Wiii Church

September 28, 2008

Everyone knows that pastor’s kids have issues. My girls are already starting to show signs of problems. A few years go Eden and karis were taking a bath. As I check in on them a few minutes later I see my four year old Eden pouring water over Karis’ head saying, “I Baptist you in the name of the Father, the sin, and the Holy Ghost.” OK, that was wrong on so many levels. For one, Karis has already been baptized, and scripture says there is only one baptism. Then, she was baptizing Karis into sin, which she needs no help with believe me, instead of the Son. And finally, she’s claiming to be a Baptist yet she’s practicing infant baptism! How many levels of blasphemy can one child commit! If you can recommend a good counselor I’m soon going to be in the market.

Today we do the most revolutionary thing of all in the church. We invite people lay down their lives to Jesus, to publicly declare their faith in him as the savior, to make his their Lord, and to be baptized into the church. Today we invite the church, all the church, all who put their faith in Jesus, to come to the celebration feast of the revolution- the table that Jesus left for us, the Lord’s Supper. Let me tell you, if you did not grow up in the church, if you are still exploring Christianity and wondering about all this Jesus stuff, this is going to be the weirdest service we’ve had yet. But it really might be our most wonderful. I’m telling you the truth- this frightens me, because I don’t want to frighten you away. But this is like the real thing today folks. This is real deal Jesus stuff. This is what makes the church not just a building, not just Sunday morning service, not just another group of people who gather for a reason. This is something that we have to talk about, because this, more than anything else, is what makes us the church. It’s what makes you and I a part of the body of Christ. It’s what makes us a living breathing, growing thing. Because things that are alive and growing need tow things: They need to be born, and they need to eat.

One of the things that amazed me the most when I became a father was the immediate, instinctive, and voracious appetite of all my kids. The were born with pucker power I liked to say- they just wanted that milk. They were made for that milk, and that milk was made for them. It is how they grow, it is how they are nourished, it is how they receive immunities, it is how they live- by their innate desire, and ability, to nurse. But more so, anyone who has had children and nursed, you know that there is so much more going on than just feeding. There is bonding. A physical, emotional, and even a spiritual bond if formed between the mother and the child, while the dad gets to idly sit by, still in shock from the whole birthing experience. But it really is amazing, to see the child nurse, to experience the bond that happens, the communion between baby and mother. It’s a beautiful thing.

Likewise, baptism represents our new birth in Jesus, and for as long as the church has been around, and been baptizing people into her, these new babes in Jesus come into the church, screaming, crying, and read to eat, ready to nurse, ready to bond. And by the instructions that Jesus left for the church, we have something to give them. They come into the new life of in the church, and they have that pucker power kicking in, and we say come to the table, come to the banquet set before you by our Lord Jesus Christ, come and eat, come and drink, come and bond with your savior.

The instructions are layout plainly for us in the Bible:

1 Corinthians 11: 23-28 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, 24and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, "This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me."
In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me." 26For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.

Simply put- this is the story of Jesus told through participation. It’s EXPERIENTIAL THEOLOGY. It’s the story of Jesus told through the senses to taste and touch and smell. It’s a reenactment of the last night of his life. And to understand the fullness of this experience, we need to understand the context from which it was given to us

Jesus and his closest disciples went to Jerusalem to celebrate the holiest Jewish festival- Passover. A few of the disciples went ahead of Jesus and found a room that had been prepared in advance for them, just as Jesus promised. They went in a the evening started just like any Passover feast they had celebrated before.

There was the unleavened bread; there was the new wine; and there was the Passover lamb. But Jesus was about to transform the Passover into something new. He was about to bring the Passover to it fulfillment. They had no idea what was unfolding before them, but what they were actually witnessing, what they were taking part in, was the fulfillment of the promise and prophesy of the bible. That Jesus was about to become the Passover lamb. The innocent, perfect sacrifice for our sins.

He took the bread, he broke it and he said this is my body, broken for you, eat this in remembrance of me. And then he took the cup of the covenant, saying this is now the new covenant seal in my blood, shed for the forgiveness of sins. Do this in remembrance of me.

Then Jesus was betrayed by one of his closest friends. He was handed over to a kangaroo court on trumped up charges, lies and deception. But Jesus willingly laid down his life as a sacrifice. He was hung on a cross and died. He was buried. His disciples all abandoned him. But the bible tells us that on the third day he rose from the grave. And when he appeared to the disciples. And one thing he did repeated as he appeared to his followers- he took bread, and he broke it, and it say in the bible, their eyes were opened.

