RushChurch Sunday Worship
Good morning.
If you would turn me to return with me to Philippians chapter 3. Philippians chapter 3 that's going to be our primary text for today. However, we will also be in John chapter 5 so you can put a put a finger in that if you want to. I am looking forward to this year. I'm looking forward to the possibilities. I'm looking forward to Opportunities. I'm always looking forward to a chance to participate and I kind of shared last week a little bit that one of the one of the one of the bad part is when you don't get to you don't get to play the game anymore. And I think we just want to work rules ever made. Is it in in kids sports at the Run spread Rule and I'll so many runs and you just you call the game. I've been on the losing end of that and I hate that I want to keep playing. I want to keep I want to keep going out there and then doing what we were there to do. I want to have the chance to continue at our context here continue to work. I need to live to tell need to grow continue to talk to me continue to sing teach and all these wonderful things. And we have that opportunity. We have that chance this year or at least we have that chance today. And we may have that chance tomorrow. I hope that we have that chance throughout this year. I am reminded as I look over our plan for this coming year at least our plan of education and our plan of teaching here on Sunday mornings I am reminded of the walk to Emmaus do you want turn here but I just this past is a little later going to be on your screen there's two disciples 2 followers of Jesus And they've just experienced the death of Christ. They just experienced the horrors of the cross. They've just experienced fear uncertainty confusion all kinds of crazy stuff. And then walking along journeying law. To Emmaus from Jerusalem to Emmaus about 6 or 7 miles 8 Miles, baby. And ask her walking along Jesus Walks along with them now. They don't know, it's Jesus. They're kept from seeing Jesus. This is super naturally. They are kept from recognizing. And he walks along as they're walking along and they're filled with grief fear confusion. I'm certain they all kinds of crazy stuff. I asked him this is what you talkin about. Will you talk to him? Look at him like he's crazy. You don't know. You don't know everything that's been going on. You don't know everything's been happening. I don't feel like somebody coming up to you and me right today so I can tell what happened last year. What was everybody just just could just crazy right now. You don't know. Where have you been? And so they tell him they tell this man who is Jesus. They don't know who you is. He telling me there's a lot of bad stuff's been happening. Jesus was just crucified a we thought that Jesus was going to be the Messiah. We thought he was the one we thought he was the one to usher in this new age of Israel. We thought he was the one that was going to lead us that he was the one that was going to save us.
filled with grief filled with uncertainty as Jesus hears this he says this and Luke 24 starting first 25. Is this how foolish you are. And how slow to believe all the prophet has spoken did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory. And beginning with Moses and all the prophets. He explained to them what was said in all the scriptures concerning himself. As they approached the village. To which they were going Jesus continued on as if going further. But they are still strongly stay with us. It's almost evening. The day is almost over so we went in to stay with him. What it was at the table with them, he took bread gave thanks broke it and begin begin to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized and he disappeared from their site. They asked each other. We're not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and open the scriptures to us.
Father we thank you. We thank you that we have an opportunity to see who Jesus is to see what Jesus is. We thank you Father. We have an opportunity today. But as days go. To have our eyes open. to certainty the hope Have our eyes open to freedom in forgiveness. have eyes open to the Comfort Inn in the heart and the mind
By the way, I asked you be a part of this time as we look forward. We look forward with excitement. We look forward with gratitude and Thanksgiving. We have an opportunity to continue to to live in to work. At least until the return of Jesus. We thank you Father for this day for this moment this time in Jesus name. Amen.
