Pastor Sam
Sunday, August 17, 2014
9:30 AM & 11 PM
Series: Community | Building Better Together
Sermon: Growing the Community (Outreach Focus)
Introduction
My name is Sam Russo and I am an Assistant Pastor and have the privilege of giving
leadership to the Forum | Young Adults ministry at GT, as well as, oversight to our
outreach and PR ministries. We are continuing in our summer series on community
| building better together. We have heard messages on building biblical community,
spiritual community, connecting in community, the blueprints of community, and
Review: Last week, Dr. Bosman preached on the importance of caring for one
another in our community and gave us some powerful illustrations of what it looks
like to share one another’s burdens through community care.
Current: This week, I have the privilege of speaking on growing the community.
Growth is something that is exciting and we can all stand back in amazement as we
watch companies grow, multiply, and influence our world. For example, one of Coca
Cola’s goals is to bring to the world beverages that anticipate and satisfy people's
desires and needs! Amazon desires to provide everything to everyone! These are
some lofty goals for growth and these companies are trying hard to achieve them.
Do you realize that God has a mission for His church that is far more reaching and
far more important? But when it comes to growing not just a business but a
community of people it is not always as glamorous. For example, we find ourselves
having to share more often and then were asked to change what we are comfortable
with to make room for the growth… As a result, we can sometimes sabotage growth
that God desires. But the truth is – God’s plan for growing the church is not really
complicated, it simply involves you, your story and your obedience. But it is costly
as it will require your life.
Big Idea
We have a story to tell and a role to play.
Open your bulletin and pull out the testimony survey sheet. In just a moment I am
going to ask that you go through this sheet and fill it out completely. We are going to
collect them all so that we can see what God has done in our community.
Remember, we all have our own story to tell and a role to play in someone else’s
story. But, I know that the enemy tries to convince us that we are not important, that
we don’t have a story to tell, or if we do, that no one wants to hear it. In fact, he tries
multiple times every day.
The Scripture says, Revelation 12:10 & 11 10 Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say:
"Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority
of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers, the enemy, who accuses them before our God
day and night, has been hurled down. 11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb
(the sacrifice of Christ on the cross) and by the word of their testimony (the story of their
encounter with Christ); they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death (willing to
sacrifice greatly).
Satan will try to take away any weapon we might have against him. He might get us
too afraid, preoccupied, or politically correct to talk about the sacrifice of Christ on
the cross. But if we won’t forget the power of cross, we might be convinced to hold
back the story we have to tell, suppress the memories, or remain silent. Maybe
because we believe it is not important or that the sacrifice of sharing it is not worth
it. Let me tell you, it is worth it.
To illustrate, let me tell you a story found in Luke 15
There was a young son who took his inheritance early and squandered it. He ended
up eating pig slop until he decided to return home. His dad welcomed him with gifts
but his brother was jealous. Moral: we should be the dad and not like the brother.
That is the summary that I heard in my own head for many years… But there is SO
much more to this story and I am excited to share with you.
The Parable of the Lost Son
Luke 15:11 Jesus continued: "There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger one said to
his father, 'Father, give me my share of the estate.' So he divided his property between
them. 13"Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country
and there squandered his wealth in wild living. 14 After he had spent everything, there was a
severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired
himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 16 He longed to
fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. 17 "When
he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired men have food to spare, and here
I am starving to death! 18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have
sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me
like one of your hired men.' 20 So he got up and went to his father. "But while he was still a long
way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; (before his son repented) he
ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. 21 "The son said to him, 'Father, I
have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your
son. ' 22 "But the father said to his servants, 'Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a
ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf (sacred cow) and kill it.
Let's have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was
lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate. 25 "Meanwhile, the older son was in the field
(doing the work of the kingdom). When he came near the house, he heard music and
dancing. 26 So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. 27 'Your brother
has come,' he replied, 'and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe
and sound.' 28"The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and
pleaded with him. 29 But he answered his father, 'Look! All these years I've been slaving for you
and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate
with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with
prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!' 31 " 'My son,' the father said, 'you are
always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and be glad, because
this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' "
Your story might be that of the lost son. (Start the survey)
Maybe you made selfish decisions that divided you and your family.
Maybe you made financial decisions that you regret.
Maybe you spent time away from God’s Kingdom living your own way.
Maybe you have a story to tell of wild living – drugs, sexual immorality, etc.
Maybe everyone around you encountered a severe famine – morally, emotionally
(depression/suicide), or physically (abuse, hunger, sickness, etc)
Maybe you settled on living with pigs in hopes of sharing in their food.
Maybe you determined to give the Father a chance and experienced His goodness!
When I stop to think of my story, I quickly realize that in my lifetime my immediate
family has walked through most all of these examples. And if it were not for the
sacrifice of Christ on the cross, it would be just history and part of my families past.
BUT part of my story is having experienced the goodness of the Father time and
again!!
1 Corinthians 6: 9-11 says, “Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters
nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders 10 nor thieves nor the greedy
nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And that is
what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in
the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God”
If there is a story for you to share of how you once were… let us know!
There is still more to Luke 15 however Your story might be that of the brother.
