20080120 GRCBC 20 January 2008
GRCBC 20 January 2008 – 10.00am & 6.00pm
Will You be a Spectator or a Participant in 2008?
Good morning church!
Before I start, I thought I should introduce myself. My name is Craig Shannon. Together with my wife Chris, son Dominic and daughter Angela, we have been a part of Georges River since May last year. So we are relatively new to the church family here.
I would just like to thank you for the warm and loving welcome we received from the moment we arrived.
If you look on our church website, you will see its written that one of the defining characteristics of our church is the sense of family that we have. And we have experienced this sense of family as new people coming in. And it is very special.
So we feel really blessed that God has lead us here. And so we are looking forward to getting to know more of you to a deeper level and we are also looking forward to serving with you in seeing God’s vision for the church realized.
I want to speak today about a choice in life we have. And this choice is one that we make daily and even moment by moment. This is a choice that will effect each of us personally, and it’s a choice that will effect the life and ministry of our whole church family. It is a huge choice.
If you think about it, our nation today is really a land full of people who are professional spectators. What I mean by this is that many many people spend hours every day simply watching others live out their lives.
What about all of the reality type TV shows that are so popular. I typed in Reality TV on the internet and there was one website that listed hundreds and hundreds of reality TV shows around the world. The list is endless - Big Brother, my wifes favourite program -Biggest loser, survivor, Police Files Unlocked, Surf Rescue, Australian Idol, the Amazing Race, The Apprentice, Extreme Makover, Fear Factor, and who could forget that nanny of all nannys, Supernanny.
And what about all the news that’s available for us to watch. This is one that I can get consumed with. We could spend 24 hours a day just watching the news on TV or the Internet.
And the Sport. I won’t even start on that. Is anyone able to admit to watching all 5 days of a cricket test without missing a ball.? Don’t tell me I am on my own here. Scary isn’t it.
So what does all this have to do with my message today?
Each of us here today can make a decision every day and moment by moment during each day to sit on the sideline as a spectator in life, or we can make the choice to be a participator.
Unfortunately life can become empty, unproductive and basically fruitless because of a choice we make to sit on the sideline as a spectator. Sometimes we can just let life go by, without really making a difference. Sometimes we can choose to just exist, and just cope with what happens in life.
Many of you would know the passage in Matthew 5 where Jesus compares his disciples to salt and light. He said You are the salt of the earth, and he also said You are the light of the world.
Jesus has left us with the responsibility of being salt and light to the world. The responsibility of being different and standing out and fully participating with God in what he is doing in the world.
This year church, 2008 is the The Year of Living Dangerously. Georges River, our church family has such a huge vision for growing God’s kingdom and transforming our community. We all will have a choice to make in this.
This year in 2008, will you be a spectator, or will you be a participant? Will you be happy to watch others living dangerously, or will you make the decision to be dangerous, to really participate and play your part in what God is doing through the church.
Reasons We Can Choose to sit on Sideline as a Spectator
Sure we can use any number of excuses to avoid getting into the action.
Moses was a great man of God we can read about in the bible. But do you know that he is also is a really good example of someone who tried and tried and tried to sit on the sideline and be a spectator. He used just about every excuse you could think of to avoid getting into the action. You can read about it in Exodus chapter 3 and 4.
For a bit of background, Moses had fled Egypt after killing an Egyptian. He was living in Midian at the time looking after a flock of sheep when he notices this bush that was on fire but not being consumed by the fire. So Moses went over to the bush to check it out and God spoke to him from the bush and said ‘Moses I have got a pretty exciting job for you to do. I want you to go down to Egypt God said and visit Pharoah and tell him to release all the Israelites out of Egypt.
