Pointing Toward the Reign of God

Posted by Chris on April 9, 2006 under Sermons

How many of us have looked over our schedule and our vacation plans and thought, “I would really like to go to Alpena.” Unless you have family in Alpena, Arkansas, I would be willing to guess that there are not many of you making plans to vacation in Alpena.

What’s great about Alpena is that they know they are “on the way” to Branson. So there’s a few decent service stations in Alpena. There are restaurants in Alpena. And there are signs everywhere. Signs that point to Branson. You can buy your tickets and take care of reservations in Alpena before you get to Branson. It is really the first sign of what Branson is going to be like for the person on the way to Branson.

I love the church. I love this church. It’s great. But the church isn’t the final destination “on the way” in life. It’s a sign. It’s the first sign of how things are going to be in the kingdom. In the church you live under God’s kingdom rule, you can even enjoy the benefits and blessings of God’s rule, but the church itself is not the whole kingdom of God. The church is a people who are “on the way” to the kingdom.

These patterns are patterns of people who are pointing toward the reign of God.

Depending on the Holy Spirit

Posted by Chris on April 2, 2006 under Sermons

Prayer – what is prayer?
We don’t like to think that we are dependent. It doesn’t seem good to be a dependent. We don’t have any problems having dependents – especially at this time of year – but to be dependent means that we are a bit helpless.

And yet, the reality of life and especially the Christ-life is that we depend on much more than our own abilities.

2 Corinthians 4 – ⁷But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. ⁸We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; ⁹persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. ¹⁰We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.

Idolatry is so tempting because it puts us on a level playing field with God. We think that God actually needs us. We think that we sit at the table with our God and negotiate a contract. “So then God, we see that you have called us and we feel really great about that. We accept your gracious proposal and we would like to discuss some of our terms with you – just some things that we think are fair. Now in return for these blessings we promise to do the following.”

That doesn’t sound right, but idolatry actually makes us that bold before God. We need to recapture the meaning of the word prayer. Rather than a list of wants, prayer once meant a request made by a person of lower social station to a more powerful person. Sometimes it was highly structured and carefully ordered, but sometimes it was less formal. One thing was consistent – it was an appeal. Luke 18 – ²“In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men. ³And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’ “

The one who prays is completely dependent on the goodwill and the power of the one to whom the plea is addressed. When we bow in prayer it isn’t for the sake of meditation and focus. It is because we are expressing humility before a mighty and powerful God. He is the greater one to whom we appeal.

There are times in our lives when we feel this way about prayer, but how often do we come before God as a church with the same sense of dependence? Do we ever stop and realize how we depend entirely upon God’s goodwill and power for the determination and continuation of all ministry and mission?

Depending on God … Why this matters for the mission.
Unfortunately our prayer life and our participation in ministry and mission are sometimes fueled by contradicting assumptions. Privately and personally we may pray with a keen awareness of our weaknesses and limitations, but publicly and as a church we pray and act as if we are self-determining and as if we have all the resources and influence we need to effect change and respond to problems.

Case in point: Some of us remember the “if only everyone would save two” plan. The proposal was that if everyone would make two disciples, then in a very short number of years the entire world would be saved. It was sort of like compounding interest. It was an exponential accumulation. But what does the plan depend upon? Our efforts! It seems blasphemous to challenge this model of evangelism since many of us devoted so much time and passion to seeing it done, but we need to recognize the assumptions inherent in this plan …

1. It assumes that evangelism and salvation are ultimately dependent on our efforts.
2. It treats people as numbers rather than real people with real problems that seem to get in the way of mission – For example, What do you do when #48 starts drinking again? What do you do when #212 loses his job and his family (#213-#215) are in a financial crisis? What do you do when #457 gets frustrated with the congregation and its leaders and convinces #688-#773 to begin a new congregation? Do you keep telling them to “get their two”? This may work in door-to-door sales or mutual fund interest, but is this really how the mission of God works?

The mission is not about math or multiplication. It is about dependence on God and his Holy Spirit. It is about faithfulness and endurance through trials.

Read Matthew 10:1-16
Consider how Jesus sent out his disciples. What did they depend on? But what authority did they have?

Would we do ministry the way Jesus proposes? Doesn’t it just seem too risky? What and who do we have to depend on for this teaching of Jesus to become reality?

We can become so distracted by implementing our plans that we neglect to pray to God.

Chris Benjamin

West-Ark Church of Christ, Fort Smith, AR
Morning Sermon, 2 April 2006

Worshipping God for the Sake of the World

Posted by Chris on March 26, 2006 under Sermons

Worship. Do we ever stop and consider the significance of this hour on Sunday? I know I do. I think about it quite a bit. And yet, I know that this assembly has significance – an importance – beyond anything I can plan. I have learned over the years that … Some Sunday’s will be very special. Some will be very ordinary. Some of you are uplifted and some of you will be discouraged. Some of you are about to hear something that may change your life forever – and some of you are just trying to calm a fidgety child.

Worship. It is the at times the most spiritual and transcendent event of our week, and at other times it is the most mundane and human. And thought we always want worship to be on the holy mountaintop, worship will sometimes take place in the ordinary spaces – in the halls of our schools, around the water cooler at work, in the shopping mall, downtown at the corner of forgotten streets.

Jesus met a Samaritan woman at the hub of her city – the local well. And in the midst of business and daily chores worship broke out. Jesus met an outsider to the house of Israel – a Samaritan woman – and they began to talk about eternal life, her life, and family and (wouldn’t you know it) they talked about worship. “So are we supposed to worship on the mountain or in the temple?” she asked Jesus.

Jesus answered, “²¹Jesus replied, “Believe me, the time is coming when it will no longer matter whether you worship the Father here or in Jerusalem. ²²You Samaritans know so little about the one you worship, while we Jews know all about him, for salvation comes through the Jews. ²³But the time is coming and is already here when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for anyone who will worship him that way. ²⁴For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.” (John 4)

Worship in spirit and truth. Jesus invited the Samaritan woman – and all of us who hear his teaching – to understand worship in a new light. Worship isn’t the little “insider club” for the “saved.” But neither is it a recruitment rally to draw in the “outsiders” and get them saved. God is looking for anyone who will worship him in spirit and truth. What does this mean? Well, when you place this statement of Jesus in the context of God sending his son (John 3) and the life that we live as we participate in the life of the son, then worship has something to do with living the true life of a disciple and being a part of a people who are gathered together by the spirit of God.

It sort of turns worship “inside out” from the way we often think of worship because we see that worship is really at the center of God’s mission to turn the “inside” out. You see, God is the focus of the worshipper – of every worshipper and of course the focus of the whole worshipping community. And the focus of God is the whole world. He’s not just looking for his “core group” of insiders, no he wants the whole world to come to worship. So our worship takes place in a sort of “glass house” with wide open doors and everyone is welcome to worship.

That way of thinking of worship cuts against the grain of some of our typical assumptions about worship. We often think that worship is …

• Worship is private. Consider the language we use to prepare ourselves for worship. We often strive to “forget” the cares and worries of the world. I wonder if that is really what God intends? When Jesus speaks with the Samaritan woman, he brings up all her cares and worries. He makes mention of her five husbands and he isn’t diplomatic about it – he’s really just abrupt about it. But maybe that’s because worship in spirit and truth isn’t about pretense dressed up as privacy. Worship isn’t a fashion pageant nicely divorced from the realities of the world we live in. When we encounter the God who is passionately trying to rescue the world we may find that he has little time for pomp and circumstance but like the awesome God he is he is engaged in a mission that calls upon all of us to be very serious and very genuine about the matters of life and death in which we find ourselves.

• Worship is personal. Of course when worship turns inside out – that is to say, when we become aware of the passion of our God who loves a lost world – it cuts against the grain of the assumption that worship is a user-friendly service “just for me.” This is the typical assumption that worship is personal. Consider the ways evaluate worship: Even if we are kind we might say, “Well it wasn’t what I was used to,” or “I didn’t really get anything out of it.” Now that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t have some high personal expectations of worship. There is no justification for defending pitiful, lazy, mediocre worship by saying “Worship isn’t about what you get out of it but what you put into it.” That statement may be true, but when no one wants to put anything into worship it suffers. We need high expectations, but not as critics of how others perform, rather we need to expect something out of one another. We need to work together to build one another up. If you witnessed any of the Air Show this weekend you saw aviation teams that demand the most of one another. Worship isn’t personal in the sense that we are spectators, rather we are all participants in praising God before a watching world.