My Hope Is Does we go through this year? Our eyes will be open. All right, we'll be open to the truth Christ who he is what he is what he means us that our eyes will be opened to church what the church is all of these wonderful things for the very foundation of the church clear through eternity and it we also will walk through this process and so certainly during this time. Some of us are going to learn some things new. Some of us are going to be reminded of some things. and this begins actually next week will go into this and just a minute but in Philippians Paul writes this lip his chapter 3
he writes look I want to know Christ
I want to know Christ this is Paul this is Paul who's been taught by Jesus this is Paul who had this Revelation from Christ been taught by the spirit this is Paul who is a missionary's ball who's establishing churches this is Paul has been baptized into the body this is Paul who is performing Miracles this is Paul who has the indwelling of the spirit and what does Paul say he says I want to know Christ I want to know Jesus Even more than I do right now. I want to know who he is what he is. I want to know what his life means to my life what my life means to him. He says yes to know the power of his resurrection and not only that rice balls cuz I want to participate in his sufferings. Why because the sufferings of Jesus brought about life for you and me. I suppose I want to participate in that so that I might help bring about life to other people. I want to participate in his sufferings becoming like him in death. He wants the old person to go away. I want the old person to go away. And so somehow attaining to the resurrection from the dead. He knows that these things are certain. He knows that he has been has been given eternal life. He says I have to figure it all out. I don't know exactly how Jesus does all this stuff and God's able to even resurrected that he said, but I'm going to be a part of that.
Is it like I haven't obtained all this? I haven't obtained everything that I'm trying to do. I haven't met these goals yet. I have arrived at my goal. What is the score this goal for Paul is this goal of ministry this goal of being a missionary this goal of personal sanctification purification in Jesus Christ, and even Paul says look, I'm not there yet. Well, I would think if there's a if there's a picture of anybody who's close to Saint if acacian if there's a picture of anybody who met his goal in life, it's Paul. Play Nepal reflects upon his Library since I'm not there yet. I'm still working towards it. I'm still moving forward through Jesus Christ.
This is what I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus Took hold of me. That is life. Brothers and sisters. I don't consider myself yet to have taken hold of it this Perfection the Saints vacation. He says it but one thing I do. Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead. I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. The prize is a turtle like the price is forgiveness. Really what that prize is freedom freedom. Freedom from Death freedom from sin freedom from the torment of sin. And then it goes on to talk to you and me he says all of us then who are mature should take such a few of thing Nest forgetting what's behind it's in the past is not going to happen again. You have to relive what's already happened yesterday. Forgetting about that. I'm moving forward if Paul's able to do that you and I can do that as well. Don't forget Paul started his career essentially. persecuting the church That's what he did. And if he wasn't physically involved in the murder of Christians, he was the one that allowed others to carry it out if that gave his approval for them to be carried out. That's how Paul started. impulses I'm forgetting about all that I'm moving forward. because of the incredible Eternal forgiveness Grace of Jesus Christ
This is only let us live up to what we that which we have already obtained. That's righteousness. Righteousness is something is given to you and I and it's also so that we live up to he presses for dresses on towards the goal.
all right as part of the lesson get into the let's get into the meat of this some of the some of the fun stuff so many exciting stuff we have set goals in this church today we are looking forward looking for the most of you are familiar with the golden knights jerseys 500-125 0 over the past year Church those goals have not been abandoned as 500 people to be a part of this by this family 500 people to know what it is to love Jesus 500 people know what it is to have brothers and sisters sitting right here 500 people to walk in this door and know that they are loved and appreciated 500 people to hear the gospel message of Jesus Christ 500 100 100 people that participating in this discipleship of Jesus 25 this is our given Go 25 per capita of giving and finally zero zero debt no dead hanging over our heads we can continue our ministry How to get over the past year those goals have not been abandoned but they have been modified. They've been modified to suit the current climate. That's what everybody has. I think everybody modified something over this past year. And if you didn't you were probably one of those ones that disciples were talking about you don't know what's going on. Do you? We've modified things all over the place because this past year. God's Direction in that passage in Philippians that pursuing this this goal that moving forward in life regardless of what the past is is both internally in our hearts and in our minds and our purification in our sanctification, but churches also externally in our service. How to make you imagine what the world would be like a billion