Give me the ability to see through our culture and to lead my people with Your vision, instead of the world's" (pg. 198).
Perhaps I should pray that.
Perhaps you should join me.
If WE pray this together, perhaps it will be the beginning of the end of "Us & Them!"
AMEN.
