What About Church Brings Me Joy & What Breaks My Heart?

Watch the Lamb
            East Cobb United Methodist Church in Marietta, GA was the first church my wife and I joined as adults.  We were newly married and looking for a church home while attending college.  We attended ECUMC and the choir performed a song for Easter called, "Watch the Lamb".  (You can watch a powerful rendition of the title song, "Watch the Lamb here.) 
            "Watch the Lamb" tells the story of a Jewish man taking his children and a sacrificial lamb to Jerusalem for the annual Passover sacrifice.  He instructs the children to watch the lamb so that it doesn't run away.  The family arrives in the city just as Jesus, the Lamb of God, is being led away to be crucified.  The father is pressed into service by Roman soldiers to carry Jesus' cross (because Jesus is to weakened by the beating they gave him).  Simon of Cyrene (the father and the man Matthew 27:32 names as the man who carried Jesus' cross) is changed forever when he witnesses Jesus, the Lamb of God's, crucifixion.  He ends the song by telling his children again to watch the Lamb, but now meaning the true Lamb, the true sacrifice, Jesus.
            The song touched me deeply as a young adult seeking to follow Christ and we joined East Cobb UMC shortly after Easter.  I'm thankful for East Cobb and how they were a home and a beacon of light for Kelly and I in that critical stage of life.  Ever since, I have tried to watch the Lamb and follow him wherever He leads.
            Jesus died on the cross and rose on the third day.  Before he ascended to heaven, Jesus gave his disciples an important mission to go into all the world to make disciples of Jesus Christ (Matthew 28:19).  Then, he gave them the Holy Spirit to empower them to succeed.  And even though those early Christians met stiff opposition, they began to multiply.  The book of Acts tells their story.  Here is a snap shot of that early church. 

Acts 4:32-35
³² All the believers were united in heart and mind. And they felt that what they owned was not their own, so they shared everything they had. ³³ The apostles testified powerfully to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and God’s great blessing was upon them all. ³⁴ There were no needy people among them, because those who owned land or houses would sell them ³⁵ and bring the money to the apostles to give to those in need.

The Church Was Not and Is Not Perfect

            Acts 4:32-35 is an example of the New Testament Church at its best.  Some people are tempted to think the early church was perfect and look back through the lens of nostalgia and think if we could just go back and be like them it would solve all out problems.  This is a naïve point of view.  The New Testament Church was far from perfect.  Yes, they were growing exponentially despite persecution.  However, the church was made up of imperfect people and therefore imperfect itself.  There were politics, lies, and deceit.  They often disagreed about doctrinal issues.  They were still figuring out what Jesus meant by all his teachings and how their faith was to be lived out authentically.  One of the Church's most important leaders, Peter, had to be called on the carpet by Paul because Peter was more worried about what some people might think of him than actually doing the right thing (see Galatians 2:11-14).  So the Church never has been and still is not perfect, even though it was established by the perfect Lamb of God. 

A Thought Provoking Question

            One of my church members, DJ Seifert, is enrolled in a course called Leadership UMC.  He is one of only three people from my district chosen to attend this course for people noted for their passion for Jesus and potential to serve as leaders in the Church.  A few weeks ago, they invited the participant's pastors to attend a weekend retreat with the participants.  They asked a question that really got me thinking.  They asked: “What about the Church today brings you joy and what breaks your heart?”   That’s what I want to share with you today.  However, before I can answer that question, we need to consider what the church is.
            When we use the word church, we often mean a place or a building we go to attend religious services.  But that is not the true sense of the word church.  The Church (with a capital C) is the Body of Christ on Earth.  1 Corinthians 12:27 says, “All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it.”  Jesus is not dead.  He is alive and he ascended to heaven.  But he has not abandoned this world.  His ministry here continues through the believers of his Church.  We are his physical presence here on earth to the world, His body. 
            The Church is Jesus’ chosen instrument to carry on his mission to make disciples.  Jesus did not make an alternate plan.  This is it--the Church.  So, like it or not, the Church (with all it's imperfections) is Jesus' plan to change the world.
            Some say the Church in America is dying.  I don't believe it.  It is true that attendance is declining at church services across North America.  However, the Church will never die.  The Church will always be here until the day Jesus returns in the clouds as promised (Acts 1:11).  Church buildings may close, church services may discontinue (at least as we have known them in our lifetime), but the Church (with a capital C) will never die.  Wherever there are people who truly believe in Jesus Christ and seek to follow Him, they will gather together for prayer, study, fellowship, and shared service (as described in Acts 4:32-35).  And wherever this happens, there is the Church.