• Worship is about preference. In America, we have all been told that you can worship at the church or synagogue of your choice. And choice is often the key word. We have heard of worship wars. These are often wars over preference in worship style and not really about doctrine or faith (after all, churches with praise teams and churches with shape notes all worship Jesus). Because we are such individuals and such consumers, we tend to think that worship is just another personal choice. Another pursuit that fits our preferences – and please understand that all of us have preferences. Everyone has preferences – except for me because my preference is the right way to do it. (Get it?). Two stories: 1) I spoke to an elderly woman who attended a church where the preacher wore khakis and a golf shirt. She said, “I just can’t used to a preacher not wearing a suit and tie.” I asked why and I appreciated her honest answer. “It’s just what I am used to I guess – that’s all.” 2) The custodian of one of my congregations would find cards that people had used to write notes during the less thrilling portions of worship. One card was obviously written by some teens that were visiting with their friends. It said: “This church’s style is so old-fashioned” “Yeah! It’s so 1990’s.” And this was in 1999!

We can get so distracted by these that we miss out on what worship in spirit and truth. Worship that participates in God’s mission is …

• Worship is proclamation – (2 Corinthians 4:5-6 – For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.) In worship we proclaim certain things. Whenever we eat and drink the Lord’s Supper we proclaim the Lord’s death and affirm our hope that he will come again. When we preach the word of God we are proclaiming that this is the truth that shapes our identity and shapes our community. The church in worship is the church in mission – “you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” (1 Peter 2:9)

• Worship is political – Please pay attention to me on this one! It is ingrained in our culture that politics and religion do not mix. We are not comfortable with “politics in the pulpit.” I am not talking about using the worship assembly to advance political agendas. That is too mundane and mediocre of an agenda for worship. But worship is political in the sense that it participates in “kingdom politics.” In ancient times worship was viewed as politics. In the first century when Christians affirmed that there was no Lord but Christ they found themselves at odds with the Roman Empire. The governments of nations like Laos and Vietnam understand that worship is political. Their authoritarian rule is threatened by a people who pledge their allegiance to the Lord Jesus. (Read Acts 4:23-31.) Is our worship any less political because we worship in America? No, thankfully our nation allows us freedom to worship, but do we realize that our God calls upon us to place his rule above the rule of our government. We are pledging our ultimate allegiance to God and his kingdom when we worship.

• Worship is public – (ekklesia) – an assembly of the citizens regularly summoned, the legislative assembly. Why would the early church choose this term to refer to their assembly? Terms with a more religious connotation could have been used. I think they chose this term because their worship was not a mystery cult or insider club but a public assembly for the Kingdom of God and all the world is invited. Paul seems to understand that the worship of the church is open to the public. In 1 Corinthians 14 ²³So if the whole church comes together and everyone speaks in tongues, and some who do not understand or some unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your mind? ²⁴But if an unbeliever or someone who does not understand comes in while everybody is prophesying, he will be convinced by all that he is a sinner and will be judged by all, ²⁵and the secrets of his heart will be laid bare. So he will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, “God is really among you!”

I recall a story a colleague told me about worship in India. They do not worship closed off from the general population in a place of comfort and privacy. Rather, they gather outside often around a tall tree where they can hang a lantern and the faithful gather to worship. And along with them come on-lookers and spectators who simply watch. No one can really tell where the “church” folk end and the on-lookers begin. And part of the reason for that is that the circle is ever widening because those who start on the outside looking in find their way inside as they too become disciples and begin to worship the God who seeks worshippers in spirit and truth.

Chris Benjamin

West-Ark Church of Christ, Fort Smith, AR
Morning Sermon, 26 March 2006

Living Out God’s Intent for the World

Posted by Chris on March 19, 2006 under Sermons

Review
The treasure of the Gospel in Clay Jars. Patterns of Missional Faithfulness: Following God’s Calling, Being Shaped by Scripture, Taking Risks for the Sake of the Gospel, Living Out God’s Intent for the World.

The Story of EPCOT
The name Epcot derives from the acronym EPCOT (Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow), a utopian city of the future planned by Walt Disney. Walt Disney’s original vision of EPCOT was for a model community, home to twenty thousand residents, which would be a test bed for city planning and organization. The community was to have been built in the shape of a circle, with businesses and commercial areas at its center, community buildings and schools and recreational complexes around it, and residential neighborhoods along the perimeter. Transportation would have been provided by monorails and conveyor belts. Automobile traffic would be kept underground, leaving pedestrians safe above-ground. Walt Disney said, “It will be a planned, controlled community, a showcase for American industry and research, schools, cultural and educational opportunities. In EPCOT there will be no slum areas because we won’t let them develop. There will be no landowners and therefore no voting control. People will rent houses instead of buying them, and at modest rentals. There will be no retirees; everyone must be employed.”
This vision was not realized. Walt Disney wasn’t able to obtain funding and permission to start work on his Florida property until he agreed to build the Magic Kingdom first, and he passed away before its opening day. The Walt Disney Company later decided that it didn’t want to be in the business of running a town.

God’s City of Tomorrow, Today – God’s Intent for the World
Walt Disney wasn’t the first to have a hopeful vision of a prototype city. His vision isn’t the only vision to inspire us to think about the way it could be. Since God called Abraham, God has always intended for his people to be a prototype city of tomorrow. He intended for Israel to live out and demonstrate the shalom peace that he intended for all the nations. Jesus spoke of a city – a city on a hill that would serve as a shining example of righteous community. Matthew 5:14-16 – A city set on a hill. A light to the world. When Luke writes about the early church he describes it as the continuation of God’s Israel-dream. Acts 4:32-35. They were living out God’s intent for the world.
The church is a sign, foretaste, and glimpse of God’s kingdom rule. We are the prototype community. A people living now as if the complete and total reign of God has broken into this world. God has a vision for the world as it should be. God’s mission is for the world to he create and his intent for the world to be realized. So, living out God’s intent for the world is how we participate in God’s mission.

Living Out God’s Intent for the World
A prototype is more than an idea, it is a tangible example. It is not enough to know what God intends for the world. We have to live it out. God calls his church to practice habits and ways of living that embody his ideas. We see these most often in Scripture when we read texts that speak of the way we should treat one another.

Listening to One Another: The beginning of “one another” community is paying attention to one another. Sometimes church business is just “busy-ness.” I don’t think that’s how God intended us to live. How can we really help each other or love one another if we are not paying attention to one another? Listening is the beginning of unity … ¹⁵“If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over.”
God intends for us to speak honestly and truthfully with one another. This is how we overcome anxiety and worry – by truly listening to one another.

Helping One Another: Acts 4:32 All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. ³³With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all. ³⁴There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales ³⁵and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need.
The people of God live in hospitality. Hospitality was a very important virtue in the ancient world. A traveler depended on hospitality not just for comfort, but for survival. We think of hospitality as something exceptional or special. We think of it as playing host or hostess at the Martha Stewart level, but consider how basic it is. My friend Jeff Christian told the story of an elder and his wife who invited others to their house for PBJ sandwiches and popsicles. This couple wanted to show everyone that hospitality was about love and fellowship rather than scoring social style points. 12:13 – Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

Bearing with one another – This involves not only bearing sorrows, but also (to put it quite bluntly) putting up with one another! Ephesians 4:2 – Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. ³Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. One of the ways we practice God’s intent for the kingdom is by enduring all the little things that could so easily cause us to divide. Romans 14:13-19 – Let us stop passing judgment on one another. . . ¹⁹Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.

Loving one another – Some of us remember sermons that list the “identifying marks of the church.” The identifying marks are one of thinking about the practices that demonstrate God’s intent for the world. Jesus had one identifying mark that he considered to be the clearest in terms of identifying his people … John 13:34 So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. ³⁵Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”

Welcoming the other – We cannot limit love in the kingdom of God. We are not concerned about the boundaries or demographics this world uses to divide us (age, race, gender, etc.) We respect those differences, but they are not barriers to love in fellowship if all are in Christ (Galatians 3:28)

The world is watching … Dale Ziemer and Lois Barret (Treasure in Clay Jars, Eerdmans, 2004) tell the story of the Holy Ghost Full Gospel Church in Detroit. This church moved into a neighborhood that was run down and dominated by the problems of drug abuse and the attending evils of a drug addicted, hopeless class of people. One of the residents of this neighborhood was Luther. Luther described himself as a “big time drunk” and church members noticed that Luther was a sort of ringleader among those who sought solace with alcohol. All of the church’s programs and techniques to reach someone like Luther failed. But Luther was watching. We took notice of the people who gathered in the church’s building. In time, Luther took such an interest in this people that he started directing traffic in the evening. After all, they were in his neighborhood. Luther also began escorting the elderly women to their cars after the evening services, after all they were in his neighborhood and Luther would tell them that it wasn’t safe. Luther took notice of these very different people and in time he came and stood in the foyer during worship. Then he started to come in a bit closer and stand in the door to the auditorium. Then he stopped drinking so much. And eventually he was baptized.
At every stage of Luther’s journey, the people welcomed him. He was never told to go away, nor was he feared, neither was he ignored. He was welcomed. And the one who was once “the other” became one of the “one anothers.”