Most of you will know the story, but what God was asking Moses to do was a challenging task to put it mildly. And all sorts of objections would have been going through the mind of Moses. Moses knew that it would be very unlikely that Pharoah was going to simply release all of the Israelites, because the Israelites were basically the Egyptian workforce. The Israelites were slaves. Moses is thinking …… ‘not a good idea God’
He comes up with a whole list of excuses as to why he shouldn’t go down to Egypt and speak to Pharoah. And looking at this list of excuses, I have used every one of these excuses at some point in my life. Perhaps you have used some of them as an excuse so you could stay on the sideline.
So what I want to do is look at some of the reasons we use as excuses to stay out of the action. Or to stay on the sideline as a spectator. There are 5 excuses we can get from Moses and one that I have added at the end.
1. Feelings of Inadequacy/Low Self Image (Moses in Ex 3:11-12).
The first excuse Moses uses we see in Ex 3:11-12, where Moses said to God ‘Who am I, that I should go to Pharoah and bring the Iraelites out of Egypt’.
Here we see Moses with a real feeling of inadequacy. Moses would be thinking like ‘Pharoah is only the most powerful man in the entire known world, and here I am, a fugitive Israelite hiding in Midian looking after a flock of sheep. And God’s asking me to go and what – demand that Pharoah release all of their slaves. -Moses would have been thinking? ‘Are you for real God? Who am I that Pharoah would even see me, let alone listen to me’.
Who has ever felt inadequate or not up to something that you know God has asked you to do?
So when God wants to accomplish something through us, and we say to God “I am not really up to it’ then we are choosing to sit on the sidelines and be a spectator.
So Moses felt Inadequate. Is that an excuse that is common for you to use?
2. Low View of God and His Power and Authority (Moses in Ex 3:13-15).
If we look in Exodus 3:13-15 we can see Moses coming up with another excuse.
Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?”
Here we see Moses really struggling with who God is. In any conflict situation it is important to know who is sending you into battle. And Moses was really struggling with this. He probably saw God as a bit detached and distant, and if Moses felt that way then the Israelites in Egypt were bound to be on the same wavelength.
He probably saw God as a bit of a grandfather figure sitting in heaven looking down on is people, but somehow detached and distant.
Moses probably saw God as sovereign and over all, but not really a God that was intimately in love with His people and wanting to come and lovingly rescue them from slavery.
When we question God’s desire to be involved in our circumstances and we doubt the existence of his power and authority today, this is probably the sort of mindset that Moses had at the time. Where Moses knew God was real but questioned whether God would really show his power in his situation.
Second excuse Moses had for wanting to avoid the action was his low or sort of detached view of God.
3. What Ifs? (Moses in Ex 4:1-9)
Moses still wasn’t too keen on obeying God and we can read on and see his third excuse in Ex 4:1
Moses answered, “What if they do not believe me or listen to me and say, ‘The LORD did not appear to you’?”
Moses came up with a ‘what if’. Moses was concerned that if he went to the Israelites they might not believe him and what if they go even further and say that God didn’t appear to him at all.
How many ‘what if’s’ have you used to avoid getting in to the action with God?
What if I pray for someone and they don’t get healed?
What if I open up to share my faith with someone and they ridicule me and treat me like a fool?
What if I offend someone with what I say and turn them away from God?
What if? A big excuse we can use.
4. Perceived Weaknesses (Moses in Ex 4:10)
The 4th excuse is one that I can really identify with.
Exodus 4:10 Moses said to the LORD, “O Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.”
Moses felt he had an impediment that should stop him from following God’s instructions. Moses felt he had a weakness. He felt he couldn’t speak eloquently.
I can really understand Moses. Growing up, I was absolutely petrified about speaking in front of people. I had a bit of a stutter as well, so I would do everything I could to get out of being in situations where I might find myself having to speak up.
When I was younger I remember being petrified about getting married because I knew I would have to give a speech.
It was such a blockage that stopped me being useful to God.
But what other weaknesses can we use as excuses for resisting God and sitting out on the sideline.
Don’t know Bible well enough to be useful to God.
I’m too wounded from the past. Maybe you are still carrying some incredible deep wounds from broken relationships in the past, and you can’t see how God can effectively use you in your state.