What About the Church Brings Me Joy?
            There are many things I enjoy about church.  Sunday worship is my favorite time of the week.  I love feeling the Spirit of God move as we sing the songs of our faith.  However, the thing that brings me the most joy in the Church is seeing people’s lives changed for the better. 
            God changed my life forever for the better.  As a child, my life was not on a good trajectory.  If I had continued on the path I was headed, I would have ended up in a very dark place.  Many of the friends who walked that path with me ended up in that dark place.  Some are not even alive anymore.  But, praise God, Jesus saved me and set my feet on a new path.  As I've followed Him, I have found meaning, peace, and joy.
            And since I am so thankful that Jesus graciously took a  retch like me and turned his life around, I love seeing Him do the same for others.  Sometimes it happens in very dramatic ways--like the prodigal son in Jesus' parable in Luke15:11-32.  More often than not, it happens in more subtle ways.  Sometimes the hardest cases are not those who have made an obvious mess of their lives.  The most challenging turn arounds are for those who think they are already good people who have it all together and do the right thing.  They are more like the self-righteous, unmerciful "good" son in the prodigal story and the Pharisees and religious leaders who crucified Jesus.  But I have had the joy of seeing even some of these lives changed by my Lord and Savior.
            Part of the joy of seeing a person's life changed by Christ includes watching people find their calling.  The Holy Spirit gives each of us a special gift to help serve the Body of Christ.  It is a wonder to behold when a person discovers their gift and start using it.  I love helping people identify their gift and find a place to put it to good use.

What About the Church Breaks My Heart?
            As I said before, the Church is not perfect and so there are also things in the church that disappoint me.  Like many others, I dislike the politics, the petty squabbles, and the ugliness that sometimes happens within church congregations.  However, what really breaks my heart is all the people who are missing out on the joy that can only be found when you're truly engaged in Christ's Church.
            My heart breaks for those who aren't here.  Church attendance is down across our country for many reasons.  Many have stopped coming because they are more focused on the things that disappoint them about the Church than the Lamb who makes the Church holy.  Others are too interested in the things of this world which choke the desire for the authentic spiritual connection Christ's offers through His Church.  Some grew up have never having come to church or establish the spiritual habit of gathering together with the Body of Christ; they don't even know what they're missing!  Others, who once came, have fallen away.  And then there are also those who come to church, but who are not really engaged.  They attend church but aren't really present; and these too are missing out on the fullness of what Christ has to offer and it breaks my heart.
            My heart is especially broken today for the many young adults who are not in regular worship at my church (or others).  We have at least 25 young adults (aged between 18-30) associated with my congregation who do not regularly attend my church.  This is the age when I experienced so much spiritual growth and it troubles me that others in that age range are absent when so many important, "course of your life" decisions are being made.  Consider some of the decisions you make in your young adult years:  what (if any) college to attend, whether to stay in college or drop out, who to marry, having kids, choosing a career, deciding what you really believe about God, where to live, who to live with...  These are big decisions and people will live with the consequences for the rest of their lives.  And it breaks my heart that these years are also the years most young adults drift away from the Church when they need the Church's spiritual guidance the most.

Go to Church and Invite Someone to Join You

            The Church is not perfect, but it is the Body of Christ.  It is where we come to watch the Lamb of God.  It is where we see people’s lives changed forever for the better as they grow closer to Christ.  It is where we are changed forever—if we will let Jesus’ love into our heart.  I would like to invite everyone reading this to come to Church.  If you live near Dalton, GA, I'd love for you to come to my church--Pleasant Grove United Methodist Church.  If not here, then find a church where you are.  There are many great options available.  Find one near you.  If you think traditional "church" like we've been doing it in America isn't for you, think outside the box and find some way to plug in to Church with a capital C.  Get together with a group of Christian believers to pray, study the Bible, fellowship, and serve together.  It is absolutely critical.

