Ready To Take a Chance?

Reformation Sunday!

 

Introduction:

A.        As kids we try just about anything; we don't seem to know the meaning of fear.

When I was young, I rode my bike a lot.  I'd ride it up and down our street.  I'd

ride it in our backyard.  I'd race neighborhood kids on it and usually won believe

it or not. Sometimes, I was quite a dare-devil.  Across the back of our yard, there

was a concrete block wall about three blocks high; it was the retainer wall for fill

dirt in the yard behind us.  I can remember riding my bike toward that and at the

last minute slaming on my brakes to see now close I could get. I can remember

one time getting too close.  Well, I plowed into it, and that pretty well put an end

to that contest! All of this without a helmet.  We didn’t wear them back then!  But

as kids, we were willing to take chances. Because of that, we learned to walk and

a lot of things!

 

B.        How many of you have ever taken a chance in life?

 

C.        Have you ever had someone take a chance on you?

 

D.        Where God and Church are concerned, are you Ready To Take A Chance???

                                                                         Prayer

                                                                     Matt. 8:1-3

                                                                     Matt. 28:19

                                                                   Rev. 3: 14-22

 

I.          Some Examples Of Those Who Would Not Take A Chance.

 

A.             In Numbers chapter 13 & 14, the children of Israel are afraid to go up against

what they called "Giants."

 

1.         They could have had a land of plenty.

 

2.         But because they would not take the chance, they

ended up wandering in the wilderness for forty

years.

 

B.        Rev. 3 tells us of a satisfied church: The Church at

            Laodicia. (Rev. 3:14-22)

 

1.         They took no chances.

 

2.         They were self-secure.

 

1.              Doing something else would require adjustment which would rock the

boat.

 

4.         They had many chances to be "hot" for God.

 

2.              If they did not change, and take their chances, God would "spew them

out."

 

II.        Some Examples of Those Who Dared To Take a Chance.

 

A.        Abraham took the chance at leaving his homeland to follow

God. Gen. 12:1-9

1.         He did not know what he would find.

 

2.         Because he dared to follow, he became the father of                    

            the Hebrew people and brought many to God.

 

B.        The Leper of Matt. 8:1-3 took a chance.

1.         He could have been stoned to death for coming near                

            people.

 

2.         But because he took a chance, he was made a whole             

            person: he was healed!

 

D.             This is Reformation Sunday! The reformers dared to take a chance!

 

1.              Martin Luther nailed his thesis to the door of the  church in Germany to try to get the church back to a more Biblical way and was kicked out of the church, starting the protestant reformation!

 

2.              John Wesley dared to take a chance in starting Bible Study groups to get people to do something with their faith and to reach those who were not being reached by the church, starting what would be called the Methodist movement that would later become the Methodist Church in America!

 

III.       We Must Be Willing To Keep Taking Chances.

 

A.        Churches that do not try: DIE.

 

1.              If they are afraid to do new things, they alienate their world.  Their world

changes, but they do not.

2.              They curl up in past accomplishments and forget to reach their world of

today.

 

B.        Let us always be willing to take a chance to help people.

 

1.         We have been willing in:

a.         Embracing the Safe Gatherings process to be able

to minister to children in the world in which we live!

 

b.         Having regular Potluck brunches and other

fellowships to invite others to.

 

c.         Starting the Thrift Store and the free food

shelf. Working at the Thrift Store!

 

d.         Starting the Mozambique Covenant with our

church and pastor in Africa!

 

                                    e.         Supporting other missional works: Options,

Gideons, and Heifer International.

 

f.          Building our current facility and lately

updating it to reach people in Forsyth!

 

g.         Paying full support on our Conference

apportionments even when it is hard.

 

                                    h.         Trimming our budget, using volunteers for

cleaning and working in the office and changing

our insurance to actual cost!

 

i.               All of this required some degree of chance!          

 

3.              We must now, NOT GET SATISFIED, but ask God what we              

can try now!!!  What will we do for God now? What is

the next step?

 

C.        In Matt. 28:19, Christ told us to reach the world.

 

1.         HE PROMISED to be there with us always.

 

2.         So let's be on the look out for new ways and

            opportunities to reach out.

 

a.         Never Say:  "It won't work."  "We've tried that

            before and it fizzled."  "That's not the way we                                   

            used to do it!"

 

b.         If we are willing to open up and keep trying,

            God will help us, God will use us!

 

c.         Let's take the chance: to get involved, to

            commit, to care, to do what we can for God.

 

d.         Let’s have the positive attitude that if we are

willing God will use us!

Conclusion:

 

A.        It will be easy to become satisfied with how things are going and the number of

people that we have coming.

 

B.        Are we willing and do we honestly want to keep growing?

 

C.        There are people out there who need to hear the message

that we proclaim!  Are we willing to take the chance, to

give the invitation?

 

            D.        As we encounter Christ at the table today, surrender and

say here I am use me.  Help me to be willing to take the

chance!

 

                                                             Prayer of Confession

Service of Communion

 

 

What Can a Christian Do?

 

21^st Sunday after Pentecost!

 

Focus Statement.    Jesus said Christians "are" the salt and

                     light of the world.

