Second City Church - God Disciplines Those He Loves - Pastor Cole Parleir 2019
Chicago Fire - Jesus and a Church Fully Aware of His Love
The gospel that drew men to repentance and faith in Christ was potent in the early church because it demonstrated the love of God in both word and deed. It is to be the same today.
Acts 14:8-18
Now at Lystra there was a man sitting who could not use his feet. He was crippled from birth and had never walked. He listened to Paul speaking. And Paul, looking intently at him and seeing that he had faith to be made well, said in a loud voice, “Stand upright on your feet.” And he sprang up and began walking. And when the crowds saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in Lycaonian, “The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!” Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker. And the priest of Zeus, whose temple was at the entrance to the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates and wanted to offer sacrifice with the crowds. But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their garments and rushed out into the crowd, crying out, “Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men, of like nature with you, and we bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them. In past generations he allowed all the nations to walk in their own ways. Yet he did not leave himself without witness, for he did good by giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness.” Even with these words they scarcely restrained the people from offering sacrifice to them.
God's Love Affirms
God begins all things by affirming His love for us.
“It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.”
- Frederick Douglass
Psalm 145:8-9
The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. The Lord is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made.
Jeremiah 9:23-24
Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.”
God's Love Comforts
Through life's afflictions, we are often torn down only to be driven into the loving arms of God for comfort.
Isaiah 49:13-16
Shout for joy, you heavens; rejoice, you earth; burst into song, you mountains! For the Lord comforts his people and will have compassion on his afflicted ones. But Zion said, “The Lord has forsaken me, the Lord has forgotten me.” “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me.
“The great thing, if one can, is to stop regarding all the unpleasant things as interruptions of one's 'own,' or 'real' life. The truth is of course that what one calls the interruptions are precisely one's real life -- the life God is sending one day by day.”
- C.S. Lewis, The Collected Works of C.S. Lewis
Isaiah 66:13-14
As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you; and you will be comforted over Jerusalem.” When you see this, your heart will rejoice and you will flourish like grass; the hand of the Lord will be made known to his servants, but his fury will be shown to his foes.
People need encouragement, not just another word of what's wrong in their world or what they're doing wrong, but how Jesus came to make all things right.
Matthew 5:43-48
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
God's Love Heals
In Jesus and the cross, God's love is perfectly demonstrated as He is both the healer and redeemer of broken lives.
Romans 2:4
Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?
When you are wooing someone, you begin with what you like about someone, not dislike. Blessings always precede curses in the covenant. God shows us who He is and His goodness prior to the consequences of our rebellion, even when we are in it.
Romans 5:6-11
For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
Second City Church: Chicago Fire Sermon Series 2017
Body Talk: Part 4
Our Place Within the City
There are at least three things to which God responds positively:
Love, faith, and obedience. All of these will be required as you are making your way through the daily grind to the destiny that God has for you. This is what the men and women of Scripture had to learn. As we reflect today on the church's place within the city, we will be reminded of the security Christ provides for you, what creates stability within a city and Christ's sanctions for the church within it.
Your Security
LOVE
1 Corinthians 12:7
To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.
Working for the benefit of a church, company, and city in which you find yourself is a gospel imperative.
1 Corinthians 13:1-3
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.
You are working for the prosperity of the city to the degree that it honors the Lord.
Is it possible to have a love motivation in your work when profit is a goal or your academics when advancement is the key?
Everyone wants to advance in life. However, the question is:
Do you ultimately depend on God's favor or your own political maneuvering for promotion?
1 Timothy 5:24-25
The sins of some people are conspicuous, going before them to judgment, but the sins of others appear later. So also good works are conspicuous, and even those that are not cannot remain hidden.
Do you live this way in your church? In the workplace?