be even worse in the first roadblock. We ever faced everybody gave up when it came to service everybody gave up when it came to loving others everybody gave up what team does to growing and improvise it what does improvise adapt and overcome everybody just gave up when I face the first hurdle. Ozark are with the hurdles are I'm going to move forward. Do not let the imperfections or struggles of the past. Stop your perseverance towards the future Church. Don't do that. Your life will do that in your mind your heart. Don't do that in your home. Don't do that in the church. You don't do that. Any place else? Don't do that in your work or your play or whatever might be your relationships. Who was the imperfections of the past stop you from moving forward your perseverance towards sanctification towards living up to righteousness towards work in the church. boards work in the Kingdom more portly towards Faith expressed in love when I talk about faith expressed in love as we get into our Series in Galatians later on this year. You will find it perseverance is most often and I mean 99% of the time perseverance is most often the difference between Victory fail. Between Victory and failure. It's not being perfect. It's not being the strongest. It's not being the smartest not being the clearly not being a smart-ass. It's not being the best. Is the one who chooses to get up take the next step? So we modified some of these goals and 500 is not one as modify. But it's one that took a little bit of a head before many things slow down last year. We were serving at our peak in 2000 September 2019 an average of 409 people for Sunday. That was again. That was the average and we were well on our way to have this family 500 people continue to share life with each other and build the kingdom of God here in Russia, ban. You finding a place with your loved and appreciated various Ministries, they're serving in and serving one another. I left it. Was that big were talking asking and fighting growing going. If we took a hit, right, everybody took a hit taking hits before my life. I'm taking hits like this. I'll take a lot of hits. Actually. I'll be careful watch for say I'm going to learn am I taking hits and we took a hit for some weeks. So we literally had zero attenders here at the church, right 7 weeks 8 weeks. preacher preaching to an empty empty Auditorium empty the worship team was here. I'll tell you, you know, I get it if you if there's a hundred fifty people one of your falls asleep thinking you're going to be hidden, but come on. It was just the worship team like your forearm route.
Nodding your head Factor. It takes awhile Church to restart the engine and that's what we've been doing over the past few months. And that's what we're even doing over these next few months. This is not here in this church weather is this church Brothers church around the world. It's not an electric motor with an on and off switch. This is a diesel engine. Look it's powerful and it runs a long time but it takes a while to warm up. That's just the way it goes and this church is no different but this goal of introducing people to the church whether it's 500 or any other number has not stopped. turn cycle should never stop it should never stop in your life it's never stopped in your mind and your home at your house and your workplace we have a purpose we have a mission in this world and in this life and it is to do what we can to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the people around you will be safe so the people around you will be set free I want freedom you are the one freedom in y'all want freedom for yourself and your kids and your family and your friends to be set free
That church doesn't sir that that goal doesn't stop and by the way, this year is a great year to do it. People want to be back with the church people want to see what the church is all about. Over the past year we've seen the world has seen that's so many things and so many philosophies can let us down. But Jesus never does. If it's fascinating how my worldview in Christ did not change one bit. Everybody else. There's a million people just kind of have to throw away. Their life philosophy is so well, we got we got to start over. I didn't see this coming. I didn't see this happening.
Our philosophy in Christ didn't change. Not one bad surprises Jesus himself. It says in this world. You can have all kinds of trouble. Don't worry says Jesus. I've overcome the world. I've overcome the world.
We are teaching from the pulpit. This year Jesus Christ and him crucified throughout the year.
We're doing an entire year what you might call Basic Bible Doctrine. Or basic theology. We're going to pick it up. Turn it up a notch in 2022. But this starts next week with the fall the fall. We go through the beginning. The fall of mankind and we're going to find that we start this human history going in a big circle from Perfection back to Perfection. That's the history that God has for his creation. That's the direction God has for his creation. Bring up. Hey guys, bring up bring up January you bring up January. January 17th, we start with the fall, but that's not without hope. That's not without. Hope we even see the plan for Jesus Christ the beginning and then we look at the law and then we look at Salvation as we move forward. In fact, we get to see a picture of someone who relies upon God and then relies upon himself with pride and fear that we see the destruction of this tragic figures life in February. That's the fall of Saul. And we could we could use this narrative as an incredible lesson in our life the difference between following God and following fear and pride and worry and selfishness.