            And if you are already attending and active in church, praise God!  I commend you!  Keep at it.  Now, invite someone to join you.  This is absolutely critical too.  It's not an option for believers.  It's what Jesus commanded us to do.  It is the purpose of the Church.  Jesus said, "Go make disciples..." (Matthew 28:19-20)  So invite someone to church!  And then another and another and another...

God's Heroes Have Power

Introduction

I used to love Saturday morning cartoons when I was a kid.  One of my favorite shows was the Justice League, who were a collection of superheroes like Superman, Wonder Woman, and Batman.  They worked together and used their superpowers to fight the forces of evil. 

Perhaps the reason superheroes are so appealing to children is that children are so powerless.  You know, people are always telling them what to do and they have no real power, even over their own life.  So perhaps it is very appealing to kids—the idea of a superhero who has supernatural powers and can fly anywhere in the world or is indestructible and can do all these amazing things.

Well, we’ve been talking about the characteristics of God’s heroes.  We’ve learned that God’s heroes have a heart and that God’s heroes have courage.  But today, we learn that God’s heroes have power.  But what are the Christian hero’s superpowers?  Let’s see what the Word of God says. 

Slides – Acts 2:1-12, 32-33, 36-41

¹ On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place. ² Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. ³ Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. ⁴ And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.

⁵ At that time there were devout Jews from every nation living in Jerusalem. ⁶ When they heard the loud noise, everyone came running, and they were bewildered to hear their own languages being spoken by the believers.

⁷ They were completely amazed. “How can this be?” they exclaimed. “These people are all from Galilee, ⁸ and yet we hear them speaking in our own native languages! ⁹ Here we are—Parthians, Medes, Elamites, people from Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, the province of Asia, ¹⁰ Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, and the areas of Libya around Cyrene, visitors from Rome ¹¹ (both Jews and converts to Judaism), Cretans, and Arabs. And we all hear these people speaking in our own languages about the wonderful things God has done!” ¹² They stood there amazed and perplexed. “What can this mean?” they asked each other.

³² “God raised Jesus from the dead, and we are all witnesses of this. ³³ Now he is exalted to the place of highest honor in heaven, at God’s right hand. And the Father, as he had promised, gave him the Holy Spirit to pour out upon us, just as you see and hear today.

³⁶ “So let everyone in Israel know for certain that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, to be both Lord and Messiah!”

³⁷ Peter’s words pierced their hearts, and they said to him and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?”

³⁸ Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. ³⁹ This promise is to you, to your children, and to those far away^[h]—all who have been called by the Lord our God.” ⁴⁰ Then Peter continued preaching for a long time, strongly urging all his listeners, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation!”

⁴¹ Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church that day—about 3,000 in all.

God’s Heroes Have Power

            We see the Holy Spirit’s power and how it empowered the Christians in this story.  There was sound—the sound of a mighty rushing wind.  There were sights—tongues of fire resting over each persons' head.  There was action—speaking in foreign languages the people had never been able to speak in before. 

            There were thousands of people gathered in Jerusalem from all over the world for the Jewish festival of Pentecost.  They all spoke different languages, but the 120 Christians gathered for  together were all from Galilee.  Somehow, the Holy Spirit empowered them to speak in foreign languages so that all those thousands gathered in Jerusalem could hear the Good News about Christ in their own languages.  Interestingly, the Greek word used to describe their language leads us to believe they spoke the languages with  perfect dialects.

            You know, maybe you’ve heard people who come down to Georgia from New York and they don't sound right.  They don’t say “y’all” and “fixin’ to” and all those other southern ways of speaking we love so much down in the south.  You can understand them, but it just doesn’t sound right.  And you’ve heard someone who comes from Mexico and speaks English with a thick Spanish accent.  But when the Holy Spirit enabled these Christians to speak foreign languages, it wasn’t with an accent.  It was perfectly, with the exact dialect of the people they spoke too.  Now that’s amazing power!