1 Chronicles 29:10-19
Therefore David blessed the Lord in the presence of all the assembly. And David said: “Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of Israel our father, forever and ever.Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all. Both riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all. In your hand are power and might, and in your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all. And now we thank you, our God, and praise your glorious name. “But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able thus to offer willingly? For all things come from you, and of your own have we given you. For we are strangers before you and sojourners, as all our fathers were. Our days on the earth are like a shadow, and there is no abiding. O Lord our God, all this abundance that we have provided for building you a house for your holy name comes from your hand and is all your own. I know, my God, that you test the heart and have pleasure in uprightness. In the uprightness of my heart I have freely offered all these things, and now I have seen your people, who are present here, offering freely and joyously to you. O Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, our fathers, keep forever such purposes and thoughts in the hearts of your people, and direct their hearts toward you. Grant to Solomon my son a whole heart that he may keep your commandments, your testimonies, and your statutes, performing all, and that he may build the palace for which I have made provision.”
Sometimes the lack of promotion that you are experiencing is God's hand trying to give you time. He is lovingly trying to protect you and others from putting you in a place that will cause damage to yourself, your family and others.
1 Timothy 3:8-13
Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain. They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. And let them also be tested first; then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless. Their wives likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things. Let deacons each be the husband of one wife, managing their children and their own households well. For those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.
Psalm 75:1-10
We give thanks to you, O God; we give thanks, for your name is near. We recount your wondrous deeds. “At the set time that I appoint I will judge with equity. When the earth totters, and all its inhabitants, it is I who keep steady its pillars. Selah I say to the boastful, ‘Do not boast,’ and to the wicked, ‘Do not lift up your horn; do not lift up your horn on high, or speak with haughty neck.’” For not from the east or from the west and not from the wilderness comes lifting up, but it is God who executes judgment, putting down one and lifting up another. For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup with foaming wine, well mixed, and he pours out from it, and all the wicked of the earth shall drain it down to the dregs. But I will declare it forever; I will sing praises to the God of Jacob. All the horns of the wicked I will cut off, but the horns of the righteous shall be lifted up.
Matthew 23:1-12
Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat, so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practice. They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger. They do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long, and they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces and being called rabbi by others. But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brothers. And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. Neither be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Christ. The greatest among you shall be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
"The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away."
- Attributed to Pablo Picasso
A City's Stability
FAITH
The book of Revelation speaks of Christ's final product, the new city, the Heavenly Jerusalem coming down from Heaven to be the future home of righteousness, worship and God's people, the saints. In the meantime, until Christ's restoration of all things, we are to bless the cities in which we live.
Proverbs 11:9-12
With his mouth the godless man would destroy his neighbor, but by knowledge the righteous are delivered. When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices, and when the wicked perish there are shouts of gladness. By the blessing of the upright a city is exalted, but by the mouth of the wicked it is overthrown. Whoever belittles his neighbor lacks sense, but a man of understanding remains silent.
God appoints men and women of His Kingdom who will see with the eye of faith to bless and build cities to His glory rather than bemoan them.
A Nation should not be judged by how it treats its highest citizens, but it's lowest ones
- Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom
The true measure of any society can be found in how it treats its most vulnerable members
- Mahatma Gandhi
Christ's Sanction
OBEDIENCE
What we are primarily discussing and attempting to shape through the Scripture is not simply behavior or beliefs, but a worldview through which you invite God to direct your story as you interact with the world in your everyday experiences. We know how He does this since e is the God who does not change (Malachi 3:6) and has given us examples of this through his interactions with men, women and societies of the past. A Biblical worldview touches your values, your ambitions, your moral interpretations and your entire life trajectory.
A sanction can mean one of two things:
- a threatened penalty for disobeying a law or rule.
- official permission or approval for an action.
In the gospel narrative, we see both in operation, the fall and the curse, salvation through Christ's cross and redemption through a return to obedience.
Jeremiah 29:1-14
These are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem to the surviving elders of the exiles, and to the priests, the prophets, and all the people, whom Nebuchadnezzar had taken into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon. This was after King Jeconiah and the queen mother, the eunuchs, the officials of Judah and Jerusalem, the craftsmen, and the metal workers had departed from Jerusalem. The letter was sent by the hand of Elasah the son of Shaphan and Gemariah the son of Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. It said: “Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce. Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare. For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Do not let your prophets and your diviners who are among you deceive you, and do not listen to the dreams that they dream, for it is a lie that they are prophesying to you in my name; I did not send them, declares the Lord. “For thus says the Lord: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.