My friend Doug once told a group a story of how his life was changed, and how he came to first understand what the Lord’s Supper is really all about. It was many years ago now, late in November just after American Thanksgiving. He and wife were driving home late at night when some snow began to fall and the roads became icy. Up ahead of them on the interstate they saw results of a terrible crash- what appeared to be a car that had hit a patch of ice, spun out of control and began to roll over.

They stopped the car and He jumped out and began to run towards the wreck. As he was running towards the wreck, others were already leaving. But they had a look of shock on their faces. They were saying things like, they couldn’t have survived that crash, and I can’t handle this I have to go, I just have to go. He came up to the car and found a young woman who was still in the car, and a young man who had been thrown out. The woman was screaming and crying in hysterics, trying to free herself, trying to get out of the car to the unconscious body of the young man. Doug’s wife ran around to the woman. She tried to comfort her while asking her about what had happen. She was just crying about the ice, and losing control, and crashing. In the air hung the strong smell of red wine, and she had to ask if she they had been drinking. She only a little bit. The wine was from a bottle that broke in the crash, a gift to them from her family, because they had just gotten engaged. The man was in the military and they were returning to the base after the holiday.

Doug went over to the young man who was unconscious, bleeding profusely, but still holding onto life. He tried to do what little he could, he took off his coat, he put it over the man. Doug is calling out for a doctor, for someone to call 911, for someone to get the police.

The woman who was in the car began to cry out to her fiancé, “Jason, I love you. Jason I love you. Somebody please help him. Somebody please help us.” And she just kept crying out “Jason I love you. Jason don’t you die on me. Jason don’t you leave me. Jason I love you.”

And while she was crying out, Jason died in Doug’s arms. The fire trucks and ambulances arrived, the paramedics took over, Doug and his wife were taken aside by the police and gave their statements. Then they got back in their car, and began to drive. In silence they drove while they desperately tried to process what they had just witnessed, and as they desperately tried to warm up. The hot air of the heater was pouring out onto them, and as it did it began to release the smell of Jason’s blood, and the wine that had broken and gotten all over them. And in the silence all they could hear over and over again was “Jason, I love you, Jason don’t you die. Jason don’t you leave me. Jason, I love you.”

That following Sunday, when Doug was in church, he came to the table, to the Lord’s Supper, and he saw the broken bread, and he smelled the juice from the cup, and he was flooded with emotion, and for the first time he really understood what it was all about.

And now, when we come to this table, we cry out to Jesus. We say Jesus our lives are spinning out of control. Jesus I can’t save myself and I am going to die without you. Jesus I love you. Jesus I need you. Jesus, don’t you ever leave me. Jesus I love you.

And then, as we take this broken bread, as we dip into this cup, we remember that Jesus’ body was broken for us, that Jesus’ blood was shed for us. And as we eat this bread and as we drink this cup we hear Jesus calling back to us, “George, I love you. George, I love you and I will never leave you. George I love you and I will always be with you. George I love you and I will give my body for you, I will give my blood for you, I will give my life for you. George, I am dying to be with you, and I will always be here for you. I will always be right here for you.

Folks, you want to know what the church is all about? It’s about a God who is so in love with you, so passionate about a relationship with you, that he gave his son for you. And his Son Jesus gave his life for you. And his Holy Spirit will come into your life. That is what the church is all about- it’s about knowing this God who knows us inside and out. It’s about loving this God who loves us with undying, everlasting, life saving love. It’s about loving Jesus because he comes to us as our savor and our Lord. It’s about loving his Holy Spirit and being filled with Him so we can be alive, so that we can be forgiven, so that we can be empowered, so that we can his people, so the we can be the body of Christ now, his hands, hit feet, his eyes, his ears, his voice in the world.

You want to know what the Lord’s Supper is all about- it’s about touching and tasting and remembering afresh, with all the emotion, with all the amazement, with all the joy of knowing that as surely as we eat the bread and taste the cup, Jesus will never ever leave us or forsake us, but is always here, right here for us, right here in us.

You want to know what baptism is all about; it’s about giving our lives to the one who gave his life for us. It’s about dying to ourselves, and our sins, and to the horrible things we’ve done, and to the horrible things that have been done to us, and dying to the notion that we can save our selves and make ourselves and make a go of this world and this life ourselves. It’s about rising to new life in Jesus, being born anew, being born of the spirit, being washed clean and being found in Jesus. Before there was communication cards, or raising your hands, or any of this stuff, there was baptism. The outward sign of what has happened to us on the inside.