            Some people say Christians don’t have that kind of power anymore.  There are even some pastor and theologians who argue that the miracles and supernatural power demonstrated in the Bible was from another age and we cannot do these things today.  But I want you to know, I don’t believe that.  I believe the same Holy Spirit that empowered Christians in the New Testament Church empowers the Church today.  We are the New Testament Church.  Nothing has changed accept maybe the way we think and what we focused on.

            I have seen it with my own eyes.  I was in a church in rural Guatemala.  It was not a fancy church.  There was no air conditioning and the floor were just dirt.  There weren't any stained glass windows and the walls were just concrete blocks.  But after the sermon, near the end of the service, the congregation of about 120 people were all praying and it was as if the very air around me was humming and vibrating.  There was a holy awe and hush over the whole congregation and the power of the Spirit was obviously present and people were being moved and responding to God.  So these kinds of external, supernatural signs still happen, but we don’t experience them as often in our comfortable American churches because we are not rightly focused most of the time.

            I want to also remind you that people look at outward appearances, but God looks at the heart.  We learned this in the story of David.  God warned Samuel not to look at how tall a man was, because that wouldn’t tell him whether the man would be a good king.  God said, “People look at outward appearances, but God looks at the heart.”  And this is also true when it comes to the workings of the Holy Spirit.  People look at the outward signs—the sounds, the sights, the flaming tongues of fire, and the supernatural ability speak in foreign languages.  People want to see cool signs and wonders, but God is more interested in what’s happening in the heart.  That’s what’s really important.

            Romans 8:11 says, “The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you.”  The Holy Spirit lives inside every Christian who believes in Jesus Christ.  We have the same power available to us as the Church of Acts.  Power is “the ability to do.” 

            When we talk about cars, we talk about horsepower.  I don’t know this for sure, but I imagine the term "horsepower" developed when they first made cars and they were still comparing them the most common means of transportation—actual horses.  So they would say back in the beginning when cars were just a simple buggy with a little engine that would go put, put, put, "If you buy this automobile it will have the same power to move things as 5 horses."  We’ve come so far; today a car may have anywhere from 120-500 horsepower.  Or if you have a racecar, it might have over 1,000 horsepower.  That is horsepower—the ability to move something.

            The Holy Spirit gives us a different kind of power—the power to do what God wants us to do.  Jesus gave us a mission—to make disciples—and the Holy Spirit gives us the power to do it.  And the main reason we don’t experience the power of the Holy Spirit is we don’t want to do what Jesus asks us to do.  What did Jesus ask us to do?  Matthew 28:19-20, "Go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.  Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you."

            The superheroes in cartoons and movies use their superpowers to fight evil and save the world, but when I was a child I wanted those superpowers for more selfish reasons.  As a child, I just thought it would be cool to do whatever I wanted and no one could stop me!  You know, when my older brother pushed me to the ground and sat on my chest and I couldn’t move, I wanted to be able to use my supernatural strength to throw him off me and fly up into the air and shoot him with laser beams from my eyes!  In my immaturity, it was all about how I could use those superpowers for my own selfish purposes.

            And I think a lot of the time, Christians today are still immature like children.  We want the power of the Holy Spirit for the wrong reasons.  Maybe we want to be able to do cool tricks or feel an emotional high or maybe we want to heal someone we care about or to be healed ourselves.  It’s all about what we want and usually has very little to do with what God wants or the mission of the Church.  Christians today need to grow up and seek the Holy Spirit’s power to do what God wants us to do.

What Does the Holy Spirit Empower to Do? (What are the Christian’s superpowers?)

 

            Let me share three things the Holy Spirit empowers us to do.  First of all, the Holy Spirit empowers us to be born again.  Jesus told Nicodemus in the third chapter of John, you can’t enter the Kingdom of God unless you are born again (or born of the Spirit).  Do you remember how Jesus was conceived?  We say it every Sunday in our Apostles’ Creed:  “…he was conceived by the Holy Spirit.”  So the Holy Spirit came upon Mary and she conceived Jesus in her womb.  Do you see we are “born again” as Christians the very same way as Jesus?  The Holy Spirit comes upon us and we are born of the Spirit.  We become a brand new creature with a new beginning and new life and eternal life.  The Holy Spirit empowers us to become sons and daughters of God, citizens of God’s Kingdom.  And the Holy Spirit assures us that we are accepted, forgiven, saved, and loved.  We can live with the same confidence as Jesus and that changes everything.  Now we can start living like Christ and acting like Christ and doing the work of Christ in the world.