Chris Benjamin

West-Ark Church of Christ, Fort Smith, AR
Morning Sermon, 19 March 2006

Taking Risks for the Sake of the Gospel

Posted by Chris on March 12, 2006 under Sermons

Taking Risks
We are not accustomed to taking risks. About as risky as most of us get is managed risk. We devote so much to playing-it-safe. Every morning the talk shows let us know what we should fear and tell us how to be safe. I am glad that we have weather radar and as I was watching the reports of the storms last night I marveled at how the technology could pinpoint the action of tornadoes. I realized that this was a private company that owned this hi-tech. They invest in it because people are interested in being safe.
However, risk is part of life and especially life in Christ. As a friend recently said, “No one said this would be easy.” Remember the words I spoke to you: ‘No servant is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. ” John 15:20.

Read 2 Corinthians 4:3-4, 8-9. Paul reflects on the life that follows Jesus and he acknowledges that the world resists the gospel even though it is good news. Why? Because the darkness has veiled their hearts. Their vision has been obscured. But when we have beheld the light of the gospel, we have a hope that allows us to take risks – not for the sake of being risky, but for the sake of the gospel.

Clay Jars That Shine Like Stars
Today our brothers and sisters in Vietnam and Laos worship. Worship is a very risky activity for them to do. But we admire them for taking the risk. Why do they take that risk?
What would you say about a group of believers that moved their worship out of suburban safety and into a neighborhood plagued by drug abuse and burglaries? Not an outreach, but they moved everything down there! They take it for granted that their building will be broken into and that equipment will have to be replaced. Would you consider them foolish? Bad stewards? ( Is Jesus going to get really upset over a stolen sound system?) Would you call the believers fanatics? Why do they take the risk?
Whether they are in Laos or the Southern United States, these risky Christians seem to be playing by a different set of rules. I suggest that they are simply taking their calling seriously. Why should it be any different for us – we are trying to conform to Jesus Christ rather than the surrounding society. Don’t we realize that that is risky?

When we follow Jesus Christ, we have different priorities that may act against common sense. We are not going to conform to the dominant culture in every way. Are we okay with that? I don’t mean that we won’t conform to the things we don’t like, but we will also not conform to some of the things we do like! To be faithful to God’s mission we must often stand in contrast to the culture around us. (Read Philippians 2:12-18.)

Clay jars that shine like stars — the light of the gospel shining off the treasure. We are different. We are called to follow Jesus and we are shaped by scripture. And that means we will have to take some risks for the sake of the gospel. But what sort of risks?

What’s so risky about the Gospel?
God is calling us to take some risks, not risk for the sake of being risky, but for the sake of the gospel: [Note: I am indebted to Paul Clark and Jeff Christian for suggesting these three examples of how the church takes risks for the sake of the gospel. These points come from their unpublished sermons based on the Treasures In Clay Jars book edited by Lois Y. Barrett]

1) IT IS RISKY TO BE COMMUNITY: We live in a very individual age. Living in unity with one another in the church can be challenging.
I have never forgotten the story I heard Rick Atchley tell about an elderly sister who was walking into the foyer of her church house one Sunday. She looked over the bulletin board that featured pictures of the mission in Africa and she said softly, “I wish they would stop baptizing so many of those kind of people.” This sister’s version of heaven was segregated. A pearly gate with the banner “WHITES ONLY” above it and a back gates labeled “COLORED.” How can we be one in heaven if we cannot live as the community of Christ here? Do we think that Heaven will have high-rent and low-rent neighborhoods?
It is risky to live in community with others when we have a play-it-safe and build tall fences mentality. I think we would be more effective at sharing our faith if we would just simply be kind to people in the community and talk to them about God. What if we welcomed them to our home before we welcomed them to worship. I am convinced that people “go to church” with their friends. This risky living in community is how we unleash the treasure?
Christ took the risk of creating community. He wanted community and unity between us and God.

2) IT IS RISKY TO BE GENEROUS: It is risky to share with one another and with our community without expecting a return on our investment. We are generous with our wealth, but shall we also be generous with our love.

3) IT IS RISKY TO BE DIFFERENT: When the Christians of the second century were ridiculed and scorned by the society around them. They were called incestuous, cannibalistic, and atheistic. They didn’t overcome this by standing up for their rights or wielding their power to influence. They certainly didn’t overcome by conforming to the expectations of a dying culture. They overcame by kneeling in prayer in the arenas where they were slaughtered. And do you know who they prayed for? The Roman Emperor.

Taking Risks can be fearful – especially in church. That is because everything else in culture is changing so quickly. We want to have some place we can come that stays the same.
But the reason there are some things that do not change is not because someone opposed change. The reason is because some people did something to be faithful rather than do nothing because they were fearful. They took a risk for the sake of the gospel that does not change.

Chris Benjamin

West-Ark Church of Christ, Fort Smith, AR
Morning Sermon, 12 March 2006

Treasure in Clay Jars
Lesson Four: Pattern 3 – Mar. 12, 2006
“Taking Risks for the Sake of the Gospel”

What is this lesson all about?

1. You will examine ways in which scripture calls for Christians to exchange personal comfort and predictability for risk taking and dependence on God.
2. You will recognize the risks involved in being set apart from the world because of the gospel.
3. You will explore how the Spirit of God empowers believers to be risk takers for the gospel
4. You will gain understanding of the implications of personally becoming greater risk-takers in taking the saving gospel of Jesus to culture.

Getting Started:

1. When have you done something risky? How well did you come through the experience?
2. What would be the most difficult part about being a missionary in a third-world nation? What would motivate someone to give up the comforts of life in America for the sake of the kingdom? Offer a prayer of blessing for missionaries living in dangerous places.
3. What would be the most dangerous place to live in our community? How many children do you think live in that neighborhood?

Searching the Word:

1. Read Matthew 10:11-31 aloud. Who was Jesus speaking to? The twelve apostles, before he sent them out to preach. What kind of welcome did he expect that they would find as they talked about him? What were some of the risks the first followers of Jesus faced?
2. How did Jesus instruct his followers to respond to opposition? Generate a list. See verses 16, 17, 19, 23, 28. What kind of opposition have you faced because of your faith?
3. In what ways does verse 24 connect Christians’ persecution with Jesus’ suffering. How much do you think this helped? How do you feel when you hear of believers who suffer for Christ? Do you ever feel guilty for having it so easy? (See the attached Parable On Perspective).

Making It Real: Exploration and Response

1. Do we believe that Jesus is sending us into our community to call attention to the kingdom? If so, then what instructions do you think he would give us?
2. Where might be some neglected or dangerous neighborhoods in our community where Christians are afraid to go? Who is speaking for Jesus in such places? How could we help children in those neighborhoods? What do we have to risk?
3. Every church wants to recruit prosperous, educated, moral leaders as members. Who are some people that nobody is inviting to their church? How could we reach out to them? Why do we consider it risky to help these people?
4. Ask the group to identify ways in which they perceive Christians as being different or set apart from the world. Possible responses include how Christians use their time or resources, how they treat fellow workers, employees, how they speak, etc. In what ways are we reluctant to take risks because we are “captive to our culture?”
5. Taking the discussion one step further, ask the group to respond to this quote: “Some congregations seem to be living by a set of rules different from that of the dominant culture. Their priorities are different. They act against the “common sense.” They are trying to conform to Jesus Christ rather than to the surrounding society. (Treasure in Clay Jars, p. 75)
6. Creative Generosity — How does a church responsibly respond to needs, some of which are “spur of the moment,” such as a natural disaster, when those funds are not in the budget?
7. Invite the group to respond to these questions:
   • How can we encourage each other to be greater risk takers in taking the gospel into our culture?
   • In what ways does God’s Spirit empower and lead Christians when they are risk takers for the gospel?
   • How do we answer the question today, “Who is my neighbor?”

