The premise of this series is that as a Church we are "better together." But actually, we're only better to the degree we work at being better. One simple way we can be better together is by sharing a common vision. In Philippians 1:5 Paul describes the church as "partners in the gospel." We're partners in helping people find Jesus, partners in helping people follow Jesus (with all its implications), and we're partners in helping people flourish.
Finding Jesus is awesome, following Jesus is even more amazing. But it's that flourish part that's so critical. Our highest aspiration is flourishing, its disciplemaking! Jesus said, "Come, follow me, and I'll make you fishers of men."
It shouldn't take 87 believers one year to make one convert; every believer ought regularly help people find and follow Jesus. One disciple, when fully equipped, could easily lead 1-2 people to the Lord a year. Why not apply ourselves to that goal?
Here's the bottom line: We're not church "attenders." We're partners. Partners with Jesus in fishing for, and making fishers of, all people. We care about three things: (1) the quantity of fish in our net--numbers matter, you bet numbers matter, God loves the whole world, 100 million in USA alone don't know Christ. (2) We care about the quality of disciples, i.e. how well people are being formed in Christ. (3) We care about our capacity as a disciplemakers. If you're capable of leading one other person to Christ you should! If you're capable of leading 10s, 50s, 100s, 1000s... (and some of you are)... then get to it!
Don't let anyone tell you church should only be about quantity, or quality. Church is about quantity + quality + capacity. Our invitation to every member at Lakeside is come find, come follow, come flourish (in that order). This was Jesus' invitation to his disciples then, and it's his invitation to the church today. And yes, we are better together so long as this vision of Jesus consumes our focus.
I'm big on vision, vision matters, not every church has a clear vision. But still, vision isn't enough. The deeper we reach into a vision, the greater the resistance we encounter. Do we suppose for a minute that Satan is just going lay down while we go about God's work? Satan is constantly scheming. The only way vision advances is through endurance. And the only real mechanism we have for endurance is prayer. The essence of prayer is trusting God. Prayer is where we work out our trust issues with God and with people.
Last week the key idea was we are better together when we share a common vision. The key idea this week is we are better together as we pray for God's work to be completed in one another's lives. What's that look like? Let me share three ways we should pray...
First, PRAY FOR A CLEAR HEAD
We all need a kind of North Star to guide us in times of disillusionment. What is your North Star? What is our North Star as a church that makes us better together?
Consider for a moment, Paul's situation as he wrote the letter to the Philippians. Paul is in prison chains. His health is failing, and he's contemplating what it would mean if he were to die. He's been stripped of every material thing around him, except food and some clothing. Paul is fighting off feelings of sorrow and anxiety about this situation. Certain men, driven by their self-interests and personal ambitions, have taken to stirring up trouble for Paul. People in the church at Philippi are grumbling, and getting embroiled in conflicts, and "looking after their own interests, instead of the interests of others." Paul is being questioned, maligned, misunderstood. . .
Interesting enough, when you read the New Testament, Paul was misunderstood and opposed literally everywhere he preached. He should have been one of the most depressed men in all the Bible, but instead he was filled with joy.
In Philippians 1:3-6 Paul writes, "I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confidant of this that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."
Whether you can relate to Paul's specific circumstances isn't the point. The question is, what is the North Star and guides you and sustains you in all that happens to you? What brings you joy even as all hell is about to break loose? What brings you joy when you're at your lowest point... when people disappoint you, or even resist you?
For Paul, his joy was in his simple confidence that God would carry his work on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Obstacles might seem big to us, but they aren't big for God. No matter what happens, we can have confidence that God will continue working out his purpose in our life, in our church, even in our world.
Later in Philippians 2:13 assures the Philippians saying, "for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose." In Philippians 3:21 he declares God's power to bring "everything under his control"... and "to transform our lowly bodies so they will be like his glorious body."
Paul's North Star, his joy, was his confidence in what God does even in the midst of adversity. A lot of people think joy can be emotionally manufactured. But actually, joy is prayer-cultivated, it's thought-driven, truth-driven, gospel-driven. Joy is having confidence in God even as our confidence in men, or our circumstances, wanes. When you're going through discouraging, vision-impairing junk, pray for a CLEAR HEAD. Pray that you will see what God is doing more clearly.
Second, PRAY FOR A TENDER HEART
Let's just be honest. One of the hardest challenges we face, especially in times of adversity, is maintaining a tender heart toward people.
Few days ago I spoke to a woman named Helen, who's homeless. Helen lamented all the injustices she's experienced in life. She lost her health because of an accident and a reckless driver. Her husband abandoned her and her daughter, and the bum still owes her 90k in back support. She lost her apartment because of a landlord, and the utility company. She can't trust her sister, because she and her husband took advantage of her. People have tried to kidnap her daughter. She was kicked out of the shelter after someone accused her daughter of stealing. She doesn't trust the Catholic Church and insisted prayer is a total waste of time.