Second City Church: Body Talk Sermon Series 2016
The Church Awakens - Part Seven: What is Love?
What is Love?
Life is ultimately about relationships - relationship with God and other people. This is why the two greatest commands that summarize all the rest focuses on this truth. Today we will look at what two men who were once very far from God discovered about love and how we can walk in true love in the light of Christ today.
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WHAT LOVE IS AND IS NOT
Love is a choice, not merely a feeling
1 Corinthians 13:1-10 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away.
“In friendship...we think we have chosen our peers. In reality a few years' difference in the dates of our births, a few more miles between certain houses, the choice of one university instead of another...the accident of a topic being raised or not raised at a first meeting--any of these chances might have kept us apart. But, for a Christian, there are, strictly speaking no chances. A secret master of ceremonies has been at work. Christ, who said to the disciples, "Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you," can truly say to every group of Christian friends, "Ye have not chosen one another but I have chosen you for one another." The friendship is not a reward for our discriminating and good taste in finding one another out. It is the instrument by which God reveals to each of us the beauties of others.” ― C.S. Lewis, The Four Loves
Don't fall prey to loneliness in the city. Embrace your church as the family of God with all of its practical benefits. Love the ones you're with and make an effort to connect this week with someone with whom you might begin the adventure of God.
LOVE IN LIFE'S STAGES
Love looks to give rather than simply to receive
1 Corinthians 13:11-13 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
How often should I be the one giving without reciprocation?
As often as you are able.
Matthew 18:21-22 Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times. Parable of the unmerciful servant
“Need-love cries to God from our poverty; Gift-love longs to serve, or even to suffer for, God; Appreciative love says: “We give thanks to thee for thy great glory.” Need-love says of a woman “I cannot live without her”; Gift-love longs to give her happiness, comfort, protection – if possible, wealth; Appreciative love gazes and holds its breath and is silent, rejoices that such a wonder should exist even if not for him, will not be wholly dejected by losing her, would rather have it so than never to have seen her at all.” ― C.S. Lewis, The Four Loves
Find one way to show appreciative love to the one with whom you've chosen to connect.
THE LOVE OF CHRIST
Love is demonstrated not relegated to a mere sentiment
“To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact you must give it to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements. Lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket, safe, dark, motionless, airless, it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. To love is to be vulnerable.” ― C.S. Lewis, The Four Loves
Romans 5:6-10 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.
Find one way today to show extravagant love to someone who would have otherwise seemed unlovable as an expression and possibly an introduction to the gospel of Christ.
Second City Church- The Church Awakens Sermon Series 2016
Guest Speaker - Peter Ahlin
From Division to Diversity: How Christ's Church Demonstrates Love and Advances the Gospel
I was all set to preach a different message up until two weeks ago. But as I was reading an article in the Wall Street Journal about recent events in the city of Chicago, particularly centered around the shooting of Laquan McDonald, this message dropped into my spirit. Because you see, there are families mourning the loss of sons, brothers, parents, or friends. There are citizens living in fear right now, whether in specific neighborhoods or on the police force. When we perceive injustice, it’s natural to respond with anger, frustration, fear, sorrow, offense, confusion, and even hopelessness. In the midst of all this raw emotion, how do we find the grounds to respond as Christ would have us do?
On the flight here, I was reading a book written by New Orleans Saints receiver Benjamin Watson, entitled Under Our Skin: Getting Real About Race—And Getting Free from the Fears and Frustrations that Divide Us. The introduction was taken from his Facebook post upon learning of the jury’s decision in Ferguson, and I think it’s so valuable that I’d like to read it verbatim:
At some point while I was playing or preparing to play Monday Night Football, the news broke about the Ferguson Decision. After trying to figure out how I felt, I decided to write it down. Here are my thoughts:
I'M ANGRY because the stories of injustice that have been passed down for generations seem to be continuing before our very eyes.
I'M FRUSTRATED, because pop culture, music and movies glorify these types of police citizen altercations and promote an invincible attitude that continues to get young men killed in real life, away from safety movie sets and music studios.