Prayer Time

• Pray for the lost
• Pull out a local map and pray for specific streets where there is little hope. (You could say, everywhere, but try and make it personal. Divide into prayer groups if that helps).
• Ask God for courage to take risks for the kingdom.

Kid-friendly Activity

• Read Luke 10:25-37 aloud. You might act it out (the story of the Samaritan). What risks did the priest and Levite avoid? What risks did the Samaritan take?
• Pair up kids with adults. Share about a kid you know who has a rough time behaving at school. Adults share with kids about a struggling kid you knew when you were younger. How could we as God’s followers help kids who are having a hard time?
• What would be hard about helping a kid who is having a hard time?

Taking Risks for the Sake of the Gospel

Posted by Chris on under Sermons

Illustration: I recently had the opportunity to join a police officer on patrol. He apologized that the shift wasn’t more exciting. I was okay with that.

Taking Risks
We are not accustomed to taking risks. About as risky as most of us get is managed risk. We devote so much to playing-it-safe. Every morning the talk shows let us know what we should fear and tell us how to be safe. I am glad that we have weather radar and as I was watching the reports of the storms last night I marveled at how the technology could pinpoint the action of tornados. I realized that this was a private company that owned this hi-tech. They invest in it because people are interested in being safe.
However, risk is part of life and especially life in Christ. As a friend recently said, “No one said this would be easy.” Remember the words I spoke to you: ‘No servant is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. – John 15:20.

Read 2 Corinthians 4:3-4, 8-9. Paul reflects on the life that follows Jesus and he acknowledges that the world resists the gospel – even though it is good news. Why? Because the darkness has veiled their hearts. Their vision has been obscured. But when we have beheld the light of the gospel, we have a hope that allows us to take risks – not for the sake of being risky, but for the sake of the gospel.

Clay Jars That Shine Like Stars
Today our brothers and sisters in Vietnam and Laos worship. Worship is a very risky activity for them to do. But we admire them for taking the risk. Why do they take that risk?
What would you say about a group of believers that moved their worship out of suburban safety and into a neighborhood plagued by drug abuse and burglaries? Not an outreach, but they moved everything down there! They take it for granted that their building will be broken into and that equipment will have to be replaced. Would you consider them foolish? Bad stewards? ( Is Jesus going to get really upset over a stolen sound system?) Would you call the believers fanatics? Why do they take the risk?
Whether they are in Laos or the Southern United States, these risky Christians seem to be playing by a different set of rules. I suggest that they are simply taking their calling seriously. Why should it be any different for us – we are trying to conform to Jesus Christ rather than the surrounding society. Don’t we realize that that is risky?

When we follow Jesus Christ, we have different priorities that may act against common sense. We are not going to conform to the dominant culture in every way. Are we okay with that? I don’t mean that we won’t conform to the things we don’t like – but we will also not conform to some of the things we do like! To be faithful to God’s mission we must often stand in contrast to the culture around us. (Read Philippians 2:12-18.)

Clay jars that shine like stars – the light of the gospel shining off the treasure. We are different. We are called to follow Jesus and we are shaped by scripture. And that means we will have to take some risks for the sake of the gospel. But what sort of risks?

What’s so risky about the Gospel?
God is calling us to take some risks, not risk for the sake of being risky, but for the sake of the gospel:[Note: I am indebted to Paul Clark and Jeff Christian for suggesting these three examples of how the church takes risks for the sake of the gospel. These points come from their unpublished sermons based on the Treasures In Clay Jars book edited by Lois Y. Barrett]

1) IT IS RISKY TO BE COMMUNITY: We live in a very individual age. Living in unity with one another – in the church – can be challenging.
I have never forgotten the story I heard Rick Atchley tell about an elderly sister who was walking into the foyer of her church house one Sunday. She looked over the bulletin board that featured pictures of the mission in Africa and she said softly, “I wish they would stop baptizing so many of those kind of people.” This sister’s version of heaven was segregated. A pearly gate with the banner “WHITES ONLY” above it and a back gates labeled “COLORED.” How can we be one in heaven if we cannot live as the community of Christ here? Do we think that Heaven will have high-rent and low-rent neighborhoods?
It is risky to live in community with others when we have a play-it-safe and build tall fences mentality. I think we would be more effective at sharing our faith if we would just simply be kind to people in the community and talk to them about God. What if we welcomed them to our home before we welcomed them to worship. I am convinced that people “go to church” with who they know. This risky living in community is how we unleash the treasure?
Christ took the risk of creating community. He wanted community and unity between us and God.

2) IT IS RISKY TO BE GENEROUS: It is risky to share with one another and with our community without expecting a return on our investment. We are generous with our wealth, but shall we also be generous with our love.

3) IT IS RISKY TO BE DIFFERENT: When the Christians of the second century were ridiculed and scorned by the society around them. They were called incestuous, cannibalistic, and atheistic. They didn’t overcome this by standing up for their rights or wielding their power to influence. They certainly didn’t overcome by conforming to the expectations of a dying culture. They overcame by kneeling in prayer in the arenas where they were slaughtered. And do you know who they prayed for? The Roman Emperor.

Taking Risks can be fearful – especially in church. That is because everything else in culture is changing so quickly. We want to have some place we can come that stays the same.
But the reason there are some things that do not change is not because someone opposed change. The reason is because some people did something to be faithful rather than do nothing because they were fearful. They took a risk for the sake of the gospel that does not change.

Chris Benjamin

West-Ark Church of Christ, Fort Smith, AR
Morning Sermon, 12 March 2006

Treasure in Clay Jars Lesson Four: Pattern 3 – Mar. 12, 2006 “Taking Risks for the Sake of the Gospel” What is this lesson all about? You will examine ways in which scripture calls for Christians to exchange personal comfort and predictability for risk taking and dependence on God. You will recognize the risks involved in being set apart from the world because of the gospel. You will explore how the Spirit of God empowers believers to be risk takers for the gospel You will gain understanding of the implications of personally becoming greater risk-takers in taking the saving gospel of Jesus to culture. Getting Started: When have you done something risky? How well did you come through the experience? What would be the most difficult part about being a missionary in a third-world nation? What would motivate someone to give up the comforts of life in America for the sake of the kingdom? Offer a prayer of blessing for missionaries living in dangerous places. What would be the most dangerous place to live in our community? How many children do you think live in that neighborhood? Searching the Word: Read Matthew 10:11-31 aloud. Who was Jesus speaking to? The twelve apostles, before he sent them out to preach. What kind of welcome did he expect that they would find as they talked about him? What were some of the risks the first followers of Jesus faced? How did Jesus instruct his followers to respond to opposition? Generate a list. See verses 16, 17, 19, 23, 28. What kind of opposition have you faced because of your faith? In what ways does verse 24 connect Christians’ persecution with Jesus’ suffering. How much do you think this helped? How do you feel when you hear of believers who suffer for Christ? Do you ever feel guilty for having it so easy? (See the attached Parable On Perspective). Making It Real: Exploration and Response Do we believe that Jesus is sending us into our community to call attention to the kingdom? If so, then what instructions do you think he would give us? Where might be some neglected or dangerous neighborhoods in our community where Christians are afraid to go? Who is speaking for Jesus in such places? How could we help children in those neighborhoods? What do we have to risk? Every church wants to recruit prosperous, educated, moral leaders as members. Who are some people that nobody is inviting to their church? How could we reach out to them? Why do we consider it risky to help these people? Ask the group to identify ways in which they perceive Christians as being different or set apart from the world. Possible responses include how Christians use their time or resources, how they treat fellow workers, employees, how they speak, etc. In what ways are we reluctant to take risks because we are “captive to our culture?” Taking the discussion one step further, ask the group to respond to this quote: “Some congregations seem to be living by a set of rules different from that of the dominant culture. Their priorities are different. They act against the “common sense.” They are trying to conform to Jesus Christ rather than to the surrounding society.” (Treasure in Clay Jars, p. 75) Creative Generosity – How does a church responsibly respond to needs, some of which are ?spur of the moment’, such as a natural disaster (reflect on ways in which God used the faith community in reaching out to Katrina evacuees), when those funds are not in the budget? Invite the group to respond to these questions: How can we encourage each other to be greater risk takers in taking the gospel into our culture? In what ways does God’s Spirit empower and lead Christians when they are risk takers for the gospel? How do we answer the question today, “Who is my neighbor?” Prayer Time Pray for the lost Pull out a local map and pray for specific streets where there is little hope. (You could say, everywhere, but try and make it personal. Divide into prayer groups if that helps). Ask God for courage to take risks for the kingdom. Kid-friendly Activity Read Luke 10:25-37 aloud. You might act it out (the story of the Samaritan). What risks did the priest and Levite avoid? What risks did the Samaritan take? Pair up kids with adults. Share about a kid you know who has a rough time behaving at school. Adults share with kids about a struggling kid you knew when you were younger. How could we as God’s followers help kids who are having a hard time? What would be hard about helping a kid who is having a hard time? Attachment 1: A Parable On Perspective WHAT IT MEANS TO BE POOR One day a father of a very wealthy family took his son on a trip to the country with the firm purpose of showing his son how poor people can be. They spent a couple of days and nights on the farm of what would be considered a very poor family. On their return from their trip, the father asked his son, “How was the trip?” “It was great, Dad.” “Did you see how poor people can be?” the father asked. “Oh Yeah” said the son. “So what did you learn from the trip?” asked the father. The son answered, “I saw that we have one dog and they had four. We have a pool that reaches to the middle of our garden and they have a creek that has no end. We have imported lanterns in our garden and they have the stars at night. Our patio reaches to the front yard and they have the whole horizon. We have a small piece of land to live on and they have fields that go beyond our sight. We have servants who serve us, but they serve others. We buy our food, but they grow theirs. We have walls around our property to protect us, they have friends to protect them.” With this the boy’s father was speechless. Then his son added, “Thanks dad for showing me how poor we are.”