When we put our faith in Jesus and turn to him as our savior and Lord, it means the Holy Spirit has moved on us to have faith, to seek forgiveness, to confess Christ. We have been born anew and washed clean because of Jesus. In response we baptize with water. This doesn’t save us, Jesus does. This is just about being faithful to the one who saves us. This is about honoring what Jesus commanded. This is saying Jesus, since you died and made me new, I’ll be baptized cause you told me to.

And right now, we want to give you the chance to start life over again. To give yourselves to Jesus. To be baptized and to be feed!

Baptism and Dedication
Adult Baptism:
Jesus tells us very clearly the way to salvation- himself. All that is required on our part is repentance. All repentance means is that we turn from sin and turn to Jesus. _____, let me ask you...

"Do you turn to Jesus, believing in faith that he is the Son of God, the one who cleanses you from all sin, as your savior? And do you embrace him as Lord of your life, seeking to obey him faithfully in all things? Do You?"

Then I'll ask you to kneel, symbolic of laying your life before God. I'll ask you to bow your head in repentance and humility. I'll dip my hands in the water and lay my hands on your head as I say this:

“_____, I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”

"All of us who have been baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death. Therefore we have been buried with him. And just as Christ was raised from the dead, so we rise to new life in Jesus. The old life is gone, and new live has begun! (Romans 6:3-4)"

Infant Baptism:
Acts 2 tells us, "This promise if for you, and for your children, and for all whom the Lord our God will call." Claiming that promise over their family, today _______ and _____ bring forward their child _____ to be baptized.

In bringing forward our children for baptism we humbly acknowledge none of us, infant or adult, can save ourselves. All of us must rely completely on the saving grace of our God. SO today we baptized _____ in prayerful expectation that the day will claim this baptism for him/herself as she confesses Jesus as his/her Savior and Lord.

Infant Dedication:
In the gospels Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of god like a child will never enter it.” And then he took the children in his arms and blessed them.

Today we want to bless the infants and children of Connections as well…
“The Lord Jesus bless you and keep you, may his face shine upon you and be gracious to you, an may you grow up to know him, to love him, to serve him and give you life to him as your Lord and savior.”

Now, in the spirit of Pentecost, I invite anyone else to come forward who would like to be baptized, who would like to baptize or dedicate their children to the Lord, or who would like to reaffirm their baptismal vows.

The Lord’s Supper:
Now we invite all who profess Jesus as their Lord and savior to come to the table of our Lord to share in this communion.

We ask that you simply come forward to the table closest to you. Take a napkin. Take a piece of bread. Dip the bread into the cup (please don’t get your fingers in the juice). Eat the bread and return to your seat. If you are not comfortable taking communion for any reason, please do not feel obliged, awkward, or judged. Simply sit and observe.

Please move from the front rows and progress towards the back. The band will play, I’ll pray, then we’ll sing a closing song.
_____

Testimony of Mr. Mike King…

For those of you who don't know me, my name is Michael.

There are infinite reasons for me standing here but I wish to share just one, one that I believe to be the foundation of this road I have chosen. The road that I have followed, and got lost so many times along the way.

That one reason is so simple, yet so profound. That I love the Lord, and that I trust that the lord loves me back.

I choose today to be washed of my sin and I choose that my daughter Lailah, and my Wife Andrea, grow in the knowledge that they are loved and protected by our God.

I would like to read to you Philippians 3 vs 13 and 14. These two very short sentences shot out at me the other day.

Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind, and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win a prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.


I would Like to end off with saying, Thank you Lord for all you have given me and for the gift of washing me clean of my sin.

Thank you so much!

Amen

Wii Church

September 21, 2008

We started our Wiii Church Revolution two weeks ago talking about the very nature of the church. (Remember, the Wii game system was originally called Revolution) Our theme came from the verse found in your bulletin, “Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.” 1 Cor 12:27 The implications, the ramifications, of that proposition, when you really think about it, are enormous. It is more than enormous- it is revolutionary. It will revolutionize who you think you are. It will revolutionize how you see other people. It will revolutionize how you view and experience God. It will revolutionize what you think is your purpose and place in the world.

If you’ve been a Christian your whole life, and if you’ve been a church-goer, or if you are checking out church and Jesus for the first time, the revolution begins when we realize, when we have the epiphany, when our eyes are opened and we finally get that church isn’t a building, or a meeting, or a denomination. It’s you, it’s me, and it’s us together. It’s flesh, and blood, and spirit. It’s you, giving your life to Jesus. It’s me giving my life to Jesus. It’s us living in Jesus, now living spiritually joined together, as one body. To call the church a building is as ridiculous as calling a person a 2x4. The church is organic, alive and growing; and the church is the hope of the world, the eternal, enduring body of Christ.