When I was starting in college I struggled with the same feelings as the brother. I
remember feeling like the brother had a valid point. Did he ever get a celebration
like his brother had or was he just expected to work in the fields?!
I remember being so busy with going to school full time, working, volunteering, and
helping family that I became overwhelmed and burned out. I had access to the
Father but got so busy that I was not enjoying him. Soon, the enemy began to bring
harmful friendships into my life and how many of you know that it is when we are
not going to the Father for validation and approval that we are easier targets to
settle for superficial validation. (Friends went to a concert and I had to go to
church…) The Lord encountered me in the service and I sat in the hallway crying for
what seemed liked hours.
My story involves my family encountering the Father’s forgiveness and grace – and I
have a story to tell of how my Father, my God, has been so patient with me. Loving
me through anger, jealousy, fear, etc. Having grown up in the Kingdom, I can share
of the countless times I have seen with my own eyes the goodness of the Father.
What a story I must tell others so they too feel compelled to come and encounter
God.
Can we take a moment to pause and just thank the Lord for His love?! It truly is
His love that draws us to repentance. It is the image of His open arms that draw us
into His chest as he hugs and kisses us in our brokenness that transforms our lives!
PART 2 – Your Role
Now hopefully you have seen that you have a story to share and understand more
clearly the importance of your story in overcoming the enemy. BUT do you realize
that the blood of the lamb and the word of your testimony are not only weapons to
overcome the enemy in your life but also in the lives of others!
You not only have a story to tell but a ROLE to play in someone else’s story.
This is not just a BIG idea for a sermon – but this is God’s idea for all believers. When
you became a Christian you were not immediately brought to heaven to be with the
Father, because He chose you to be a part of His plan in reconciling ALL MEN unto
Him. This is the mission of God that He has mandated to us. Matthew 4:19 tell us,
19And Christ said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men."
It is our purpose as believers to play a role in reaching the lost sons and daughters
in our world and ultimately see the growth of our community.
In fact, I think it is necessary that we take times like this morning to stop and
recognize that your life has an important and direct impact on the life of our
community. That you can influence whether our community is growing or dying.
I believe Luke 15 has more insight to share with us about our role to play…
You might play the role of the Father
However, I felt led to challenge every Father, mother, grandfather, grandmother
here today that the role of the Father is yours to emulate but not to play. It is our
burden to see those closest to us come to know or come back home to the Father.
However, if we try to be the Father, we will always come up short, disappoint, or
misrepresent. We must however, share the story that we have lived, and point the
way to the Father while taking the role of the servant.
The role of the brother
If you choose to remain bitter towards the Father at His response towards the lost
son, you can also play a negative role. You could judge your brother, make them feel
the jealousy, and find ways to make them earn what was freely given. Or you could
just go back into the field to do the work of the Kingdom but begin to overflow a
frustration towards your Father or hold back the flow of His love. Without knowing
it we can quickly develop a barrier for others to come into the community so that we
can control who comes and how they must act and talk before they are accepted.
Let me illustrate - FISH TANK
Highlight fish tank and then begin to pour the new fish “into” the tank with the clear
plastic wrap on the top.
We allow the fish to get near, and as they flop back and forth on a vulnerable and
clear stage, we judge, correct, and wait to open up access to truly belonging until we
see the change we desire. In the mean time they might flop back and forth between
their old tank and the new one in hopes of a change, all the while, we can be tempted
to judge them as being flaky or rebellious.
We MUST penetrate that barrier with repentance for our judgmental attitudes and
circumcision requirements and then allow others to come freely to the throne of
grace and be immersed in our community so that they can get to know the love of
the Father that draws them to repentance and life change.
The role of the Servant
We as believer are considered servants of God (2 Cor. 6:4)
The servants QUICKLY gave 3 gifts (didn’t make him work to earn):
1. The robe (righteous covering)
Zechariah 3:4 The angel said to those who were standing before him, "Take off his filthy
clothes." Then he said to Joshua, "See, I have taken away your sin, and I will put rich
garments on you."
2. Ring (belongs to the Father’s house)
Genesis 41:42 Gave identity as part of the family and authority - Then Pharaoh took
his signet ring from his finger and put it on Joseph's finger.
3. Sandals (peace)
Slaves went barefoot and the sandals signified a life redeemed.
The threefold gifts represented freedom, honor, and restoration or reconciliation.
Killed the Fattened Calf (Could I dare say – got rid of some sacred cows – protected
traditions that needed to die in order to bring new life, nutrition, etc.) and had a
Feast (nutrition and friendship).
As servants – we have a very important role to play in the lives of those who come
into the community… when they repent we are to rejoice with them, see that they
are covered with understanding of righteousness, be given identity as part of the
family, and declared free from the slavery of sin as well as feed them with spiritual
training and relationship.
Role of the Prodigals Friends/Prostitutes
Experience the testimonies sent to them by the community of believers. Experience
the serving hearts and actions of the community of believers. Experience the life
change found in the love of the Father. Find a role among the community of
believers.
Challenge
Stay connected to the Father, Share your testimony, and Serve with intentionality!