I'M FEARFUL because in the back of my mind I know that although I'm a law abiding citizen I could still be looked upon as a "threat" to those who don't know me. So I will continue to have to go the extra mile to earn the benefit of the doubt.
I'M EMBARRASSED because the looting, violent protests, and law breaking only confirm, and in the minds of many, validate, the stereotypes and thus the inferior treatment.
I'M SAD, because another young life was lost from his family, the racial divide has widened, a community is in shambles, accusations, insensitivity hurt and hatred are boiling over, and we may never know the truth about what happened that day.
I'M SYMPATHETIC, because I wasn't there so I don't know exactly what happened. Maybe Darren Wilson acted within his rights and duty as an officer of the law and killed Michael Brown in self defense like any of us would in the circumstance. Now he has to fear the backlash against himself and his loved ones when he was only doing his job. What a horrible thing to endure. OR maybe he provoked Michael and ignited the series of events that led to him eventually murdering the young man to prove a point.
I'M OFFENDED, because of the insulting comments I've seen that are not only insensitive but dismissive to the painful experiences of others.
I'M CONFUSED, because I don't know why it's so hard to obey a policeman. You will not win!!! And I don't know why some policeman abuse their power. Power is a responsibility, not a weapon to brandish and lord over the populace.
I'M INTROSPECTIVE, because sometimes I want to take "our" side without looking at the facts in situations like these. Sometimes I feel like it's us against them. Sometimes I'm just as prejudiced as people I point fingers at. And that's not right. How can I look at white skin and make assumptions but not want assumptions made about me? That's not right.
I'M HOPELESS, because I've lived long enough to expect things like this to continue to happen. I'm not surprised and at some point my little children are going to inherit the weight of being a minority and all that it entails.
I'M HOPEFUL, because I know that while we still have race issues in America, we enjoy a much different normal than those of our parents and grandparents. I see it in my personal relationships with teammates, friends and mentors. And it's a beautiful thing.
I'M ENCOURAGED, because ultimately the problem is not a SKIN problem, it is a SIN problem. SIN is the reason we rebel against authority. SIN is the reason we abuse our authority. SIN is the reason we are racist, prejudiced and lie to cover for our own. SIN is the reason we riot, loot and burn. BUT I'M ENCOURAGED because God has provided a solution for sin through the his son Jesus and with it, a transformed heart and mind. One that's capable of looking past the outward and seeing what's truly important in every human being. The cure for the Michael Brown, Trayvon Martin, Tamir Rice and Eric Garner tragedies is not education or exposure. It's the Gospel. So, finally, I'M ENCOURAGED because the Gospel gives mankind hope.
As Benjamin Watson shared with eloquence, transparency, and grace, the Gospel is the only hope! The root cause of violence, injustice, mistrust, and fear is SIN, and the good news of Jesus Christ the only hope. So how do we very practically experience that hope and put it to work in our lives?
I want to break this message into four simple parts:
(a) The Reality
(b) The Response
(c) The Revival
(d) The Revelation
We are going to be mostly in the book of Acts, to see a specific example of a cry of injustice, a response, and what happened following that response.
First, what is the present REALITY? Though laws and cultural mores change from country to country and century to century, the same reality persists, because there is nothing new under the sun. What did Solomon say in Ecclesiastes?
Moreover I saw under the sun: In the place of judgment, wickedness was there; And in the place of righteousness, iniquity was there. (Ecclesiastes 3:16) (In the very places where a lawful response should have been made. In the very place where officers should have sought to protect. And so on. In the very place where there should have been righteousness, there was wickedness.)
Let’s look at our main passage, Acts 6:1:
1 Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists, because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution.
Satan comes to bring ethnic division; the church is called to celebrate ethnic diversity. Not just peaceful coexistence. How does it happen? The apostles have received gifts for distribution to those in need, but the Grecian Jews (i.e. those not native-born) perceived that they were neglected in the daily distribution. This created disunity and murmuring among the believers – there had been this beautiful unity of meeting together in each other’s homes, breaking bread together, sharing everything they had – and now division and dissension was striking near the very core of what made apostolic Christianity so vibrant. The health of the Christian church was at stake in what happened next.