Maybe you think you are too old
Too Young –
Too Tired
Too Scared
Too sick
Too busy
What other weaknesses have you used as excuses?
5. Someone Else ‘must’ be more gifted than me. Send them. (Moses in Ex 4:13)
We only have one more excuse from Moses, and this Moses attempt to pass the buck
Moses had not been successful with any of his other excuses so his last attempt was, and I quote Moses “O Lord, please send someone else to do it”
This is the excuse that we use when we think that someone else must be more gifted than me. God, please Send them. I am not good enough so send them.
Or when we know God is prompting us to serve him in some way and we shrink back and wait hoping someone else will do it, when all along it was you that God wanted in that situation.
Moses did his best to wiggle his way out of being a participator in God’s plans. He didn’t just use one excuse, he used five.
Moses this amazing man of God tried to sit on the sideline, and the excuses he used are the same as we often use today.
- Other Priorities (eg Luke 14:16-20 Parable of the Great Banquet)
Now I just want to suggest one more excuse that we can use to avoid getting into the action. Too often we just have other priorities and we let these priorities rob us of the opportunity of really being available.
In Luke 14:16-20 Jesus told the Parable of the Great Banquet. I know this parable is really showing some of the excuses people make for not receiving Good News, but the excuses that are used are the same as we can use to stay sitting on the sideline as a spectator.
“A man prepared a great feast and sent out many invitations. 17 When all was ready, he sent his servant around to notify the guests that it was time for them to come. 18 But they all began making excuses. One said he had just bought a field and wanted to inspect it, so he asked to be excused.
This is where we let our material possessions get in the way of being available to God. It’s where our love of money and our assets take priority over God;s call on your life
19 Another said he had just bought five pair of oxen and wanted to try them out.
This is where we put our jobs, or business ahead listening to and obeying God.
20 Another had just been married, so he said he couldn’t come.
This is where we put relationships ahead of God’s call on our life.
Not that any of these things are bad. But when we let other priorities rob us of the opportunity to go in the direction God wants us to- that’s when there is a problem.
God may have some amazing opportunity for us to partner with him in something, but if we have got our blinkers on accumulating stuff in our homes, or if we are focused on meeting all the commitments we have set for ourselves in our busy lives, we won’t hear God and we won’t see the opportunities he is giving us.
So I have covered probably the main excuses that we can use which stop us from participating.
I am sure that 2008 will bring many exciting opportunities for our church as a whole, and also for each one of us individually. We have already heard that the theme for this year will be ‘The Year of Living Dangerously’. I think from the title we can assume that 2008 will not be a year for us to stay safe on the sidelines as a spectator.
2008 will be a year where we will be challenged to grow beyond where we are now spiritually and grow way beyond where we are numerically as a church. And for this to happen, we will each have a decision to make. Are we going to participate fully in the year of living Dangerously, or are we going to choose to sit in our seats and watch as some are stepping out and living dangerously.
We will need to make some choices as the year goes on.
I want to make four suggestions as to how we can make sure that we stay participating fully in the plans God has for us.
Choose to Participate in 2008 by –
1. Knowing the Power and Authority We Operate In
If each of us is going to really be a participator in what God is doing in 2008, we need to begin to get a grasp of the power and authority we operate in being a child of God.
As a follower of Jesus we don’t travel through life alone. And we also don’t have to operate in the strength of our own flesh and blood.
As Jesus has been given all authority in heaven and on earth, he delegates that authority to us, those who are believers in Jesus. And he left the Holy Spirit to equip and empower us to be able to work in that authority.
We also see Jesus making an amazing promise in John 14
John 14:12-14
I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. 14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.
That is an incredible promise and if we believed it all the time, how effective would we be as believers. How many miracles would we be seeing? How many people suffering from sickness will we see healed in Jesus name? How many people would we see coming to know Jesus?