We are justified by Jesus Christ Church. And this is the message we spread to those who want to be a part of the church. We are not justified by what we do. We are justified by our faith in Christ. Nobody's perfect. We're going to go through all of these figures and we're not going to look at the good stuff. They do we're going to look at the bad and there's a whole bunch of bad as you look through all of those figures. And with every one of them we're going to find that they are justified by what they believe in their justified by God himself by Jesus Christ in his forgiveness. Not by what they do. I'm very excited then eventually we do get into this complete this this main sermon series in 2021 as we look at Galatians Galatians. We find out that Paul gives us this most important thing our job to live out. The only thing that counts when it comes to living out our faith in Jesus Christ,
we can move on from there there's something just all kinds of amazing things we do there's help along the way as we go into our VBS series we talked about the armor of God before but I'm excited about talking about the armor of God this year as it relates to our kids and what we're teaching them what we're training them to do is give you a little picture of what our VBS themes about this year we get help along the way Church
this the foundation the people need is the foundation to people need to be reminded of We get we get pictures into the church itself in September. We going to Iceberg and how there's so much more to the church. Just what we see here on Sunday mornings and we look at the structure of the church. We look to the governing of the church. We looked Church polity itself. Very excited and hopefully the goal is to go from where we are to where we need to be. In our minds and in our hearts to be reminded of some of these things. Next year in 2022 would take it up a notch. I'm excited about this. We see scripture through the writings of CS Lewis throughout the year. we also spend some time in a very difficult book some people say when in Romans if you want to introduce someone to the church now is a time that's my point look around around right now the Harvest is more plentiful than has ever been ever
and if we're not out harvesting we're not ever going to be harvested how's the time that's our job that's our mission We also had a goal of 100. I have a goal of 100 looks Sunday mornings are great. Church. Sermons are fantastic, right?
Sunday mornings are fine, and it needs to have a needs to be a part of that. We need to do that. But never once and don't take my word for razors good for yourself never once is a half-hour message longer on Sunday morning. Meant to be the extent of our involvement in the growth of the kingdom of God never once is that meant to be the extent of it? We'll talk about it's already mention the armor of God this year. How It prepares us and how it helps us along the way Church of our involvement the kingdom of God as a half hour sermon we're facing practically every week unarmed
And we wonder when wonder why it's such a struggle. There is an opportunity to rekindle the restart a fire and your mind your life your heart restart this direction restart this purpose value in Ministry. And the word of God offers Zippos to do that. So many of us are still rubbing two sticks together. the start this fire the point is to be involved be involved in training in Fellowship cyber chip groups Phil Disney. There's a fantastic discipleship groups, and I love the apartment. But we've extended this will expand this little bit look also the things that fill this nice sunny morning Christian education classes Gary's teaching these things and he's going to be teaching these things. 101 Bible studies a great way to expand your knowledge and understanding the word of God.