The Worst Things Are Never the Last Things

Posted by Chris on March 5, 2006 under Sermons

Don’t Give Up or Give in to Despair – We are crushed, but not destroyed. To give up on our faith, on the church, or to give up on any ministry or on anyone means we will miss out on the wondrous things that God can do. When Jesus was arrested, the disciples ran out in fear and despair. But the resurrection day was coming. In Christ, the worst things are never the last the things. Don’t give up and don’t give in to despair.

Don’t Ignore How You Feel – Even if we are resolved not to give up or give in, that doesn’t mean that we won’t feel badly. All of us are feeling something – even if we are feeling numb or shocked. We are experiencing all sorts of emotions. Those of you who have been through similar circumstances are perhaps reliving the emotions you have felt. God made us to feel. Don’t ignore this; only do not let your feelings become an opportunity to sin. The Psalms show us how people of faith take every sort of feeling before God so that God may redeem those feelings. There are angry Psalms, sad Psalms, questioning Psalms, pleading Psalms, and hopeful Psalms. Don’t ignore how you feel. Let this situation become an opportunity for faith.

Don’t Worry (or feel anxious to fix or explain) – It is understandable that we might feel anxious at a time like this. We may be worried about many things. When we get anxious we want to fix the problem. We want to explain everything somehow. Abraham and Sarah lost their patience waiting on God to fulfill His promise and the result was the birth of Ishmael. Instead of solving a problem, they created many more. I appreciate the fact that our elders have decided to wait prayerfully for 30 days before making any major decisions. They rightly recognize that our first priority is seeking redemption of sin, healing hurt and being prayerfully patient before God.

Do Pray – So we should all be praying. What Satan would use for harm, God can redeem for good. In prayer, we stop to give God the victory. Prayer pagers have been given out. I urge you to lift up the arms of our leaders as they begin a time of discernment and prayer.

Do Love – Praying for one another and with one another is a way to demonstrate our love for one another. Love covers over a multitude of sins. It doesn’t make sin go away; it doesn’t ignore the destructive potential of sin; it covers it over. When a sharp, abrasive irritant is introduced into the soft tissue of an oyster, the oyster covers the particle with a substance that smoothes the irritant and in time makes it a glistening pearl. Love can cover over the sin that has irritated this body, and by the grace of God He can transform this experience into a jewel that reflects His glory. Love covers over a multitude of sins.

Do Hope – Right now it may be very difficult to see how anything good can come of this. I admit to being shortsighted. But “faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” (Hebrews 11:3) We are more than conquerors in Christ Jesus. The worst things are never the last things for those who follow Christ.

In addition to these, I add two more …
Don’t overlook the seriousness of sin. – Because of sin there is death and suffering in the world. Paul warns the Galatians that even as they are to extend help to the sinner they should be cautious of the potential of sin to harm them as well. [Galatians 6:1, “Dear brothers and sisters, if another Christian is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself.”]

Do trust in the grace of God – Romans 5:12 – You know the story of how Adam landed us in the dilemma we’re in–first sin, then death, and no one exempt from either sin or death. ¹³That sin disturbed relations with God in everything and everyone, but the extent of the disturbance was not clear until God spelled it out in detail to Moses. So death, this huge abyss separating us from God, dominated the landscape from Adam to Moses. ¹⁴Even those who didn’t sin precisely as Adam did by disobeying a specific command of God still had to experience this termination of life, this separation from God. But Adam, who got us into this, also points ahead to the One who will get us out of it. ¹⁵Yet the rescuing gift is not exactly parallel to the death-dealing sin. If one man’s sin put crowds of people at the dead-end abyss of separation from God, just think what God’s gift poured through one man, Jesus Christ, will do! ¹⁶There’s no comparison between that death-dealing sin and this generous, life-giving gift. The verdict on that one sin was the death sentence; the verdict on the many sins that followed was this wonderful life sentence. ¹⁷If death got the upper hand through one man’s wrongdoing, can you imagine the breathtaking recovery life makes, sovereign life, in those who grasp with both hands this wildly extravagant life-gift, this grand setting-everything-right, that the one man Jesus Christ provides? ¹⁸Here it is in a nutshell: Just as one person did it wrong and got us in all this trouble with sin and death, another person did it right and got us out of it. But more than just getting us out of trouble, he got us into life! ¹⁹One man said no to God and put many people in the wrong; one man said yes to God and put many in the right. ²⁰All that passing laws against sin did was produce more lawbreakers. But sin didn’t, and doesn’t, have a chance in competition with the aggressive forgiveness we call grace. When it’s sin versus grace, grace wins hands down. ²¹All sin can do is threaten us with death, and that’s the end of it. Grace, because God is putting everything together again through the Messiah, invites us into life–a life that goes on and on and on, world without end.

Which rules in your life? Sin or grace? If sin rules in your life it will not only hurt you but also those you love and many more than you can ever imagine. But if the grace and mercy of God rules in your life then you can be cleansed and redeemed and experience true life in Christ Jesus. I urge you to choose the grace and mercy of God and not let sin rule.

Being Shaped By Scripture

Posted by Chris on February 26, 2006 under Sermons

One of the reasons I preach is because of the words that shaped me into a preacher. I was often encouraged by the good folks at the Winslow congregation. They complimented me when I preached on occasion and I have to believe they were encouraging me for the future for I doubt there was much benefit in what I had to say.

Wayne’s words did not sink in that day. In fact, I think I forgot about them for quite some time. It wasn’t until later in my life when I was struggling to understand why I was in ministry that I recalled his words. His words gave me perspective – they reminded me that I do not preach for myself but I preach for the good of God’s people and also for the Lord. His words gave me hope – they reminded me that what I have is a gift of God and not dependent on my own ability (thank you God for that). I remembered his words and I still remember his words even now. They have been an influence on me and even though Wayne is gone, I will never forget his words to me.

Words shape us. When God created the universe he did not use tools or lightning, rather he used words. God spoke and it was so. And that was just the beginning. God’s words continue to create reality. He called Abram and a nation was formed. He gave Jacob a new name and he had a new future a new identity. God spoke through his prophets and declared that some nations would rise and others would fall. (Jeremiah 18:1-10). After the people of God had lost their way, after they were sent into exile, and after they returned they were rebuilt not through the restoration of cities and houses but when Ezra read to them the words of God. When Jesus was born God announced the birth. A proclamation of good news was sent out to kings and shepherds. Nothing would ever be the same, a new age had dawned. Words shape us – and the word of God creates reality.