Just to share a little bit about my life. I have had a strong believe in God basically for as long as I can remember. I was about 13 years old when I more fully appreciated what Jesus had done for me, and I invited the Lord to really take over.
But realistically it has probably been only the past 8 – 10 years that I have been aware of God working in my life to a much deeper level. And I have taken some real faith steps over that time, and I can honestly say that God has not let me down. My wife will testify with me that all has not been easy.
But I now have a far greater expectation that God will answer my prayer. I now have a greater expectation that God will work miraculously. Why, because we have seen his power at work.
Paul also gives us a picture of the power of God that is available to believers.
Eph 1:19-20
19 I pray that you will begin to understand the incredible greatness of his power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power 20 that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms.
So as Christians we have God’s power and authority within us. The power and authority within us does not come from us. God is the source.
God is so much wanting us to partner with Him in the work he wants to do in our community and in our wider world.
God has planted this community of people here at Georges River for a purpose, and God is saying to each of us ‘Will you partner with me in seeing the local community transformed’. He is saying my power and presence is with you. Will you just trust in me?’
So when you sense God is calling you into a new area of ministry, you can be sure that God will be with you through it, and He will give you the strength to succeed and to overcome any barriers that seem to be in the way.
If you are like me and you have ever suffered from a lack of confidence in who you are and who your were created to be, I encourage you to read Ephesians 1 and 2. In these two chapters are some of the most amazing truths about how special His sons and daughters are.
So we need to know, we need to understand,we need to accept and we need to operate in power and authority that God has made available to his children.
2. Joining a Home Group in 2008
Now for each of us to be a participator this year at Georges River I am going to make another suggestion to you. Make joining a Home Group an absolute priority.
As the family here Georges River continues to grow it will become more crucial that each person establishes a solid connection with a small group of believers.
Do you know it is possible to have been coming to church on a Sunday for years, to have listened to hundreds of sermons, to have sung thousands of worship songs, but only to have left at then end without really connecting with anybody.
The home group setting is an environment where we can encourage each other in our faith, where we can be praying for each other. It’s a place where we can share our victories, our struggles. It is a place where we can study God’s word together. It is a place where we can eat together. It is a place where we can just love each other.
I understand that there will be a number of new home groups starting at Georges River this year and in a couple of weeks you are going to be able to sign up to be part of a home group. I really encourage you to commit to this.
And I just want to say if you have had a negative experience of a home group in the past, then I want to plead with you to give it another try.
And if you are already part of a home group is getting up there in number, then perhaps you could talk with your small group and discuss planting a small group from your existing one.
The more home groups we have in place the greater will be our ability to welcome new people into the life of our church and to see them welcomed and loved into community.
So will you be a participator and be part of a Home Group in 2008.
- Discovering and Using Your SHAPE
Also to become a participator we really need to have an understanding that God has created each one of us with a very special and unique SHAPE for ministry. The SHAPE God has given me for ministry is going to look different to the SHAPE God has given ………. Or ………
Ephesians 2:10 starts of with the words “For we are God’s workmanship…’ God is the craftsman and he has designed each one of us in his image, but still different and complementary to each other. We are basically God’s masterpieces. Sometimes it might be hard for you to receive that truth. You are His masterpiece. He designed you and formed you for relationship with him.
And he given each of us a shape for serving him. And this year in 2008 we can really get of the sidelines and participate if we discover and use our SHAPE.
Rick Warren in his book Better Together talks about the different components that make up our SHAPE. Each letter in the word SHAPE stands for a different component
S - Spiritual Gifts (1 Cor 12, Rom 12 Eph 4) eg Gifts of Healing, Faith, Prophecy, Speaking in Different kinds of Tongues, Apostles, Prophets Evangelists Pastors and teachers. Serving, encouragement and many more.
H – Heart – What are you passionate about? What makes your heart break?
A- Abilities – Natural talents God gives you
P- Personality - Will affect how your gifts are used
E – Experiences _ Educational, employment, Spiritual experiences, Ministry Experiences and Painful Experiences. Painful things that you have gone through very much help to make your SHAPE.