Last week I wanted to propose a way of being church together. We started with the affirmation that this is being the church. Gathering together in public to worship God by celebrating, sharing, singing, learning together. This has its origins in the OT temple worship, and it was in a public gathering that church was born. We are unapologetic about wanting the world to hear the best news we’ve ever heard, and more so, experienced, that God is love and send his Son so we can know life.

Being the church is something that has implications and ramifications for every single moment of our lives, every single thing we do, every word we say, every hope we hold, and every dream we have. I outlined for us what will be our guiding principles of Connection Groups- our gatherings in homes throughout the city: That we will gather around a common purpose, in a Common Place, and begin to see understand as sharing Common Possessions.

I have to tell you that I was freaked out about preaching that to you. That’s not comfortable Christianity. That’s not safe Faith. That’s not seeker sensitive. That’s Revolutionary. But the thing is, the more I read my bible, the more I study the life of Jesus, and the birth of the church, and the more I pray and ponder my own life, and what I’d like to be, and do, and how I’d even want to be remembered, I keep coming back to the revolution. I keep coming back to a place where I say I may not live up to it, I may be afraid of it, I may even fail at it, but I can’t deny that I long for it. No, I don’t just long for it. I ache for it. I ache for more of Jesus. I ache for a higher spiritual awareness and sensitivity. I ache for deeper community and connection.

I ache for a common purpose with the people around me. That we would come together around the bible, and around this man Jesus Christ, and that we would fall deeper and deeper in love with him, because he is amazing. And more and more I’m learning that outside of Jesus I don’t even know who I am; and the more I am in Jesus, the more power, the more purpose, the more joy, the more freedom, the more direction, the more peace, the more faith, the more hope, the more love I start to feel. Folks, there is no greater purpose in all of creation that we can gather around than Jesus; because Jesus says he is the way, the truth and the life. And the more I’m with him the more I experience he is the way and I don’t want to be lost, he is the truth and I don’t want to live a lie, he is the life and outside of him I am dead.

I ache for a Common Place. I want to call my neighbors by name. I want to know the streets in my neighborhood. I want to a place to call home and a place to belong. A psychologist tells the story of a young man he was counseling. The man came from a deeply religious family, but religious in pretty much every bad sense of the term. His parents divorced when he was young, and inadvertently, just because of their own issues and brokenness, his parents always made him feel that it was his fault that their marriage didn’t work. The young man entered into a string of failed relationships, failed studies, failed careers, and self-destructive behaviors. As the young man reflected on all his life, one of the breakthrough moments came when he said, “I guess I’ve just never had a place to call home.” We are working and praying to create a culture of “home” here. A place where people can belong.

Finally, and clearly most frighteningly, I ache for Common Possessions. Something in me, something in all of us, should look at the inequity of distribution of good in the world, that we would look at our own accumulation of stuff, that we would see how people, far too many people, and so self absorbed in their stuff that they are literally incapable of meaningful human relationships. That all of us would be better off if we loosened our grip on our stuff, and took hold of relationships. And folks, I’m not entirely clear on what all this means. But I do know this, giving people, generous people are happy people. I know rich people who are giving, I know poor people who are giving, and they are all happy. And I know possessive, hording, greedy people are unhappy people. I know greedy rich people who can’t enjoy their stuff. I know greedy poor people who can’t enough their lack of stuff. And in the end, it comes down to this, in the early church the people shared what they so that no one was in need. And I like the sounds of that- no one was in need.

Last week I ended with a plea- don’t rob yourself of the experience of real Christ-centered community. Don’t rob yourself of the opportunity to be around some people from this church, because I’m telling you that you will find people worth dying for here at Connections. I know that because you’ll find people here at connections. The greatest commandment is this: love God and love your neighbor as yourself, then all your neighbors are worth loving. Don’t rob yourself of the blessing of neighbors, and don’t rob others of the opportunity to get to know you and be blessed by you.

I want to pick up there, because I know that is a hard proposition for many. Which is harder for you to believe? That other people are worth being with, or that you are worth being with other people? Now of course I hope, and it would be awesome, if we were all right in the middle. IF we all saw the inherent, God given value and beauty in other people immediately. And, in the same glance, we would see ourselves as made in the image of God, persons of immense worth.