2 Then the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, “It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables. 3 Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business; 4 but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” 5 And the saying pleased the whole multitude. And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch, 6 whom they set before the apostles; and when they had prayed, they laid hands on them.
So what was the apostles’ RESPONSE? Like good leaders should, they responded with proactivity and wisdom. They did not
(a) ignore the problem (aaawww, it’s fine, it will work itself out)
(b) act as though the church had no role (this is really a welfare issue, kinda political, and we’re a church. We had best stay out of it.)
(c) not prioritizing one extreme at the exclusion of the other (James 1:27); word of God and serving the poor (Galatians 2:10). Ah we just do theology here. We just evangelize here. We’re not really into social issues. OR we don’t really evangelize, we just feed people and trust that they’ll figure out how to be saved by a revelation.
They empowered a team (this is God's way: to have His children share the weight of ministry and steward/develop their gifts). REMEMBER Jesus said ask the Lord of the harvest, and in the very next verse, they were sent! Of
(A) diverse individuals (Nicolas a convert to Judaism from Antioch). It wouldn’t just be one homogenous group serving the diverse population they needed to reach with food. They also didn’t decide to have two groups, kinda separate but equal, to serve the Palestinian Jews and the Grecian Jews. Instead, it would be a diverse team, mutually benefiting each other with their gifts.
(B) capable of loving each other in their diversity (under persecution, Philip went straight to Samaria (Jews don't associate with Samaritans) and witnessed to an Ethiopian eunuch). ROLLAN AND I – he is exuberant, energetic, bold evangelist, light-up-the-room extrovert, with a Jamaican flair. I am an introverted, Swedish bookworm. That could either drive us crazy, or that could give us cause to celebrate and praise God for those differences that complement each other and fill out the beautiful fulsome picture of God’s infinitely amazing character.
(C) humble enough to serve in obscurity though amazingly and dramatically gifted. Stephen, we know you're full of faith and the Holy Spirit. People trust you ... So we want you to wait tables very Tuesday.
Stephen could have taken offense. I am so gifted and important, and they want me to take food to widows? No one sees my gift! No one values me! I know where I can find prominence -- with the Pharisees. I'm out of here.
Stephen could have bided his time and done a half-hearted job. I'll just wait til I am discovered. No one sees anyway. Instead, Stephen said: I am honored to serve. Thank God I have faithful leaders who want to empower me, not hoard responsibility for themselves. Thank God I have a commission to serve the poor, rectify ethnic injustice, and a good reason to be out preaching as I serve.
(D) good reputation (unimpeachable character -- they will rectify the problem and replace dissension with dynamism. Have you ever noticed, even when you are working for God with all your heart, accusations against your motives can still come? Maybe especially when you are working for God with all your heart. What’s needed are men and women, like Daniel, about whom it is said – “We can’t find anything on him, unless it’s something about his God.”)
(E) full of the Spirit (as they serve, they will preach the gospel. They’ll say, this is great! Now we can reach the Greek-speaking world, because I’m gonna witness to everyone who gets my food delivery.)
(F) full of wisdom (welcoming diverse perspectives while promoting the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Naturally there will be different ideas about how to do things, and it takes tremendous wisdom to listen to those viewpoints respectfully and reach a just, equitable conclusion.)
(G) able to take responsibility because they have been charged by the church leadership to make a difference. Laying hands confers commission, approval, blessing, and anointing.
Wow. What can happen with a team this great? Wisdom of diverse perspectives, filled with the Spirit, great reputations, connecting with the population they are going out to serve, devoted to rectifying injustice and bringing equity and fairness! Now that’s a team!
What happened when they got to work?
The REVIVAL
7 Then the word of God spread, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith. (Acts 6:1-7)
(1) the Word of God spread and the disciples multiplied greatly!
(A) the apostles could focus on prayer and preaching the Word
(B) Stephen and others shared the Word as they served
(C) real and unhypocritical faith was on display. Ethnic unity was preserved as the church acted justly. Feeding the poor was done justly, not corruptly.
(2) priests became obedient to the faith!
