Three and a half years ago I asked us to take Matthew 6:33 as our theme verse. In other words this is what motivates and pushes us. This verse helps us understand that nothing is more important than Christ’s Kingdom.
Matthew 6:33. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. A year ago, with your permission I appointed an ad hoc Planning Team to bring a recommendation about our church’s future. This verse was key in the Planning Team’s recommendation.
Two weeks ago you enthusiastically approved their recommendations concerning goals, strategies, and action plans for our church for the next five years. Our mission statement became the recommended goal.
Memorize this. When someone asks you what our church is about you will be able to tell them. It is short and succinct, yet clearly states our purpose: We are a united body of believers.
We are united in purpose and goal. We are believers. We’re not a service or social club. We are Christians who have come together as a church united in a common faith and common salvation.
We are committed to grow in our faith. This is broad, yet very personal. “I” am united with other believers. “I” am committed to grow in MY faith. “I” am committed to reach others for Christ.
We believe learning begins in the nursery and continues through our oldest member. We are absolutely committed to providing the very best Bible teaching possible.
And we are committed to reach others for Christ. We understand that without Christ a person is going to hell. Because of what Christ did for us, and because of His love, we want to touch the unchurched with Jesus.
We are going to start printing our goal on all of our printed materials—newsletter, letterheads, director’s notes and so on. It should be posted in every Bible Study classroom. Every Sunday School class ought to repeat it every time they meet. Everybody should know this is why we are here.
Wherever we go and whenever we meet in this place, we should run smack into our mission statement until it literally becomes a part of our spiritual DNA. Christ’s Kingdom and His righteousness is our primary goal in life. Since this is so, there are questions that must be considered. Personal questions that must be answered.
Jesus asked His disciples in Matthew 16:15, Who do you say I am? It’s a personal question. He knew what the culture of the day thought of Him. But He wanted to hear what His followers believed.
Jesus asks you the same question. Does what you believe about Jesus go beyond what our society and culture say about Him? The only way you can know for sure is how it affects what you do.
Jesus was asked one time what was the greatest commandment. He replied in Matthew 22:37, Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. Let me tell you the kind of love this is:
Simply stated, Christ doesn’t like left-overs. A loud preacher said this one time, then paused for dramatic effect. A little voice could be heard, “See momma, even Jesus doesn’t like left-overs.”
- with all that you are, and with all that you have. It’s 24/7. Christ doesn’t have you until He also has your family, your work, your leisure, your house and cars, and your wallet and checkbook.
- an understanding that the death, and resurrection of Christ is the only thing that makes sense in a world that has gone crazy.
- your emotions are involved because of what Christ did for you, and you begin to see other people the way Jesus sees them.
- You are willing to do whatever it takes to serve Christ and to help your church reach its goal. It is a love that involves more than sitting on your pew on a Sunday morning.
It means you stop making excuses—they stop right now! You find a ministry to serve in. Or you develop an appropriate Christian ministry to somehow serve others in our church and our community.
The answer to “Why am I here?” depends on “Who do you say Jesus is?”
Most of us think we know what a church ought to be—but if I asked ten of you, I’d get ten different answers. Proverbs 29:18 says, Where there is no vision, the people perish…(KJV).
We love the way the King James translation says it. But let me tell you what it really says: If people can’t see what God is doing they stumble all over themselves (Prov. 29:18, The Msg.).
We think we have a vision for our church. But it’s not enough to just have a vision. God wants us to be visionary—A church with a vision is simply that—a church with a vision. We can memorize our mission statement. We can talk about it, and talk some more, and agree that it’s very good. But if we don’t do it, that’s all it is—a vision.
A visionary church is one that seriously begins to pray for God’s leadership. A visionary church puts its feet to its vision. It goes to work to make the vision happen. It’s like the difference between making a vow and doing what you vowed.
Again look at our mission statement--united with other believers, committed to grow in our faith, and committed to reach others for Christ. Sounds good! And you’ve agreed to it. But until we make it happen, it’s just words. Are you a visionary? Can you see beyond the here and now?
There are many good things in the world you can get involved in. But unless it is done in the name of Jesus, it will not last. The things of this world are temporary. The things of God are eternal.
To leave your mark on your world means, I will give myself to something that is greater and more important, and has farther-reaching results than anything this world has to offer. I understand what I do here in the name of Jesus Christ reaches into eternity.
Though there will be problems, hard times, challenges, disappointments and struggles, I will be persistent in my loyalty to Christ.