But what I have to suspect, is that there are some folks here who have been burned. You’ve been burned really bad. You’ve been burned really bad. You’ve had the. “George, I can’t tell you what I’ve gone through” things in your life. Some of you were abandoned by your parents. Actually, many of you were, so I’m not even singling any one person out. You were abandoned by a friend in your most needy time. Abandoned by a spouse when they found someone prettier. You have no idea what it’s like to have that experience of a home where trust, where love, where happiness, where laughter is the norm. You have no idea, and it breaks your heart, and it breaks my heart, and it breaks the heart of God, and you have suffered because of it. You have never been sure of other people. And now, as I’m getting all excited about a Wiii church Revolution, and experience of community, of connection, of church, where people are deeply invested into other people, you don’t trust it. You want to, but you can’t. You are, and this is not to be offense, it’s just the way it is, you are relationally retarded. Your relational growth has been stunted. What should be normal and come natural is anything but. The thought of moving from dependence on others, to your own independence, to your willing interdependence with others is a journey your not willing to take.

Some of you are at the other end of the spectrum, maybe because of a similar experience. Now, because you were abandoned, broken, beaten, abused, dissed, devalued, divorced, and distanced, you’ve taken those acts, you’ve taken those projections, and you’ve exchanged the truth of God for those lies. You’ve taken those lies and made them your reality, and now, now you think you have nothing of value to offer anyone. You really think that other people are better than you. You really think that you deserve the crap that people have thrown your way. So when I say don’t rob others of the gift of yourself, ha, that was just in one ear and out the other because you don’t think that you have anything to offer. And you think you are doing other a favor by not burdening them with your problems. Have you ever heard that? Oh, I don’t want to be a burden on anyone. What a cry for help.

I want to take a step back and go the beginning of all this being the church, the body of Christ. When Jesus was about thirty years old, he began his public ministry. Jesus had a cousin named John who many thought to be a prophet, and who in fact was, though he never claimed the title. John was called to prepare the way for Jesus. John started up a ministry along the Jordan River. He had a really good angle that seemed to strike a chord with a lot of people. He told them they were sinners and they needed to repent and be baptized. Jesus came to him to be baptized. John immediately protested, saying he needed to be baptized by Jesus, but Jesus insisted. He stepped into the Jordan River, came out, and immediately all the people heard a voice from heaven say this is my son, whom I love, with him I am well pleased. And they saw the Spirit of God, looking like a dove, come down from heaven, lighting in Jesus. Jesus left from there, experienced his 40-day temptation in the desert, and began his public ministry.

I tell you this, as you need to know this to understand the birth of the church. The book of Acts in the New Testament is short hand for the books of the Acts of the Church. It tells us the story of how the church came to be, it is also synonymously called the books of the acts of the Holy Spirit, because without the Holy Spirit, there is no church.

Acts picks up the story of Jesus where the gospels, MMLJ, leave off. Jesus was crucified, rose from the dead, and began to appear to the disciples over a period of forty days. The final time he appears to them he told them plainly, do not leave Jerusalem but wait until for the gift my Father has promised, which you’ve heard me talk about. And the gift is this- John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit. And when you do, you will receive power, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and Judea, and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth! Then he was taken from them, up into the sky. Are you freaked out yet- you should be.

Ten days later they gathered for worship, because they didn’t really know what else to do. It happened to be the time of an ancient Jewish festival in Jerusalem, so thousands of people were in the city. When the disciples gathered, just as Jesus promised, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and the bible says they began to speak in other languages.

Peter stood up and he preached to them. And he told them all about Jesus. And afterwards the people said what should we do, and Peter said you should believe. You should repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you, and your children, and for all who are far off- for all whom the Lord our God will call. 3000 people believed, and were baptized.

If you are here today, if you have been coming to Connections, listening and learning and hearing these stories of Jesus, then I have great news for you- the promise is for you, and for your children, and for all who are still far off. The promise is for all whom the Lord will call. And if you’re here, and if you can hear me, chances are pretty good, that you are called. If all this talk of a revolution of love resonates with you. If deep down you want to know the purpose of loving and living for Jesus. If you long for a place to belong. If you long to share your gifts with the world to make a difference, then there is one very clear next step that you need to take according to the bible-

Be baptized. The bible tells us that when belief begins to well up inside of us it is because we have been baptized by the Holy Spirit. Belief itself, faith itself, is a gift of God. It happens when his Spirit comes to us and calls to us, and in response we callout to Jesus.

Many of you have called out to Jesus in recent weeks. We think that this is the most awesome thing in the world. It is what we are about. And for those that have called out to Jesus the bible is very clear on what we should do next- be baptized. It is the outward expression of the inward reality that has changed out lives. Because we have been washed over by the Holy Spirit, we take a stand, and we tell the world, and we visually, publicly, openly enact what has happened.