(A) they had resisted the preaching of Jesus and worked to see Him killed
(B) they had initially opposed the apostles and had them persecuted
(C) they had everything to lose from a system that elevated common believers. They wouldn't have special seats in the synagogue anymore! They wouldn’t have a temple that corruptly extracted excess money from those who came to sacrifice. They were the last people you might have predicted would become obedient to the faith. So why turn to Christ now? They repented at the sight of the preaching of the gospel via an empowered church, ethnically diverse yet unified. They had seen the form of religion but denied its power their whole lives, but now – after they didn’t turn at the preaching of the greatest teacher who ever lived, his resurrection which they denied, the miracles in the early church – they repented because they saw authentic love in diversity.
Want to see those “hard cases” come to faith, those family members or friends who act like they would never believe? They will believe, when they see God’s church modeling just, authentic love in a diverse population. Watch the people you have prayed over for years and even decades repent when they see this. The world does not have it! The world’s choices seem to be either unrepentant anger, pointing fingers, closing doors, and huddling up with people exactly like me. They will know that you are Christians when they see this love, against all expectation, against the societal trend, in the face of every painful reality we are seeing in this great city.
Finally, the REVELATION. Even the apostles who had witnessed this experience needed a fresh revelation of God’s ultimate plan. I want to share three moments with you, when the apostles of God caught a vision for God’s design for the nations of the world, and the revelation transformed them forever.
34 PETER: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism 35 but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right. (Acts 10:34-35)
24 PAUL: The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. 25 And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. 26 From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. 27 God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. (Acts 17:24-27)
9 JOHN: After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” (Revelation 7:9-10)
When you catch that revelation, when it is written on your heart with the indelible ink of God’s Spirit, it will never leave you.
I want to close by reminding you of a comment from the Isaiah 60 message preached in September of 2013, about four key attributes that would mark this church. A penetrating light in deep darkness. A refuge of tranquility in a sea of turmoil. From a small beginning, a mighty army to reach thousands here and worldwide. And finally, love in diversity: a beautiful picture of God’s kingdom diversity from many nations will be joined together in your church family, and those who come will be able to build and minister with great efficacy. (Isaiah 60:5-10a)
You see, the Bible does not teach that nations and cultures are homogeneous, nor that their differences are irreconcilable ones. The biblical picture Isaiah shares is that even in the perfected future, national and ethnic distinctions persist. Tim Keller points out here that every culture brings something different, something for which it is known, and that each culture has strengths and contributions to the flourishing of mankind that cannot be replaced. This is a restoration of the beautiful diversity that existed within the twelve tribes of Israel. Further, these cultural distinctions will persist for all of eternity – John looked into heaven and saw a countless multitude of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. And so with this promise to the church comes a commission for every member in it – to demonstrate love in diversity, to model a community of believers from every nation about whom it may be said – see how they love each other! Jesus went through Samaria when his Jewish contemporaries who hated Samaritans walked miles out of the way to avoid it. Now that He has ascended to heaven, He has called each of us to show his love in diversity. Jesus is the one who reconciled divided foes both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity between them, and if you’ll allow Him, He’ll fill you with His love as your church fills up with a beautiful diversity of cultures, languages, and nations.
Let me summarize. The only hope to bring authentic, loving diversity to our city and world is the gospel of Jesus Christ lived out by the church of Jesus Christ. There is no plan B, no other alternative. There’s injustice at work in places where there ought to be justice. The goal is not just peaceful coexistence or separate but equal – remember how Martin Luther King said “I have a dream that one day the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit together at the table of brotherhood.” Not peacefully coexist, but sit at the table together as brother and sisters. We cannot ignore the problem, or opt out because that’s “not our focus.” Instead, we must empower God’s diverse, loving, humble, wise, Spirit-filled, wisdom-oriented, anointed, unimpeachable team to sit at the table of brotherhood and sisterhood to rectify injustice. When we do, we will see the Word of God spread, those people who have rejected the gospel for years or decades turn to Jesus, as we embrace His revelation. Jesus has made the two one! Jesus reconciled enemies to Him through the cross, and we will see the full beauty of his variegated creativity in the church that is built.
Second City Church- Guest Speakers Series 2015