Sermon Tone Analysis

*Reaching In*

*/October 7, 2007/*

 

 

 

Before I get started, I need to ask – is anyone missing a wooden cross with Christmas lights all over it?

Yesterday morning, as I was walking out my door at 7:00 am, I was greeted by this sight: [Picture of cross]

 

Sorry it is so blurry, but that is how actually looked at 6:45 pm.

Here is what the sign said: [Close up on sign] This has to be one of the more unique ways of welcoming the new pastor.

But it’s way better than the traditional “TP-ing” welcome – unless that comes next week.

*Eager hope *

 

There is no way for me to express how *excited* I am to be here.

I am *overwhelmed* with excitement, *eagerness*, and *gratitude* to God.

The *excitement* springs from *hope*, an *anticipation* of what God has for us.

In the story of *Esther*, Esther is presented with a chance to save her people by risking her own life.

Her uncle encourages her to do the right thing by saying:

 

“Perhaps you came into this position for *such* a *time* as *this*.”

Knowing what this church has *gone* *through*, but also *believing* that God has plans for this church to do *great* *things* in Skagit Valley, I believe that God has also called *all* of *us* here for “*such* a *time* as *this*.”

As I talk to the *elders*, and to *several* of *you*, I know that we believe that together we are at the beginning of something good.

I believe that God allows various *churches* and *denominations* to exist because *no* *one* *group* can *adequately* *serve* His multi-faceted body.

*Emmanuel* Baptist reaches people *His* *Place* cannot, and *His* *Place* reaches people that *Christ* the *King* cannot.

·         And the Gathering reach people that no one else can.

On the wall of my new office is the Gathering’s *Mission* *Statement*:

 

To exist as an authentic Christian community that interprets, engages, and transforms our culture in Skagit Valley through a genuine expression of the gospel of Christ.

·         This is a mission statement that I can enthusiastically adopt.

Today, I want to talk about the *first* *part* of this mission statement: “To exist as an authentic Christian *community*,” because I believe that this is one of *TG greatest strength* and *one* of my *greatest* *passions* – living in *community*.

So *this* *week* and *next* we are going to talk about *living* in *community*.

After that, we will start a series on Romans that should take about three years.

Actually, it will on Philippians and will be considerably shorter than three years.

*BTW:* Since these next two message are *topical*, they will be *different* from the *majority* of my *sermons* as I’ll be *skipping* around in the *Bible* a bit, so don’t feel *obligated* to *keep* *up*, as the *Scriptures* will be on the *screen*.

*Lonely Americans *

 

When I was in college, I read a *study* that *struck* pretty *hard*.

It rated all the major nations in the world based on how “*individualistic*” and *self*-*reliant* its citizens were – *American* was *second* *only* to *Australia*.

That study was from many years ago, but I have no reason to believe it has changed much.

In fact, I would guess it has gotten worse.

*technology* has made it easier and easier to *interact* with people less and less.

Can you even remember life before *ATMs*, pay at the *pump*, “*U-scan*” lines, and online *everything*?

I have to confess, I love this stuff!

I can go to the *bank*, fill up my *car*, buy *groceries*, and order *clothes* without talking to a *single* *person*.

·         But I am a *people* person; *what* *gives*!?!

 

*Q:* What is that makes me prefer not having to talk to anyone?

*A:* It takes *time* and *energy* to interact with people.

·         After working a *long* *day*, expending every *ounce* of *energy*, the last thing I want is to make *small* *talk* with *slow* *cashiers*!

As a society, we live our lives *maxed* *out* and have nothing left for *others*.

As a result, Americans are increasingly *disconnected*.

As I said, we are one of the world’s most *isolated* and *individualistic* societies.

*Q:* We’ve gained a higher “*standard* of *living*”, but at what *cost*?

*isolation is bad for your health*

 

*Q: *Which of the following is most likely to *shorten* your *life*?

A.

Eating a poor *diet*

B.  Excessive *drinking*

C.  Using *tobacco*

D.  Being social *isolated*

 

*A:* Being socially isolated.

Research has found *isolated* people are 3x more likely to die than those with *strong* *relationships*.

People with *bad* *habits* but *good* *friends* live significantly longer than *friendless* health *nuts*.

·         Better to eat *Cheese covered french fries* with friends than *Brussels* *sprouts* alone.

And so what has our busyness cost us?

The research shows that isolation cost us our *physical*, *emotional*, and *psychological* wellbeing.

But thousands of years before any of this research, *God* said:

 

The LORD God said, “It is *not good* for the man to be alone.”

/Genesis 2:18 NIV /

 

This isn’t just talking about *marriage*.

God is discussing our *basic* *design* – we need each others.

It has been *hard* *wired* into us.

As a kid a read an excerpt from Admiral *Byrd’s* book “*Alone*” demonstrates.

I love the way Christian author John Ortberg put it:

 

“...God creates inside [of us] a kind of ‘*human-shaped void*’ that God himself *will* not fill.”

Just as there is a “*God*-shaped *hole*” in us, there is also a “*human*-shaped *hole*” in each of us.

God cannot meet all of our needs because He has *chosen* not to.

*lone rangers*

 

This is doubly true of our *spiritual* health.

Our walk with God *cannot* be *fully* lived out in *isolation*.

My alma mater, before it was a college, had been a “*drive*-*in* church.”

I can’t think of anything more *antithetical* to church – people in cars, *individually* singing and listening to a sermon.

The *Greek* word for “*church*” means people *gathered* together.

Which of course you know, because that is where TG got its name.

The point is:

 

·         It is impossible to “do church” by yourself.

God never intended for there to be “Lone Ranger” Christians.

For that matter, even the Lone Ranger had Tonto.

·         Again, I believe this is one the Gathering’s strengths.

*Attraction of crowd or community*

 

A couple of month ago, I had lunch with *Dave Browning* to hear his thoughts on church.

Dave is the founding pastor of *Christ* the *King* in Mount Vernon and, literally, around the world.

He gave me a simple *paradigm* that *impacted* me *greatly* and showed me why I was so *drawn* to the *Gathering*.

Basically, he said that churches can have one of *two attractions*.

The first is the “*Attraction* of *Crowd*.”

There is a lot going on; it’s big and there’s a lot of *excitement*.

And there is nothing wrong with that.

His Place holds the attraction of crowd and they are able to reach a lot of people that no one else can.

But there is also the “*Attraction* of *Community*”: A church that people come to because they want to be *part* of a *community*.

That is what *this* *church* is, and it is what *I want*.

I believe that people will come to this church because they want *more* than a *sermon* and *songs* – they want to be part of a *community*.

*Keeping a community *

 

But I believe that we are going to grow.

*Q:* So how do we keep the “attraction of community” as we grow?

We can create a *culture* of *community* that *transcends* *size*, because community isn’t *just* *about* size.

A church of *300* *hundred* can be a *family* and a church of *50* can be *isolated*.

There are *two* *sides* to keeping a culture of community.

The first side has to do with how we *reach* *in*, and embrace each other.

This will be the focus for the rest of this message.