            And that’s the second thing, the Holy Spirit empowers us to live like Christ.  Romans 8:2 says, “…the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.”  We have the power to live like Christ because we have the power of Christ living in us.  Sin no longer has power over us.  Yes, we may still struggle some with our old sinful habits, but they are no longer in charge.  Now the Holy Spirit is in charge and we can live a new way, a better way, if we cooperate with the Holy Spirit.  Listen to what Jesus said in John 14:12, “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works…”  Isn’t that amazing!  We can do what Christ did and even more when we let the Spirit empower us to do what God asks.  We can love like Christ and be full of the fruits of the Spirit—joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  We can serve like Christ, because everyone who believes in Jesus receives special gifts of the Spirit that enable us to serve the Church.  Some can sing, some can preach or teach, some can encourage others or be administrators, or show hospitality, or offer healing, or have strong faith…  All of these are special gifts the Holy Spirit gives us to use for the benefit of the whole Church so we can live like Christ, serve like Christ, sacrifice like Christ, die like Christ, and rise to eternal life like Christ.

The third thing (there are so many powers the Holy Spirit gives us, but I only mention 3 today for the sake of time), the Holy Spirit empowers us to preserver.  Jesus called the Holy Spirit the Comforter.  When we are sad or down hearted, or when we are worried, or when we are hurting or struggling or weak or things are stacked against us, the Holy Spirit comforts us.  Romans 8:26 says, “The Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness.”  When we are sick or in need, the Holy Spirit renews our strength, but there is more!  Romans 8:37 says, “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” 

You know, the Church in Acts seems to have everything stacked against it.  They started out as only 120 Christians in a world that hated them.  They had no political power, no influence, and they were persecuted, beaten, had their property confiscated, were arrested, murdered and executed.  Can you imagine if Christians in America today were persecuted like this?  And yet it amazes me what the Church in Acts prayed for.  You would think their prayers would be filled with people praying for mercy or comfort or for the world to stop being so mean to them, but that’s not what they prayed for.  When we read through Acts, again and again find they prayed for God to make them bold to spread the Gospel despite the obstacles.  For example:  Acts 4:29, “And now, O Lord, hear their threats, and give us, your servants, great boldness in preaching your word.”

Perhaps Christians today need to pray less for God’s comfort and healing and protection and make our primary prayer that God would give us—His servants—great boldness in preaching His word. Then maybe we would see that the same power demonstrated in our time that we see in the Book of Acts.

 

 
Closing

            The Holy Spirit dwells inside every Christian who believes in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.  The Spirit is like a well of Living Water.  It is always there within us if we believe in Christ, but we need to ask God to make the well spring up within so we can, as Ephesians 5:18 says, “Be filled with the Holy Spirit.”

            How can you be filled with the Holy Spirit as these Christians in Acts 2 were on that Pentecost day?  I suggest you ask Jesus into your heart.  Then I suggest you ask God everyday to fill you with the Holy Spirit.  I think you should go to Church and worship God regularly—every week--with a community of Christians believers.  Be baptized if you haven’t already.  Receive Holy Communion as often as you can, for it is one of the special means Jesus gave us to experience his presence and be filled with his gracious Spirit.  Serve God unselfishly and whole heartedly—pushing yourself beyond what you are able to do on your own (for only then will you realize how desperately you need the Holy Spirit’s power to enable you to do God’s work and He will fill you with His Holy Spirit).  Then go and make disciples of Jesus Christ and Jesus will be with you, through the Holy Spirit, always.

Almost a Christian

The following message was adapted from John Wesley's sermon from 1741 titled "The Almost Christian."  I pray it challenges you to consider the very important question:  Are you a Christian or merely almost a Christian.

Acts 26:1-29

¹Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You may speak in your defense.”