 

Function Statement. Because of this sermon, people will realize

                     that Christ has passed the torch to us to be

                     the salt and light of the world and will

                     yield their lives more fully to God!

 

Intro.

     A.   We live in a world where we see corruption in

          Government; we see polarization in politics!

 

     B.   We see churches fighting!

 

     C.   We see shootings in our schools, homes, and work

          places!

 

     D.   We see people who claim the title Christian do immoral          acts, even preachers and politicians!

 

E.   It can get depressing! We ask ourselves, "What can one little Christian do? What can a small group of Christians do?

 

     Trans.

          Christ made two statements during His sermon on the

      mount that left no doubt as to the impact Christians could

      have on the world!  Let's look and see what they are.

 

                              Prayer

                           Matt. 5:13-16

 

I.   "You are the salt of the earth;"

 

     A.   Notice Christ says, "You are" the salt of the earth,

          not "You can be."

 

          If there is to be any salt, it will be us!  Christians          are the salt of the earth!

 

     B.   What are some characteristics of salt?

          1.   Salt creates a thirst!

 

               a.   If we really get in touch with God, if we

really put our complete trust in God and live for God, if we love for and like God, people will want what we have!

 

               b.   It will change our lives in such a positive

                     way that people will thirst for God because

                     of us!

 

          2.   Salt has been used as a preservative.

 

               a.   People used to salt down their meat to

                     preserve it.

 

               b.   Christians are a preservative for our world;

                     we keep it from spoiling!

 

               c.   Each good act that we do makes the world a                        better place to live!

 

               d.   We preserve peoples lives for God as we

                    offer the kingdom to them!

 

               e.   Each new person who comes into the Kingdom                         makes our world a little better!

 

d.   We can preserve justice in the world today as we allow God's kingdom to come in our lives and on earth as it is in heaven!  As we:

 

                     1)   Reach out to all people and invite them

                          to church.

 

                     2)   Give a loaf of bread in Jesus' name

through supporting the free food shelf, Thrift Store, Benevolence fund, or Options.

 

3)   Work to overcome racial prejudice in our community.

 

4)   Work to support “Warm the Needy!”

 

5)   As we allow our standing for justice and standing for those who can’t stand for themselves effect how we vote!

 

C.   So Christ said, "We are these things!"  We will make an impact on the world we live in!  Praise the Lord!!

 

II.  "You are the light of the world." Not we might be!

 

     A.   Notice again; Christ said, "You are."

          We are that that stands as a light in a dark lost

          world!

 

     B.   Let's look at some qualities of Light.

 

          1.   No matter how small the light, when it is placed

               in a dark room, we can see!

 

               a.   The Christian life serves as a light in that

Christians help people see that God loves them. 

 

b.   No matter how small we may feel, there are                     those who are looking to us as an example of

how a life should be lived; we may be the

only Bible some people read.  If we help

people see God’s love by the way we live, we have served as a light!

 

c.   I am more and more convinced that the best way we can be lights in the world and represent Christ in our world is by sharing Unconditional Love as Jesus did!

 

          2.   We are a light in that our lives should guide

               people to Christ!

 

a.   We don't have to be a famous preacher or for that matter any preacher, to lead someone to Christ!

 

1)   We don’t even have to have all the right versus memorized!

 

2)   We just need to tell them that Christ has made a difference in our life!

 

               b.   We are all to be in ministry for Christ!

 

          3.   What gets us too much of the time is:

 

               a.   Our light is not shining in the right place,                    and we are not sending out the right

                     messages.

 

               b.   We are still babes in Christ!

 

               c.   We need to totally commit our lives to

Christ and get our act together!

 

               d.   We need to grow as Christians and let God                        develop in us Godly attitudes and virtues!

 

               e.   When we live the kind of life that God wants

                     to develop in us, people will see the

                     difference and will want what we have!

 

1)   I am talking about being perfected in

Love!

 

2)   Living Christ’s Unconditional Love and

having that virtue in our lives and not

so much caught up into judging as much

as into loving!

 

f.   When God has been able to develop this kind of virtue in us, we will have the

opportunities because people will be

interested!

 

               g.   Then, we "will be" lights!

 

III. The fact that Christ started out both times with "You are"

     is positive!

 

A.   No matter how out-numbered we may be, no matter how bad things get, if we are truly dedicated to Christ, we will make a positive difference in the world!

 

     B.   We will be salt!

 

     C.   We will be light!

 

     D.   We will be able to make things better!

 

 

Conclusion:

 

     A.   Are we truly dedicated to Christ?  Are we really

          trusting in him with all our hearts?  Wesley said,

          "It is impossible for any that have it, to conceal the

           religion of Jesus Christ."  We are Salt and Light!

 

     B.   As we truly yield to Christ, we will be able to be

Salt & Light: we will be able to make a difference for the good, no matter what is going on in the world!

 

     C.   What can a Christian do?

 

          1.   We can trust that Christ can make a difference!

 

2.   We can live an example by letting the Lord live and love through us!

 

          3.   We can live a life that people will want what

               we've got!

 

D.   Do you need to more fully yield to God this morning as we encounter Christ at the table?  Do you need to come to Christ for a first time commitment? If you make a first time commitment, let me know so I can help you with your new walk in Christ!

         

Prayer of Confession

Service of Communion