When I am tired and discouraged, Christ will give me the power to live my life in His name. We’re all familiar with the Energizer Bunny. He claims that he just keeps going and going. But I’ve used those batteries, and they don’t.
Jesus never runs down. We have far greater power and resources at our disposal than anything this world offers. Let Him be your source of energy.
Too often we only see what we are interested in, and think this is all that church is—children’s ministries, student ministries, missions, and so on.
A visionary sees the whole picture. Your focus is on all the church. You see all the parts of the church—children’s ministries, choirs, youth ministries, Bible classes, worship services, missions and so on—and understand that all are designed for the same purpose: to make maturing disciples and reach others for Jesus.
Let each of your fingers on both hands represent a church ministry. There is a gap between each finger. When the two hands are interlocked they become one. Likewise, each ministry in the church must fit with the others.
Then, not only should you see all the ministries in step with one another, you also focus on next week, next month, next year, and the year after that and the year after that—continuing to grow and reach others for Christ. And you must be able to say, I will not be sidetracked from our goal.
Know what? As your pastor, I am very presumptuous. I expect every church member to be active in their own church. Did you know that some churches divide their membership rolls into categories: Active members, inactive members, and non-resident members.
Can you just see Jesus saying, “Yeah, you can be my follower on a part time basis.” I don’t think so! Jesus said, “Take up your cross daily and follow me.” The very meaning of church membership is ACTIVE MEMBERS.
As your pastor I presume that you will be praying, worshiping, reading your Bible, tithing, fellowshipping, and sharing Jesus with others. Inactive, non-resident church members are a contradiction to everything in the New Testament.
But you must be presumptuous too. You must presume that you are going to serve our Lord the very best you know how. You must presume that you have the right to live out your Christian faith in our world.
If you believe that Jesus Christ is the only means of eternal life in heaven, then you must also presume that non-churched people need to know about Him. What does it mean to be a visionary? I will leave my Christian mark on the world. Christ will be my energy source. I will be focused. I will be presumptuous.
There are many values we Christians cling to and hold very dear. But we must understand that there are three core beliefs that drive and motivate us. God wants you to understand there are three fundamental biblical truths that are absolutely non-negotiable. If you are going to be a member of this church you are going to invest your life in them.
John 17:17. Sanctify them by the truth; your Word is truth. Read with me: We believe that the Bible is the Word of God and the absolute source of truth. The Bible is infallible, and is without error. It is God’s revealed truth. The truth is that from beginning to end it shows God’s love and provision of salvation for us.
The Bible is about the things of God—the ways of God—and the will of God. The Bible is our source book for everything we do. The Bible clearly explains the truth that every person who ever lives needs Jesus, the Savior. Additionally, the Bible explains that God’s greatest desire is for every person to be saved.
John 3:16. For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.
Let’s read together: Jesus Christ is the Son of God—the exact image of God—is God, and He died on the cross as an act of love to redeem the world from the destruction brought about by sin.
This is the very foundation of why we are here. You cannot get any more foundationy than this. It is absolutely non-negotiable. Jesus Christ died for you and me and everyone in the world. This is part of our spiritual DNA.
This is the starting point for us as a church. It’s what we believe, who and what we are, and what we place our confidence and future hope in.
The Philippian jailer asked Paul what he must do to be saved. Paul answered,
Acts 16:31. Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved…
Read together: Only faith in Jesus Christ brings about a transfor-mation in the human heart, makes us children of God, and changes our inner nature and outer behavior.
You see, the only way of salvation is through Jesus Christ. It isn’t just a great idea, it isn’t to be voted on, it just is. It is essential to what you believe and what we are as a church.
If you don’t believe this, you don’t really know what business you or this church is in. If you believe there are other ways of salvation, you are not a Christian, because you must understand and believe that Christ is the only way.
We are not in the business of being good—though, as Christians, others should see Jesus in and through us. We should be naturally good.
We are not in the education business—though we are continually learning and growing in our faith. We are committed to providing the very best Bible study literature and teachers.
We are not in the business of being a social club—though Christians love to get together and fellowship and party and have the best times together.
Our business is in believing that God can change a life through the power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Our business is to connect people with that power. This is our business!
If we are going to be united and committed the key then is—to whom are you committed? One of the barometers of spiritual maturity is the number of people involved in ministry. When you are committed to grow in Christ and reach others for Christ, you are filled with a passion for Christ and a godly passion for people. You will want to do what you can and are able to help our church reach its goal.
Why am I here? What does God want me to be? What does God want me to understand?
When you understand the answers to these questions and apply them to your life, then you will be part of a united body of believers, committed to grow in Christ and to reach others for Christ.