When Jesus was being tested for ministry he fasted for 40 days. Satan knew very well that Jesus had the authority to use words to create. “You’re hungry,” he says. “You have the authority to make hot rolls out these rocks,” he says. “It won’t hurt anybody, so why not?” he says. Jesus also knows that words have the power to shape reality and identity so he says, “A person needs more than bread to live, one is fed and sustained by every word of God.” (Matthew 4) Better than bread when one is hungry is the word of God. Food can feed the body, but the word of God nourishes the whole person.

¹³It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.”With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak, ¹⁴because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his presence. ¹⁵All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. ¹⁶Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.

I appreciate my heritage of faith. I am interested in the history of the Restoration Movement in America. One of the values of the Restoration Movement that I cherish is the reverence for Scripture and the desire to be biblical. This is another reason I preach, because I believe that God’s word is not only foundational but formative. Of course this also intimidates me because I know, from personal experience and the study of history, that revering Scripture and being shaped by it can be two very different things. The lump of clay in the potter’s studio can admire the work of the potter and extol the beauty of clay jars and the treasure they contain, but to actually be thrown on the wheel and molded by the potter is to be changed.

Sometimes our relationship to Scripture has been like a stroll through a museum. We behold the artistry of God and extol the beauty and perfection of God’s work, but we don’t really own the work and we are only involved as an observer. Sometimes our relationship with God’s word is a little more intimate and we see ourselves as those who are blessed to enjoy the useful instruments that God has provided in his word. Like a chef who delights in the useful stoneware and pottery that she has the privilege to use.

But what if we turned the relationship around? What if we understood ourselves as the instruments in the service of the word? What if, instead of seeing the Bible as a constitution for the church that we debate, discuss, and apply like a code of law we regarded ourselves as the parchment or stone upon which God writes his word? (2 Corinthians 3:3)

God’s word is so unlike the “sacred writings” of religion and even the way we have perceived it at times. For Islam, the true Quran cannot be translated. The true Quran exists only in Arabic. It is a message rooted in a particular language and culture. Though cherished and revered, it is a work that exists in a set form. For Mormons, the Book of Mormon has a divine origin that is rooted in mystery. The angel Moroni revealed golden plates to the prophet Joseph Smith and gave him the power to translate the heavenly language before taking the plates back to heaven. Over against these the Bible’s origin is really sort of mundane and messy. It is written in two languages and translated many times over into other languages. It did not fall out of heaven but was collected over the course of centuries by ordinary. And there were periods during the first century when the first century church did not have the complete New Testament. That might seem alarming. Anyone who admits to this might seem to be discrediting the word of God. That would be the case if the word of God were just a book – but it is more than a book. The word of God cannot be reduced to words written on pages in a book or scroll. The word of God is living and active and sharper than a double-edged sword. The words we read and speak were never destined to rest quietly on a page, but they are intended to penetrate our lives and cut away sin and shaped us into God’s people for the sake of his mission. If we believe them, then we will be shaped by them, and we will speak them in word and action …

¹³It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.” With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak, … Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.

Faithfulness to God’s Mission demands that we must be shaped by the Word of God. His word is renewing us day by day. We tend to think of Scripture as something that we use on others: as though the word is case law that we can form into a crafty argument, or a quote that we can use to gain advantage in debate. But Scripture is meant to equip us – to shape us and prepare us to live out the word and not just use it in arguments.

Making Disciples and Being Disciples. – A disciple is a learner, one who is learning a discipline. Not just head knowledge, but discipline in thought and action. It is a way of life. When we think about our mission statement, let’s be aware that some of the disciples being made are you and I. There’s no way we can make disciples if we are not concerned about being disciples.

We dare not invite people to share in the journey of following God’s call if we do it from a position of arrogance or superiority. We are being shaped and discipled just as much as the disciple who is baptized today. We know the power of words, so don’t be surprised that we are being shaped by the word of God.

Why do you preach? Why do you speak?
What do we believe? What we believe is how we shall live. Words shape us.

Chris Benjamin

West-Ark Church of Christ, Fort Smith, AR
Morning Sermon, 26 February 2006

Following God’s Call

Posted by Chris on February 19, 2006 under Sermons

Read text 2 Corinthians 3:17-4:1. When I first heard the language of “being called to ministry,” I thought it strange. I was not accustomed to this language. I believed that my choice to be a minister was simply a choice of a career no different than choosing to be a lawyer, an engineer, or a banker. When some would ask me how I was called to ministry I did not understand what they meant. “Well, one of my professors from the Bible college called me before I moved there. Is that what you mean?” No, that’s not what they meant.

My uneasiness with a sense of calling was due to the fact that I wasn’t exposed to such a way of describing things, but also because I had an aversion to seeing my life as a minister as somehow different and distinct from those who chose another vocation. But I am no longer uneasy talking about a calling. In fact, I think this way of describing ministry and vocation is much better than the secular way we use a very spiritual word.

What is vocation? This word is now associated with business and career. We tend to think of vocation as one’s chosen career. I recall hearing this word as a teenager in reference to the vocation technical program at my school. That program was designed to teach skills that could lead to a career.

But the word vocation comes from the same root word from which we get the word vocal, as in voice – a voice that calls out. Before our language and culture was split up into secular and spiritual components, one’s vocation was the same as one’s calling. A vocation is a calling by someone and toward someone or something. A vocation is not just a career choice, it is “a career that is chosen for us.” And the implication behind the word is that God has chosen the occupation for us. What do we mean when we say that someone has missed their calling? We mean that this person has chosen to follow one vocation when they are obviously called to another. We mean that a person is not living out the life God has envisioned for him or her.

Who Follows God’s Call? I am no longer uneasy talking about calling because in rediscovering the meaning of the word I am convinced that calling is not just for “clergy.” The term “calling” has been used in a restricted way and limited to ministers, missionaries, and other church leaders. Everyone else is left to a secular career. But that’s not an accurate. In the truest sense of the word vocation, everyone is called by God to follow God. It is true for ministers, missionaries, doctors, lawyers, millwrights, welders, teachers, plumbers, and police officers. Everyone is called to follow God – even non-Christians are called to follow God, they are simply missing their calling.

I am no longer uneasy talking about calling because the word is vital to understanding what church is all about. The entire church, as a community of people, has been called to follow God. In the text we read, Paul is clear that we have “this ministry” because of God’s mercy. It isn’t something that we choose. We do not take a test to qualify. God calls us to participate in his mission because of his mercy.

The Hebrew term translated “to call” is used to describe the people of God who are summoned to participate in God’s purposes for the world. The Greek terms used in the NT describe calling as a summons to holy living and service to others. In fact, the term calling is rooted in the word for church – “the ekklesia” which is “the called out.” The church is called and sent by God so it is right for us to say that the church has a vocation.

Questions We Ask So That We May Follow God’s Call (Our Vocation): We understand the church’s vocation in general terms easily enough. We follow God’s call by participating in his mission. But how shall we be faithful to that vocation in our immediate circumstances? That is a little more challenging, but it isn’t hopeless.

Our situation is similar to Robert Scott and his team of explorer’s searching for the South Pole. At one point in their journey the weather was so bad that the white haze blended with the falling snow so that the horizon was no longer visible. They had a compass to show them which direction was south, but they could not aim toward a fixed point. They thought they were going forward but soon found they were traveling in a circle when they came upon their own tracks. Their solution was to use the compass to tell them which direction to throw snowballs out in front of them. The snowball gave them a fixed point to head toward. After more aiming, throwing, and following their artificial horizon point, they made it to the South Pole.

We might discern what it means for us to follow God’s call by using our general understanding of the church’s vocation to follow the fixed points we cast out ahead of us in our surroundings. To do this we need to ask four questions and determine how we should answer these in a way that keeps us faithful to the mission of God.

Where Are We? We need to be aware of our local setting. We expect that missionaries in Vietnam and Laos must be thoughtful in how they follow God’s call in those nations. But we also have to be thoughtful. Where are we? What does it mean for us to be faithful in our location? We are across the street from a growing university. We are in the most culturally diverse region in Arkansas. Our city and the surrounding cities are challenged by increasing poverty. How do we follow God’s call and live out our vocation in this place?

When Are We? Of course we need to qualify this place with “at this time.” Anyone who has lived in this area for very long will tell you that a lot has changed. And no doubt there will be many more changes ahead. It is irresponsible for us to come up with a single response to how we shall be faithful to God’s call in this place and assume that will last forever. Think about the historical roots of this congregation. Before there was a West-Ark congregation there was Park Hill, then Midland, then Windsor Drive and College Terrace and then those merged to form West-Ark. Decisions were made at various stages to respond to changing times. Would the members of Midland Blvd ever have foreseen that there would need to be an Iglesia de Cristo? Maybe not, but they knew how to be faithful to their vocation in their time and those who are part of this congregation now know that our WHEN is in the 21st century when the Hispanic population in this area is growing at an astonishing rate.