Jesus commanded this. He told his followers all authority in heaven and in earth has been give to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Today I invite you, as we always do here at Connections, to call out to Jesus, to say Jesus, I believe, I can’t save myself, I’m sorry for my mistakes, take me, cleanse me, make me yours.

And for everyone who has called out to Jesus, or who is calling out right now, next week we want to baptize you. I have one guy lined up who wants to be baptized. But you don’t have to be lined up. You can simply come, and be baptized. The only prerequisite in the bible is belief, and water. When Peter preached at the birth of the church, when people were baptized with the Holy Spirit, 3000 people were spontaneously baptized. Because they were gathered in the temple it is very likely that what they did was to have people come to the fountain of ritual cleansing, which was the center piece of the temple courtyard, and the people would have had water poured over them to symbolize, to visual, to tangibly play out what happened in their souls, the cleansing of God.

When Philip shared the good new of Jesus with an Ethiopian Eunuch (someday I’m going to do a series on eunuchs in the bible), he believed, and was baptized. When Paul was in prison, and there was an earthquake, and when Paul and the believers didn’t escape, and the jailer was so astounded that he believed, the bible says that that very night, at midnight, he and his whole family were baptized.

And so we want to baptize everyone who wants to take this stand, make this profession, and honor what god has commanded. I don’t know if we’ll always do it the way we’re doing it next week, but we felt it was time to take this step. I meet with the mall to ask if we could use the fountain in the middle of the mall…and the said no. I still have a week- I’m gonna try one last time to change their minds. If they don’t, then I trust that this simple isn’t God’s plan.

What we are going to do is embrace the longest standing tradition in the Christian church- that is to offer in worship, on Sunday, the chance for you and your household to be baptized. If you are an adult who has not been baptized, you are invited to step forward and affirm two things- your repentance. And your turning to Jesus as your Lord. We will have a little pool here, you can take off your shoes, roll up your pants, or wear shorts, we will have towels here, we will drape it over your shoulders, you will bow your head in humility before God, and symbolically as you lay your life before him. I will pour water over your head to symbolize the forgiveness of sins by your heavenly Father, the washing away of your old life in Jesus Christ, and the filling of the Holy Spirit in new birth. You will stand up, and we will applaud and celebrate your life in God.

Likewise, if you are a household of faith, if you have a child whom you wish to know and love and live for the Lord, we will baptize your baby. If you are just not sure of the whole baptizing babies thing, we will likewise be equally honored to dedicate your child to the Lord. This is area where good Christian people come from different traditions, and we are happy to honor both traditions, as don’t see either as a doctrine to die for, and as long as you are happy to be a part of a church that is inclusive of both traditions.

And finally, we will offer baptism for anyone who wishes to publicly dedicate your life to Jesus. If you were baptized as a child, or if you have recently had re-birth kind of experience, we will do what is called affirming your baptism vows. If you are reaffirming your baptism we ask you the same things- that you once again turn from sin and turn to Jesus. And I even go this far, if you were baptized as an infant, and have no memory of it, I ask that you prayerfully consider that next week you will, for yourself, and to honor the promise that your parents claimed for you, experience the affirmation of your baptismal vows.

We only ask that everyone embraces and understands two things- first, baptism doesn’t save your soul. God does. Baptism won’t save your soul, or your baby’s soul. But then two, that for adults this enacts the baptism you have embraced in the Holy Spirit through belief, or the promise you claim for your household. That’s what Peter said on the day the first believers were baptized- this promise is for you, your children and for all whom the Lord will call.

Folks, this really is simple, and it really doesn’t save your soul, but it really is beautiful, and it really is biblical, and it really doesn’t have to be controversial. If you are an adult, claim the promise, and be baptized. If you have children, claim the promise and baptize them. If you come out of a tradition that does not baptize infants, then please dedicate your children to God, because Jesus did bless the children that were brought before him. And if you have never claimed that baptism for yourself, claim that promise for yourself, and affirm the vows. This is the greatest way to honor your baptism as an infant,

If you know you will participate in this next week, please let us know so we can prepare. And also next week, we will for the first time celebrate Communion. It’s going to be amazing. It’s going to rock your world, and it’s how we are going to cap off our Wiii Church series- by celebrating baptism, birth into the church, and celebrating communion, the feast of our Lord Jesus to nourish, sustain and empower all who call on him. It really is going to be life changing!