I asked her why she didn't feel God was answering her prayers. I mentioned that in my experience, when God didn't seem to answer prayers, it was because he was trying to show me something I wasn't seeing. She asked, "What do you mean?"
So I explained, "in your distress, you've reached out in desperation to the only remaining people in Springfield you believe might be willing to help you...the church! I know I'm a pastor and you expect me to saying things like this... but suppose God is already answering your prayers? Suppose we're not talking by accident? Could it be that God wants to surround you with a loving family, instead of letting you walk the streets alone? Suppose not everyone is as bad as you suppose? Maybe there is a church near you? Suppose you went and met the pastor? Suppose you humbled yourself, and opened yourself up, and trusted God's people to help you? Suppose God wants you to learn how to trust again?"
I think the Apostle Paul could have found a lot of reasons to close his heart toward people, but he didn't. Not only does he thank God, and pray for "all" the Philippians... he longs for "all" of them with the "affection of Christ Jesus." He didn't write off any of them.
In Philippians 1:7-8 he says, "It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart and, whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God's grace with me. God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus."
Helen bristled at the thought of trusting people again. But I told Helen that in order to live, she needed to cultivate a healthy heart. A healthy heart beats with a healthy rhythm, it both opens and closes, it must give as much as it receives. What's true of our heart, is true in relationships. We must learn to both give and receive. For us to live, as much grace needs to flow into our heart as has to flow out of our heart. If you close off your heart, you get a heart attack. If you just leave put your heart open, you can bleed out. There has to be a healthy rhythm!
Paul reminds the Philippians, "all of you share in God's grace with me." In communion, we all drink from the same cup. We all partake of the same loaf. To share in grace means we must accept God's grace as well as extend God's grace. We must extend grace just as a freely as we presume to demand grace. I don't get to hoard grace for myself. I don't get to pretend I need grace any more or less than the next guy. Grace has to be shared whether a person is friend or foe, ally or enemy.
The only way to share in grace is with humility. We have to share the same grace with others that we demand for ourselves. These are the terms of the gospel set by Christ Jesus himself. Grace is to be shared; never hoarded. Shared grace, shared bread, shared cup... that is the only way.
When you're disillusioned, especially with people, pray for a CLEAR HEAD... pray for TENDER, healthy, grace-giving, grace-receiving HEART.
Third, PRAY FOR SKILLFULL HANDS
Something equally hard as maintaining North Star, and maintaining a healthy beating heart, is responding redemptivly to people and circumstances around us. Sometimes our head it right, and our heart is right, but we just don't what to do with our hands. Love is a great sentiment. Love God, Love people, Love does. But its practical application will drive you mad. How should I love given my situation or circumstance?
Philippians 1:9-11, "And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insights, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ--to the glory and praise of God."
We need more knowledge, yes! But we also need more depth of insight. Just because we're willing to race unto the scene with our red superman cape doesn't mean we have the depth of insight to offer what's truly needed. Sometimes my helping is hurting. Sometimes my feel-good acts of love are short-sighted, or disabling. Paul prays for an ability to discern what is best, when all things are considered. He prays that his actions will be pure and blameless, and bring honor to Christ. He prays that whatever actions he takes... his life would be filled with the fruit of the righteousness and result in the praise of God.
Our prayer life out to be centered around clear head, tender heart, and skillful hands. This partnership doesn't work unless we actively pray to manifest these things. And we need to be praying these things for believers all around world, not just ourselves.
Last week, some of our Sunday school classes were watching a "Voice of the Martyrs" video about a Syrian family being persecuted for their faith. Churches around the world have set aside this Sunday and next to pray for persecuted Christians.
In the video a mother is praying about the violence, and God shows her that following him may very well cost her life. So she prays even more earnestly, and God shows her that following him may very well cost husband's life too. So a third day she prays, and God shows her that it may cost her children their lives.
You might feel you are facing extreme circumstances. But ask yourself, what would it look like to pray in the most extreme set of circumstances? Not in so many words, but the woman prays to have a CLEAR HEAD though violence surrounds her. She prays to have a TENDER HEART toward the Islamic people, some of whom want to kill her family. She prays for SKILLFUL HANDS, to live a life that glorifies God and shows people in practical ways the love of Jesus. . .
For us to be BETTER TOGETHER...
We have to work at it... we have to labor in prayer for a CLEAR HEAD, TENDER HEART, and SKILLFUL HANDS. Which do you most need?