Who Are We? All of this change over time and place may make us anxious that we are somehow tampering with the gospel truth. It’s good to think about that, but let’s not get overly anxious. A clay jar from Mexico in the 18th century may look very different from a first century B.C. Greek clay jar – but we recognize them as clay jars. Remember that we are conformed to a pattern and are not a reproduction. We look to the first century church for wisdom, but we are not the first century church. That was a different where and when. We are the 21st century church in Western Arkansas. And we are God’s people. Each generation, including our own, must reflect on our identity in Christ. We are baptized and we worship and partake of the Lord’s Supper. We are shaped by these traditions, but we must adopt them as our own if we are going to be faithful. And the generation after us must do the same.

Why Are We? Bring the other three questions together causes us to reflect on WHY we follow God’s call. God has a purpose for us. One of the reasons that the Purpose-Driven material as been so successful, I think is because it addresses purpose – that’s a powerful concept. Too often we amble through “church-life” without purpose and uncritically accept things as they are. But joy and hope will carry us through even the toughest times if we have a purpose that gives us passion.

In the text we read that “as the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like him and reflect his glory even more.” We are following a path to become more like Christ. We have a vocation thanks to God’s mercy. Why do we live like we do? Because we are following God’s call and he is calling us to become more like the treasure he has placed within our clay jar lives.

Chris Benjamin

West-Ark Church of Christ, Fort Smith, AR
Morning Sermon, 19 February 2006

Shaped by the Potter

Posted by Chris on February 12, 2006 under Sermons

Story of Jack Russell welding in the mag-cell plant. [An experienced welder on first encountering a work site within a powerful magnetic field cannot accomplish seemingly simple repair work by doing the job “by the book.”] What do you do when everything you know no longer works? What do you do when the world as you know it turns upside down?

What happened to Jack in the mag-cell plant is similar to the church’s experience in our culture. Some of us can remember when faith and Christian values were held in high esteem in our culture. Chick-Fil-A is regarded as exceptional for closing on Sundays, but there was a time when every store closed on Sunday. Some time ago evangelism and outreach were aided by a society that embraced religion in public life. Now faith is considered a private matter and the subject is rarely approached in public.

A worldview includes the presuppositions, beliefs, and values that shape how we see reality and determines how we will think and act. Our worldview is often shaped by our culture. Our culture is changing, and that means that worldviews are changing.

What do we do? Is the church threatened by a shift in culture? Should we be concerned or worried because worldviews are changing? Throughout the ages the church has survived and sometimes even thrived in cultures that were hostile to the Christian worldview or in cultures that had a plurality of worldviews. A good example is the city of Rome in the first century. How could the church in Rome live in a culture ingrained in idolatry, pluralism, and permissive morals? The apostle Paul writes to the churches in Rome saying … (Read Romans 12:1-2)

Regardless of the worldview of this age, the church is conformed to God’s will – not the pattern of this age. There is no age, culture, or worldview in any society that the church requires to live within God’s rule. In fact, a particular culture or worldview that we prefer or feel comfortable with might be more of a problem than one that is hostile to Christian faith. Why? Because we are tempted to conform to “the pattern of this age” rather than be transformed by the will of God. It is risky to be conformed to the pattern of this age because the pattern of the age will always be shifting and changing.

And that’s what is happening in our culture. We are transitioning between a modern and a postmodern worldview. The modern worldview is the result of the age of reason that followed the renaissance in western civilization. The universe and human existence were explained in rational and scientific terms. That doesn’t sound so odd to us, but at the time it was a major shift in worldview. The assumption in the modern age was that humanity would continue to progress and science and reason would usher in an enlightened utopian age. But as the 20th century rolled along and science and technology led to anything but utopia and enlightenment, people began to lose confidence in the modern worldview. So now we are entering into a new age. Now one is sure what the foundation of this new age really is. In fact the only thing we seem to know is that there isn’t a foundation. All we know is that it is after the modern, or postmodern. So here we are living in a culture that draws from both worldviews. As I have said before, it is like wearing eyeglasses that have two different lenses. Such a mixed perspective is sure to give us headaches!

We needn’t be forced to choose either the modern or postmodern worldview. The shift from one to the other is inevitable. It will not be stopped and there’s no reason to stop it. There is much that was good about the modern worldview, but much that was not good. There’s much to be concerned about with the postmodern worldview, but don’t assume that it is all bad – there’s much that is hopeful in it. Yet, neither of these is THE worldview that the church requires. We can thrive in either worldview is we are shaped by the gospel rather the culture or worldview. The church is transformed and renewed by the gospel and we are able to test and approve what God’s will is. We have new lenses that enable us to look with discernment on all worldviews and cultures. Paul was able to do this in Athens when he stood among idols and immorality and say, “Well, it seems that you folks are quite religious.” And out of that renewed and transformed outlook, Paul was able to participate in God’s mission to Athens. Like Paul, we too can live out God’s will within the worldview wherever we are. So let’s not be conformed to the pattern of this age or any other age, but let’s be transformed by the renewing of our minds.

We are clay jars that carry the treasure of the gospel. We are shaped by the potter. In the weeks ahead we are going to consider the patterns that are imprinted upon our life together by God. We should not think of these patterns as specific qualities that must be present in exactly the same way in every congregation and always as it was in every age. Rather, these are distinct patterns – they are recognizable, but they vary.

For instance, take a look at this pattern.
What is it?

(Plaid)

(Also plaid)

(Again plaid)

In this image you see what?

(Clay jars)

You recognize them all as clay jars but they each look different. There is something basic about “jarness” that we recognize despite the variation. Conforming to a pattern is not the same thing as reproduction.
Applying this to our congregation we need to understand that our congregation will not look exactly like any other congregation, but there are basic characteristics that show how we are “transformed by God.” Not only will we not look like every other congregation, but over time this congregation will not always look the same – but that doesn’t mean we have deviated from God’s pattern. As the church we are always being renewed and transformed according to God’s will.

As long as we participate in God’s mission to the world, we are always a work in progress. We are being molded and shaped by the potter. Like every good artist, we recognize in God’s work certain patterns that identify us as his work. We will consider eight of these that have something to do with being faithful participants in God’s mission – in other words, these are patterns that show us to be missional. 1) Following God’s call; 2) being shaped by scripture; 3) contrasting against the culture as a different community; 4) living out God’s intent for the world; 5) worshipping God for the sake of the world; 6) Depending on God’s spirit; 7) pointing toward the kingdom; 8) shepherding leadership.

Yesterday, our shepherds gathered for a day of prayer and serious conversation. They didn’t do this to set out a grand agenda or make plans and set budgets. They did this to draw closer to God and one another. They believe, as we all should, that this congregation is not shaped by their personalities or agenda, but that it is shaped by God. They believe, as we all should, that God is active in our lives and our life together and we fills us with the treasure of the gospel. They believe, as we all should, that they need God every day. I am thankful that we have shepherds who humbly yet without apology turn to God and follow God’s call to serve others. I want to affirm that their lives are an example for all of us and we should not only lift them up, but we ought to follow their example and turn to the Lord, the potter, who shapes all of us and fills all of us with the gospel treasure.