Wi

Series: Wiii Church
September 14, 2008

Last week I told you that like the Wii Game system that has revolutionized gaming, the Wiii Church series is going to revolutionize the way you see, understand, experience and “do” church. Like our series trailer reads, the church is where we are loved, where we find our purpose, where we belong. Last week we had to end in a bit of a rush because the band played too long. We ended by just skimming over this passage, and I want to go back to it now as we get into it today.

Remember the church this has just been born. Not built. It has just come into existence, not because people built a cathedral, not because they organized themselves into committees, not because they created a system of church government or church order. People, men and women, young and old, slaves and free, Jews and gentiles, became the church when they heard the message of Jesus, when they believed that he was and is the Son of God, that he died for their sins, that he rose from the grave, that he ascended into heaven, that he will come back again. They became the church when they embraced this message and the Holy Spirit came upon them and into their lives. The church was born because the church is organic, the church is living, and the church is me and you and everyone who puts their faith in Jesus Christ. They immediately became a part of they mystical union of their life to Jesus Christ, and their lives together in Jesus Christ.

This happened when a man named Peter preached to a multitude of people and 3000 people were saved. The church jumped from a group of about 150, to 3150 in one day. And so we have established that his is church- what we are doing here. Gathering in the Lord’s Day, gathering publicly in worship to sing, to pray, to preach, and to invite people to give their lives to Jesus. And likewise we pray that Connections might see 3000 people and more put come to Jesus, be it over the weeks and months, and even in a single gathering. We see no reason not to do church like this- out in the public, for everyone to hear the good news, to be a blessing to our community and everyone we meet.

But this is just the beginning, because that first day of the church was just the beginning. This is what happened next…

Acts 2:42They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. 44All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. 46Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

Look at verse 44, “All the believers were together and had everything in common.” THIS IS THE REVOLUTION- when church stops being something that you do, or just something that you go to. The revolution starts when we become the church, so the church goes with us everywhere we go. SO that when we gather we are the church, and when we go we are still every bit as much the church. This is about getting into the second part of our mission, connecting with people. This is about that second leg of our three-legged stand. Take this away, or cut it short, and the whole thing falls.

Together is a great word. Remember that scene from Gladiator, when they are thrown into the coliseum to fight the soldiers on chariots. Maximus, or whatever his name was, tells them to stay together. But that one dude who is so huge stands his own ground. He can’t watch his own back, so he takes an arrow in the back of his leg. It is then that he realizes his situation. Stand-alone and die, or stick together, and maybe, just maybe, live. He joins the team. They defeat the soldiers, and there is much rejoicing. It’s like that goofy clip we watched earlier- stick with the pack, or get eaten alive.

I’m terrible alone. I really am. I wouldn’t say I’m extremely extroverted, but I’m terrible alone. When I got married all of my needs for socialization, affirmation and entertainment where heaped entire on Robin. I nearly suffocated her by my all-consuming need to be connected. We started having babies just show she could have some other people around the house to deal with me! Now I’m miserable if I’m not together with my family, or if they’re not with me. We have to ask ourselves, all goofiness and gladiators aside, is that really true? Live together or die alone. Find community and find life, or venture out on you own and be killed.

And I’m going to say yes, yes it is true. You know you need other people. You know you need together. You know you need community. You know you need connection. You know that you will die if you try to go it on your own. But almost unfortunately for us is that we won’t be taken out of misery swift and fast like getting eaten by a lion. We’ll probably end up dying a long, slow, lonely, sad, depressing withering away, estranged from people, cut off from community, kind of death.

Hebrews 10 tells us this,

23Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. 25Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Now let me put this into a framework for us. This comes from a book called the Connecting Church, and it’s about to become our way of doing the church together in small groups. There are three ingredients that have to be in place for a group of people to connect. Three ingredients to really become a connecting church. Common Purpose, Common Place, and “Common Possessions, but please don’t freak about that yet, I’ll freak you out about that later.

Common Purpose. We are born into a culture of that esteems the individual over everything else. But what people discover after trying to live a lifetime for themselves, is that they actually want to live for something more. And they long, we long, for a common purpose to bind us together. This is common to human experience. People know this. We use phrases like, “if you don’t find something to die for you have nothing to live for.” And it’s true. We will find a purpose for our lives, the only question is, what purpose?

The church from day one gathered around a common purpose, and that purpose was really a person- Jesus. The purpose of knowing, loving and living for Jesus. Our purpose is to become Christians, little Christ’s. Our purpose is to become Christ-like in everything, because we believe that being Christ-like is simple the best way to live. Jesus showed us perfectly how to love God and love our neighbors. Jesus healed the sick, feed the hungry, loved the outcasts, changed lives and saved lives. Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice and gave his life for us. We believe the best purpose, hands down, bar none, is being Christ like. That’s the common purpose that holds us together.