So Paul, gesturing with his hand, started his defense: ² “I am fortunate, King Agrippa, that you are the one hearing my defense today against all these accusations made by the Jewish leaders, ³ for I know you are an expert on all Jewish customs and controversies. Now please listen to me patiently!
⁴ “As the Jewish leaders are well aware, I was given a thorough Jewish training from my earliest childhood among my own people and in Jerusalem. ⁵ If they would admit it, they know that I have been a member of the Pharisees, the strictest sect of our religion. ⁶ Now I am on trial because of my hope in the fulfillment of God’s promise made to our ancestors. ⁷ In fact, that is why the twelve tribes of Israel zealously worship God night and day, and they share the same hope I have. Yet, Your Majesty, they accuse me for having this hope! ⁸ Why does it seem incredible to any of you that God can raise the dead?
⁹ “I used to believe that I ought to do everything I could to oppose the very name of Jesus the Nazarene. ¹⁰ Indeed, I did just that in Jerusalem. Authorized by the leading priests, I caused many believers there to be sent to prison. And I cast my vote against them when they were condemned to death. ¹¹ Many times I had them punished in the synagogues to get them to curse Jesus. I was so violently opposed to them that I even chased them down in foreign cities.
¹² “One day I was on such a mission to Damascus, armed with the authority and commission of the leading priests. ¹³ About noon, Your Majesty, as I was on the road, a light from heaven brighter than the sun shone down on me and my companions. ¹⁴ We all fell down, and I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is useless for you to fight against my will.’
¹⁵ “‘Who are you, lord?’ I asked.
“And the Lord replied, ‘I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting. ¹⁶ Now get to your feet! For I have appeared to you to appoint you as my servant and witness. Tell people that you have seen me, and tell them what I will show you in the future. ¹⁷ And I will rescue you from both your own people and the Gentiles. Yes, I am sending you to the Gentiles ¹⁸ to open their eyes, so they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God. Then they will receive forgiveness for their sins and be given a place among God’s people, who are set apart by faith in me.’
¹⁹ “And so, King Agrippa, I obeyed that vision from heaven. ²⁰ I preached first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that all must repent of their sins and turn to God—and prove they have changed by the good things they do. ²¹ Some Jews arrested me in the Temple for preaching this, and they tried to kill me. ²² But God has protected me right up to this present time so I can testify to everyone, from the least to the greatest. I teach nothing except what the prophets and Moses said would happen— ²³ that the Messiah would suffer and be the first to rise from the dead, and in this way announce God’s light to Jews and Gentiles alike.”
²⁴ Suddenly, Festus shouted, “Paul, you are insane. Too much study has made you crazy!”
²⁵ But Paul replied, “I am not insane, Most Excellent Festus. What I am saying is the sober truth. ²⁶ And King Agrippa knows about these things. I speak boldly, for I am sure these events are all familiar to him, for they were not done in a corner! ²⁷ King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do—”
²⁸ Agrippa interrupted him. “Do you think you can persuade me to become a Christian so quickly?”
²⁹ Paul replied, “Whether quickly or not, I pray to God that both you and everyone here in this audience might become the same as I am, except for these chains.”

Introduction

            We live in a “Christian” society (or at least we think we do).  Polls show that 71% of Americans claim to be Christian.  However, more and more, people are acting in very unchristian ways.  Even our government is making decisions many feel are unchristian.  We fear our nation is slipping into unchristian ways.

            Paul and the other Apostles lived at a time when Christians were such a small part of the population they seemed insignificant.  It is estimated that less than 1% of the population at that time was Christian.  There were only 40 Christian churches in the whole world in 100 AD!  This tiny group of Christians were spread out across a Mediterranean world filled with debauchery, corruption, and bent on destroying the fledgling Christian faith.  Compared to those beleaguered Christians, you would think we have nothing to complain about!

            Perhaps, the main reason we fear for our country is because it has been so “Christian” in the past.  We remember fondly a time when churches were better attended, people were more honest, and society better reflected the beliefs and values we consider “Christian.”  And now, as we see those values eroding, we feel our nation will soon be “Christian” no longer.