Often people are unsure of what their SHAPE is, and where they can serve.
I don’t know how many times I have heard people say ‘I don’t have any Spiritual gifts’ or ‘I don’t know what my gifts are’.
If you are unsure, perhaps ask for some feedback from your small group, or close friends who know you well. They could honestly share with you.
Try service in different areas of ministry. Often we don’t know whether we are suited to an area of ministry unless we try.
Plenty of ministry opportunities at Georges River. Every person can be a participator in ministry.
And I would encourage anyone who is new to the church. You don’t need to wait until you have been part of the family for 5 years before you can be a participator.
We just need to look at our church Newsletter to see some of the opportunities we have for really connecting and participating in the vision for the church.
So as these opportunities keep coming up, keep asking God where he wants you to be participating.
The Bible talks about the church being like a body, where each member has a function and a purpose or a SHAPE. And put us all together and God has designed us to complement each other.
So really if every believer is fully participating in the life and vision of the church, then the church (Georges River) will be unstoppable. We will see God’s kingdom advance in the community like we have never seen it before.
You could be perfectly shaped for some area of ministry that the church has not yet ventured into. Share your dreams with one of the pastors.
1 Peter 4:10
10 Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.
Be a participator by discovering and Using Your SHAPE. - Make the Most of Every Opportunity Eph 5:15
Now lastly, if we are going to fully participate in 2008, then we need to make the most of every opportunity.
We all have the opportunity to have an influence in the life of every person we come into contact with throughout the day. God is bringing people and situations into our lives each day, and He is giving us the opportunity to share his words, His love and his power. To share Jesus.
But the problem is that we often miss opportunities God sets up for us.
If we are going to be participators this year, then we need to make the most of every opportunity.
Scott spoke Eph 5 a couple of weeks ago.
Eph 5:15-18 Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. 18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.
God provides the opportunities and it is our responsibility to be alert and ready to step into the opportunities he gives us. Some of these opportunities are only there in the moment and then they’re gone.
Ephesians 2:10
10 For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
God chooses to work through us, His people. And God has prepared and set up for us opportunities where we can share God’s love with others.
Satan wants to rob you of that opportunity by encouraging you to sit on the sideline and be a spectator. Satan would love us to pull out the excuses that Moses used, and miss the opportunities that God brings us.
God will open doors for you to serve him every day. He will bring people into your life that need a touch from God.
And it is being ready with the spiritual antennas up, to know when to say something or when to do something.
· Know power and authority
· Join a Home Group
· Discover and use your SHAPE
· Make the most of every opportunity
Conclusion
We have already been hearing over recent weeks that this year will be the Year of Living Dangerously. I encourage you to start the year by making a decision to be a participator not a spectator.
I am looking forward to seeing some encredible miraculous moves of God this year in the life of our church. I am looking forward to seeing many people finding life hope and purpose in knowing Jesus this year and finding their purpose in life as part of the Georges River family
I am looking forward to hearing the testimonies of people here today who have made the decision to step out and try something they have never tried before – and seen God work through them.
I am looking forward to seeing our home group network expand considerably.
I am looking forward to seeing the whole church family as participators in God’s vision for the church.
Will you choose to be a participator in 2008?
As the band comes up I will close in prayer.
Father thank you for the privilege being your children.
Thank you for your indescribable love for us your children.
We thank you that you have created every person in this school hall with such intricate and loving design, with a very special shape for ministry.
Lord we ask that you will help us to know you more over this coming year. Help us to experience your power and your presence as we participate in the work that you have already prepared for each of us. We just want be be channels of your love and blessing to all that we come into contact with throughout our days.
Help each of us to know where it is you are wanting us to participate with you.
Guard our hearts and minds against the excuses that prevent us from participating in all you have for us.
Please fill us with your Holy Spirit use us Lord in growing your Kingdom ……