I'm at three of them for week right now. I don't teach enough. Okay, I don't eat enough. I've got three there seven days out of the week. I got three. And we can sit down and we can go through the word of God. Any question that you have. I've gotten I've gotten some of the most incredible questions that are just so fun from who wrote the Bible. What does heaven look like. I couldn't answer that one. Who wrote the Bible questions about history questions about creation just wonderful stuff that we get to talk about. 101 Bottles to expand your knowledge and understanding the world all while growing closer to each other closer to your brothers and sisters teaching teachings a great way to learn and to know to become a disciple of Jesus Christ and we can teach the lessons. We have learned the narratives. We have learned through scripture to ruin two kids were being raised up to know who Jesus is. Let me tell you something when I was six years old being taught in the church. I wasn't LED through Romans talking about election of those who believe in Jesus and what that means. I wasn't LED through talkin about premillennialism postmillennialism amillennialism throughout the revelation of Christ. What's up, Daniel Lion's Den? I was told about the flood. I thought about David slaying Giants because of his faith in God. These are all things that we can teach. These are all things that we can express their always a week. We can raise and grow our children and our family and our grandchildren. These narratives are in scripture for a reason we can lead in those ways. Funniest response will the teacher teaches financial responsibility here at the church. Imagine being involved with that. Maybe there's something in your life that you need directions. You need help you need a road map Ashley and I have used this week and use every aspect and we use a lot of it and incredible blessings have been poured out because of it. It would love to take on a student. It'll go to John and say hey teach me so I can teach others opening up even more Avenues. You have a discipleship group with 2 as you invite someone to meet over lunch or breakfast or come over to dinner. There's so many Avenues to be involved leading one from where they are to where they can be. This is discipleship to come alongside and teach him alongside and spend life together. This year's sermon series. Hopefully going to take many people through this progression being introduced to cry it to pricing and growing in 25 25. There's a bright spot. Okay. Here's a bright spot. Giving was good in 2020 operating cost of the church. That's what we need. And there's not somebody someplace else, you know, that injects operating money or anything else in this Bonnie us to me. That's what we do. We were a little short about $20,000 short of budget. 2020 Goodman lot worse right? In fact, I am always when I when I think about this stuff. I got to think about the stuff least once a month when I think about the stuff. I'm always in at all the generosity with material. At this church has before 2020 were fast approaching this goal of $25 per capita giving it again and operate it. It represents operating cost growth death depth satisfaction. The real represents generosity of faith and obedience. 320 20 we were Above This goal regularly, but who can really engaged tendons from 20/20 or faithful tenders for that matter this year? We have modify this goal in this modification goes beyond this year from here on out. We want to know what it takes to be involved in Ministry from here on out. We want to know what it takes to grow the church from here on out. We want to know what it taste every week in order to be faithful in order to take joy in our giving There's a bad just to give you an idea. There's a picture of last year going to bring up for 5 months last year gives you an idea between the operating cost which is the blue line. And then the orange line is what we give. We're never quite there to take a long time to Die Hard jump to get back and hold that line. Our goal is to hold the line are going to hold the line in 2021 and they use it effectively use it the way it needs to be used to give We're re-establishing our benevolence here in the church so that we can give. So we can help. Does people need help? There's no reason we can't help them. What are spiritually and financially are in service and whatever might be and we can help?
This is what we used to operate to grow to minister to give to help our job is holding the line This requires everyone to see and to ask what can I do? What can I give how can I hold the line again? This is everybody's responsibly with one stipulation one stipulation and I'm very serious about this. All right, I will confront you if I find you doing this, okay? If you're going to give Time treasure town, I don't care which one make it a joy in your life. If I find that you're doing and you don't like it. I'm going to confront you. It is meant to be a joy. And I can't I had them out of Time treasure town. It is meant to experience this chance to give to sacrifice to teach to grow together. It's meant to be fun. meant to be joy in your life
lost my place join our home we see it as a challenge in our home and finally zero we're starting to put together Church believe or not the elders and then this is going to move the ministry staff and deacons so forth we're starting to put together a wish list in this church and my mind just immediately goes to local Ministries here in Pennsylvania Loudoun County my mind immediately goes for a children's ministry our student Ministry we're starting to put together a wish list because we are coming down to the end of what we owe We Begin 2021 owing less than $250,000 less six years of five years ago, we owed over 1/2 million dollars
Over Half Men. $600,000. And we start this year only less than $250,000. Did you get that's because you give there's going to be kind of time an appointment at Monkey is off our back and then all of a sudden these things just start going to moving everything that we have starts being poured into the lives of others instead of brick and mortar. It's a gift. Okay. I don't hate it. Search going into missions Ministries. This is where these things need to be.