            But then, we need to consider if we truly live in a Christian society now.  Have we ever really lived in a Christian nation?  Does the term “Christian nation” even mean what we think it means?  What does it really mean to be a Christian?  And most important of all, we need to ask ourselves:  Am I really a Christian?  These are the questions we will explore in this message.

The Characteristics of an Almost Christian

            There are many good, kind people in our world who are not Christians.  Sometimes we admire them and mistake them for Christians.  So, the first thing we must do if we are going to define what is a real Christian, is to note the characteristics of someone who is almost a Christian. Then, we will be able to go one step further and describe someone who is completely a Christian.

            Someone who is almost a Christian is honest.  They tell the truth and do not lie.  In fact, they will speak the truth even when it is hard.  They will be honest, even if it goes against the grain of public opinion.  They will tell you what you need to hear even if you don't want to hear it or if it upsets you, because someone who is almost a Christian is truthful.  Yet it is more than just words.

            Someone who is almost a Christian also has integrity.  In other words, they are the same person when no one is watching that they are when everyone is watching.  Someone who is almost a Christian acts the same way on Sunday morning at church that they do on Saturday night.  They have integrity.

            Someone who is almost a Christian--who is standing right at the threshold of being a true Christian--is kind and helpful.  They are the kind of person who always encourages others.  They send cards to people who are sick or in mourning. Someone who is almost a Christian visits people when they are in the hospital.  They are so thoughtful and always know the right thing to do to cheer people up.  Someone who is almost a Christian faithfully prays for others, but there is more.

            Someone who is almost a Christian--who is knocking at the very door--will be very religious.  They refrain from things the Bible forbids.  You would never hear someone who is almost a Christian spewing profanity.  Their talk will always be wholesome and good.  They would never commit adultery or steal.  They would never go around town gossiping about others behind their back because they are almost a Christian.  However, these people do more than avoid bad things.

            The "almost Christian" does many good things.  They go to church regularly.  They volunteer at church and in the community.  They might coach their son's baseball team or teach Sunday school.  They do good every chance they get--even giving to charity, both within the church and without.

            Someone who is almost a Christian--just millimeters away--is always clean and well put together.  They exercise regularly and take care of their body.  Their home is always clean; you can stop by anytime unannounced and you will never find dirty dishes in the sink; there will never be dust on their furniture.  Their vehicle is always clean and tidy; it never smells like the lunch they ate in their car yesterday, because they are almost a Christian!

            These people--who are almost Christian--are some of the best citizens you will find.  They always do their civic duty.  They are proud of their country and community.  They always want to do good and be good.  One more thing:  someone who is almost a Christian prays every morning and night, and before all their meals, and many times throughout the day.  They are always praying to God, because they are almost a Christian.  

            Some of you will say:  "Is it even possible that someone could have all these fine attributes and still only be almost a Christian?"           

            Yes!  John Wesley, who founded the Methodist movement, who wrote the sermon that inspired this blog, was just such a man.  He said this of himself--that he was at one time only an almost Christian.  Listen to some of the things Wesley did before he became a complete Christian:

Wesley grew up the son of a preacher.  He learned the Bible and godly living from his saintly mother.  He went to seminary and became an Anglican priest.  He traveled from England to Georgia to be a missionary to the Indians.  John Wesley strove with all his might to do good and follow God’s will as a Christian.  Yet it was only after he had already done all these things that Welsey fnally realized he was only an almost Christian.  In 1738 while listening to someone read Martin Luther's preface to the book of Romans, something amazing happened.  Wesley said, "while he was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone for salvation; and an assurance was given me that He had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death."  Wesley realized that all the good things he had done, all those things that made him almost a Christian, had done absolutely nothing at all to save him.  Only Christ could save him and so Wesley surrendered everything to Jesus and became a real Christian for the first time at the age of 35-years-old.

A Complete Christian

            Now that we have described someone who is almost a Christian, we can define what makes you a complete Christian.  First, Jesus said you must "Love God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength…"  God must be absolutely first in your life, no exceptions.  