Chris Benjamin

West-Ark Church of Christ, Fort Smith, AR
Morning Sermon, 12 February 2006

Treasure in Clay Jars Lesson One (alternative A) – Feb. 12, 2006 “Finding Our Way in the Story in Which We Find Ourselves” Outcome Objectives Group will examine a Christian worldview that endures through every shift and change in cultural worldviews. Group will identify ways in which the revelation of God provides disciples of Jesus with a biblical worldview that is based on seeing the world the way God sees it. Group will distinguish the difference between a modern worldview and a post-modern worldview. Group will identify how influence and power were vested in Christendom from the fourth century through the twentieth century. Group will examine the tendency of congregations to entrench in a world of modernity rather than courageously take the gospel to the prevailing culture. Opening Discussion[Note: Rather than go over all these in detail, be selective in what discussions are most interesting and beneficial in your group. The opening discussion should only last for about one-quarter of your time together.] Observe that one’s worldview includes the presuppositions, beliefs, and values that shape how one see reality and determines how one will think and act, yet Scripture endures through every shift and change in cultural worldviews. The apostle Paul addresses the importance of living in whatever worldview one finds oneself as disciples of Jesus, with a biblical worldview based on seeing the world as God sees it. Christians are to test every worldview according to Romans 12:1-2, and to base their worldview in Christ (“the renewing of your mind”). Discussion question – “Have you ever changed your mind? Give an example of a time you changed your mind about something and it influenced what you did thereafter.” 1 Corinthians 1:18-25 contrasts the wisdom of God with the wisdom on humanity. Verse 31 instructs Christians to boast only in the Lord. 2 Corinthians 5:16 declares a Christian worldview, “So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Through we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” Observe that scripture provides disciples of Jesus with a biblical worldview. Naturally Christians live in the world, but we are not to be of the world. How are disciples of Jesus to exist in the world, remain true to God, but not isolate themselves from living out the gospel in the culture in which they find themselves? Historians describe four major worldviews: 1) classic, 2) middle-ages, 3)modern and 4) postmodern, which have formed worldviews throughout the history of humankind in Western Civilization. To investigate how contemporary Christians will live out the mission of God in the culture in which we find ourselves, it is important to review the two most recent worldviews: modern and postmodern Define a modern worldview by giving examples such as [note that a modern worldview isn’t really so “modern!”]: The Enlightenment (18th century) ushered in a worldview of rational thought and reason. Education, knowledge, literacy, belief, progress and scientific reasoning replaced the irrationality, superstition, and tyranny of the middle ages. The Restoration Movement began in the early 19th century firmly rooted in rationality, reasoning, and right beliefs. Early on, the movement invited all people to “come and reason together.” Since reason and science were seen as the ultimate absolutes, leaders of the Restoration Movement (Campbell, Lipscomb) made a case for a rational and reasonable basis for gospel and religion. Churches of Christ that emerged from the Restoration Movement interacted successfully with the modern worldview in early America. They were successful on the American frontier, emphasized Bible study, biblical preaching, and scripture memorization. Rational thought, biblical literacy, and an emphasis of always going back to the Bible were the hallmarks of the movement. Compare this to the worldview of the “Founding Fathers” who worked to establish a reasonable and rational set of laws and constitutional government in America. Define a postmodern worldview by giving examples such as: In the later part of the 20th century, philosophers and social scientists began to describe a worldview turning toward globalization, consumerism, fragmentation of authority, deconstruction, and relativism. In the modern worldview science was seen as a means to a better future. After two world wars in the 20th century, science was seen as the potential means of destruction of the human race. Some have described this worldview change by stating that “the golden dome of rationality” collapsed. No single canopy emerged to replace rationalism. Postmodernism rejected any single absolute, such as reason. In a world of no absolutes, diversity, tolerance, and multiculturalism carry the day. In postmodernism, nothing can claim to be totally absolute, but neither can anything be proven to be totally invalid. All claims are considered. Additional information to distinguish the difference between a modern worldview and a post-modern worldview is available on the attached chart (Attachment 1) The important thing to remember is that King David enlisted the men of Issachar because they understood the times and knew what Israel should do.” (I Chronicles 12:32) As the biblical passage notes, Christians live to the glory of God, and are charged with living out the mission of God in the culture, in the dominate worldview in which they find themselves. Exploration Identify the genesis of Christendom and provide a historical overview of Christendom from the 4th century through the 20th century. Constantine the Great, Roman emperor in the 4th century, made Christianity the religion of the state, which before that time had suffered persecution. Instead of martyrdom and persecution, Christians were welcomed into the center of power and influence. Cathedrals, positioned near the city center, provided clergy with a strong voice in political affairs and in all aspects of society. The political kingdoms of the world were equated with the spiritual kingdom of God. This is the meaning of “Christendom.” So, the Roman Empire became known in time as the Holy Roman Empire. In time treaties drawn up in Europe established that the religion of a territory was determined by the religion of the ruler. For seventeen centuries (4th through the 20th), Christendom enjoyed authority and significance in Western thought. America, founded in the dawn of the Enlightenment, in the 17th century, emphasized freedom of religion. Clergy provided an influential voice in schools, government, and commerce. Currency proclaimed “In God We Trust.” As the worldview turned toward post-modernity in the late 20th century, Christendom’s voice weakened and society began to marginalize Christendom. Churches became one of many influences in society, no longer providing a sacred canopy over the state. Display the graphic found on Attachment 2, and invite the group to identify ways in which they observe Christendom being marginalized (pushed to the side) in the 21st century. Possible responses include banning prayer in schools, nativity scenes removed from Courthouse lawns, and the Ten Commandments removed from some public venues. How are these both a challenge and opportunity for the church? Response Congregations today may reflect characteristics of modernity more than post-modernity. For more than a quarter of a century, Churches of Christ have asked questions about our identity as a movement. This period may have served as a time of forging a new missional identity for our movement. The book of Exodus tells of the people of Israel serving as slaves in Egypt for hundreds of years, and when freed by God through Moses, spent forty years wondering in the wilderness. Could it be that God was forging a new “identity” for his chosen people? Did he allow them to travel for years in the desert to rid themselves of their identity as slaves and take on a new identity of free people in the promised land? Could God have used the time to cause the people of Israel to claim the Spirit of God in living daily as his chosen people? Could it be that the cultural turning from a modern to a post-modern worldview during the past thirty or so years has forged a new missional identity for God’s people? Is our current state as failure and loss, or is the Spirit of God inviting us to rediscover a missional heart in unimagined and unexpected places. Consider this statement by author Alan Roxburgh: “One fears that in North America, rather than hearing this call of the Spirit to embrace and listen to the voice of God in a place of strangeness, the churches are continuing to work hard at rediscovering modes of existence and symbols of power that will move them back to an imaginary center. A return to a remembered Christendom or the old detent with modernity is impossible.” Alan J. Roxburgh, The Missionary Congregation, Leadership, and Liminality, (Harrisburg, PA: Trinity Press International, 1997). Roxburgh challenges readers with the observation that, “The only meaningful way forward lies in understanding and embracing our new position in the culture, in society. We must live with confusion and humiliation, as a hopeful people ready to discover the new things the Spirit will birth. The continued assumption of cultural symbols of power and success will only produce an inauthentic church with little gospel, much religion, and no mission.” Respond to Roxburgh’s claims about the current status of congregations in a postmodern world by answering the following questions: Which of Roxburgh’s claims do you agree with? Which of his claims do you disagree with or challenge? In what ways is our congregation successfully taking the gospel to the post-modern culture? Where do you see the Spirit of God leading us in regards to taking the gospel to this culture? Attachment 1 Missional Church in Post-Modernity “Understanding the Times” I Chronicles 12:32 “… men of Issachar, who understood the times and knew what Israel should do.” (I Chronicles 12:32) “… you can tell the weather by looking at the sky, but you are unable to read the signs of the times!” (Matthew 13:6) Attachments compiled by David W. Wray, Abilene Christian University (2005)   Modern Postmodern Organizing Principle Rationality Relational Personhood Individuality Community Truth Propositional/Right Answers (Absolutes) Experiences/Story (Narrative) Faith Commitment to the truth of Scripture-nurture by church Abstract concept, shaped by one’s own reality and understanding Church A place where something happens (Provider of “goods and services”) “Build it and they will come” Living the reign of God as a community of disciples prayerfully joining together for missions, ministry and worship Missions Sending of missionaries to distant lands Missional lives being lived by all of us in our? families, marketplaces, in every context Family Husband (father), wife (mother), marriage, children Pluralistic lifestyles (same sex attraction, co-habitation, traditional family, etc.) Christian Education- “Bible School” Informational (literacy), formal classroom, curriculum, manuals (rationality primary) Relational, narrative, non-formal (small groups, retreats, children’s musicals, Bible Time? Marketplace) Spiritual Leadership Administrators, Managers, Trustees, Protectors Shepherds, Visionaries, Strategic, Missional, Authentic Lives, Christianity Christendom, Center of Power and Influence Post-Christian, Marginalized, Center moving to Africa, China Ministry Centered in congregation, led by staff over each division Every member a minister, living out practices of Jesus in all of life. Spiritual Formation Dependent on Sermons, Sunday School, home devotionals, Lectureships, and Christian society Events (feasts, celebrations, fasts as in O.T.), relationships, and journeying together Attachment 2