You talk about a light at the end of the tunnel. There will come a day. Also, when we will do a big push might not be this year but soon and suddenly that monkeys off our back Ministries children's Teams missions wish list. Spear exciting exciting time. We roll on as usual. We will satisfy her debt in 2026, but I think we can do better we can do better. The give generously it's used. Well, it's use responsible use the best way we can all of this this personal sanctification
personal reflection and understand who Christ is This service that we do. Is church to people around us to the community we need to do more we need to do more but all of this rests upon our minds our hearts as to what exactly we want to be involved in whether or not to sub that we desire.
I want to close with this Jesus heals a man.
What you think about your your walk your freedom? I want you to think about your service. I want to thank you you to think about accepting the truth of Christ. I want you to think about growing and maturing and who Jesus is what Jesus is. Jesus heals a man that in John chapter 5 we find this. Starting first one sometime later. Jesus went up to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish festivals. Now there was in Jerusalem near the Sheep gate a pool which in Aramaic is called Bethesda. And which is surrounded by five covered Colonnades here a great number of disabled people used to lie the blind the lame the paralyzed. There was 1 verse 5 who was there and have been an invalid for 38 years? the story behind this that the myth behind this Is it if you sat around this pool and it was something you had an ailment when the water was Disturbed right? Don't buy into stuff like this. Okay when the water was Disturbed those were healing angels. In the water, and if you could get in there, then you could be healed. That was the myth. That was the story that surrounded this pool. You guys been there for 38 years? 38 years and he couldn't get in the pool 38 years and nobody would help him 38 years because he was crippled. He couldn't move he was he was completely infirm. Jesus walks up freeze the guy who's been sick for 38 years. You want to know what Jesus asked him. We were six. When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time. He asked him. Do you want to get well?
You're the most ironic questions in all of scripture. Basically, Jesus is asking. Do you even want to do this? you even want to what he's trying to tell him is if you don't want to isn't happen. listen app Jesus is there ready to heal? And what he demands of this man is personal reflection. Who are you? What are you what do you want? Where do you want to go with it? Do you even want to be healed?
Not till the man says yes. the Jesus heals You see it doesn't matter whether this is our sanctification our growth. It doesn't matter whether it's our understanding of who Christ is it doesn't matter whether it's our service to people that we love and the Jesus loves. It doesn't matter whether it's the continued growth of the church here and the church around the world. There's a point which when Jesus is about ready to move into act and church. You got to be thinking about this and your own life. There's a point was Jesus asks, what do you want? I've got power to do a lot of things, but I'm not going to do anything until you know what you want. In fact is a couple times in Scripture that he asked this question before he heals. So that's what I want to leave you with. I want to leave you with that question. And I want that question to go around and your mind throughout this entire year certainly as we walk from the fall through the Redemption of mankind and then into the church and all of these wonderful Ministries in which we can partake. What do you want. Do you even want to grow to get better? Do the want to be healed? I've asked myself this question. I'm asked myself this question in prayer time before I've stopped mid prayer and said John you're not even into this. You're not even though you don't even want this right now. It requires is reflection of the heart. This is what I want you to do throughout the year but spray. Father we thank you. We thank you for the opportunities. You've given us but we also thank you. We can be challenged as we move forward as we stand as we start again. We can have joy in our hearts. We have peace we can have desire that we can have a goal to work towards the week and reflect upon her own mind and we can examine as your servant Paul says we can reflect and see what it is. We want where we want to go what we want to do with the power that you've given us. We don't want to squander it. We want to use raise our family and our friends at church know what freedom is in Jesus Christ. Are they give us that desire before you give us that ability? Give us a desire. Jesus please stand and sing.
Give me
Zillow
sing it out this morning
Caillou
Osprey father we thank you once again so tremendous gift that you give us here on Sunday mornings father we thank you for that we thank as we look around our brothers and sisters with egg is this a group of people not only here but all around the world in which we get to join our lives together and share love and freedom and in an absolute certainty for the future by the we asked you challenges throughout this week work Upon Our Minds our hearts help us give us this desire to be a part of something Eternal something lasting something that shakes the very foundations of Creation in Jesus name amen