            Many will say, "Of course!  I do love God."  No, I don't think you understand the gravity of this.  The love of God must engross all your heart, all your desires, all your passions until you are utterly dead to the world; until your pride is obliterated.  Your love for God must take absolutely first place in your life--before your wife, before your kids, before your career, before your hobbies, before all your worldly desires.  You must forsake all else for the love of God--Jesus said this is the greatest commandment.

            And the second greatest commandment--if you are to be fully a Christian (and not only almost a Christian)--is to "Love your neighbor as yourself..."  And in case you're wondering, Jesus said everyone is your neighbor.  It's not just the person who lives next door, it is also the person who lives on the other side of town or the "wrong" side of town.  It is also the illegal immigrants from Mexico who keep crossing our borders and threatening our economy.  Our neighbors are also homosexuals and others with lifestyles with which we don't agree.  Our neighbors are people in other countries who do not share our same values.  These are our neighbors and we are to love them.  The person who shot and killed all those people at the nightclub in Orlando is also our neighbor; so are terrorists who are bent on destroying our way of life.  All these are our neighbors and we are to love them as we love ourselves.

            You say, "Those aren't our neighbors!  Those are our enemies!"  Jesus also said, "Love your enemies.  Pray for those who curse you."  So if you are to be fully Christian, you also must love your enemies--both your own enemies and the enemies of God.  And your love must be such that you would even lay down your life for them, as did Christ.  Lest you forget what this Christian love is, 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 tells us, "Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance."

            You say, "Who can live like that? It's impossible."  You are right.  It is impossible.  No human can love like this.  It would be like asking a camel to walk through the eye of a needle.  So there is one more thing you must have if you are to be fully and completely and wholly a Christian: faith.  

            Humanly speaking, it is impossible, but with God all things are possible.  With Christ we are more than conquerors.  With Christ, we are called sons of God.  Christ said we would do even greater things than he did!  (How is that possible?  How can we do more than Jesus?  He was God! Yet, Jesus said we would!)  Through Christ, we have overcome the world, death, sin (not just the guilt of sin, but also the power of it!).  Through faith in Christ, we are saved!

            But don't be deceived!  Faith that doesn't bring repentance, right living, love and good works, is not real faith; it is a dead and useless faith, the same faith demons have.  You say, "I believe!  I believe what the Apostles' Creed says:  I believing Jesus was born of a virgin, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified dead and buried, and that he rose again on the third day, and ascended into heaven and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty!"  Good, but don't you know there are demons burning in hell right now who believe those very same things?  That is not saving faith.  It is dead and useless.

            Faith that saves, is trusting in Jesus so that you surrender everything to him.  It is trusting him enough to follow his teachings and do what he says, right now.  Saving faith is putting the love of God and your neighbor above everything else.  It makes you throw away all your pride, all your reliance on your own merits--knowing that all your good deeds are nothing and have no ability to make you good, let alone save you.  That kind of faith changes you.  It changes everything.  

            John Wesley said:  "Whosoever has this faith which ‘purifies the heart’, by the power of God who dwelleth therein, from pride, anger, desire, ‘from all unrighteousness’, ‘from all filthiness of flesh and spirit’; which fills it with love stronger than death both to God and to all mankind—love that doth the works of God, glorying to spend and to be spent for all men, and that endureth with joy, not only the reproach of Christ, the being mocked, despised, and hated of all men, but whatsoever the wisdom of God permits the malice of men or devils to inflict; whosoever has this faith, thus ‘working by love’, is not almost only, but altogether a Christian."

Conclusion

So we must get to the most important question today, which is not are we living in a Christian country, but am I a real Christian?  

I think if we are honest, we will have to admit that not many of us even rise to the level of someone who is almost a Christian. How then can so many go on believing they are completely a Christian. And if not, then what are you to do? Should you go on the same as you were before you read this? Should you go on pretending to others that you are a real Christian or deceiving yourself until the day you are horrified to find yourself before God’s throne and finally realize that you were not a Christian your whole life or maybe almost a Christian, but that you have failed to be wholly and completely and fully a real Christian.

Humble yourself.  Repent.  Let Christ save you and have faith in him alone to help you live as a True Christian from this day forward.