Common Place. Because we are born into a culture that esteems the individual, individuals often end up on a path of isolation. People have never lived closer together physically, but lived more apart socially. We have our own cars and cubicles and Internet connection and we isolate ourselves. We need a place. We long for a place to belong. If I asked you, where is home? Some of you immediately know. Home is where you grew up, because you grew up in the same house with the same people and it’s still your home. For some you know what home is, but it’s in the past. You left home along time ago, and you’ve been a wandering ever since. For some of you home has always been somewhere on the horizon. You’ve looked for it, longed for it, but never found it. I am always amazed at the power of home.

I have three kids, and the power of place in their lives is amazing. I thought I was a grounded person. My folks still live in the same house I grew up in. But I left that house 18 years ago, and I have never lived there since, and I have never lived anywhere more than 5 years since. School, work grad school, first church, now here. I have lost my place, but I still long for it, and now my family and have made the decision to try and make our place here, because we need a place. You need a place. We need a common place to connect and live and be neighbors.

Common Possessions. Isolated individuals naturally tend toward their own accumulation of stuff, or, materialism. Our culture and economy are entirely based upon making you and I the consumers of stuff. But this is no way to live, and many people are starting to catch on. Now they are “Freegains” living among us! Actually, I’m one of them. I pulled a mower out of the garbage the other day!

Here’s the thing- this is the part that is going to freak most people out, and to honest, it freaks me out. This is the most counter-cultural and cult-like quality of connection. But I’m not talking about a cult here. We’re not talking about starting a commune, though you can choose that life. We’re not talking about giving it all away, but you can give everything away. We are talking about a basic understanding that we don’t belong to our stuff, but our stuff belongs to us, and the best way to enjoy stuff is always in community. The best way to enjoy life is through sharing, support and generosity.

When we find a people with whom we have a common purpose, with whom we share a common place, we can get on to living a life of common possessions. That is as simply, and as messy, as sharing in life together. It is as radical as giving to church, and as simple as sharing a meal. And you want this. I know because you want to be generous people. It comes down to this truth- none of us really think we are materialistic, but to varying degrees we are materialistic, but you know some people who are really materialistic, and you don’t like them. And materialistic people don’t really like themselves. But you also know some really generous people, and you like them, and you want to be like them, because you don’t know, and will never meet, a generous person who wasn’t a happy person and the kind of person people want to be around. Think about it, and you will agree!

So how are we going to be a Connecting Church with Common Purpose, Place and Possessions? Through Connection Groups!

Here’s how is works: We will break our year into three semesters: Pre-season, Hockey season, and play-offs. Or as other places in the world call them, Fall, Winter, and Summer. CG’s will run each semester with clearly defined starting and stopping dates, and breaks in between. You will the opportunity to jump into groups at the start of each semester, then rest, and then sign up again. We aren’t going to constantly be putting CG’s in your face, but three times each year we are going to encourage you will all we have to get into a group.

Groups will be made up of 10-12 people. Groups that don’t reach this number can stay open for registration or combine with another smaller group. We want groups large enough that there is created a comfortable social environment.

Groups are organized geographically throughout the city. You are encouraged to join the group closest to you that meet at a time that works for you. We want groups to meet geographically because we want you to be able to really be neighbors, and have a presence in your neighborhood. We want groups to be geographical instead of generational. We want young and old to gather together. If this means that there are little kids in your group, then work it out. Everyone chip in a buck and get a sitter. If it means you have older kids in your group, include them in an opening prayer and bible reading. Then let them go and play in traffic.

Groups will do deeper into the Sunday worship experience, discussing the text and topics that we cover here. Sermons are posted online, both audio and manuscripts. Small group questions will be posted online if you miss the service. Questions will be printed right in you program for your convenience.

We will offer a few select focus groups. But this we mean some groups will focus on a particular topic, need or stage. For example, we are offering ALPHA, a 12-week introduction to the Christian life. This designed to cover all the basics of our faith and is the perfect place for you to go if you want to explore Christianity or get a brush up on the basics.

You can expect each group to have 4 things: Food, prayer, teaching, and socializing. You will be asked to make a commitment to the group for the semester. You will be asked to provide feedback on the experience, letting us know what’s working, and what needs fixed. You can expect us to do everything we can to make these groups a positive, amazing, even life-changing experience.

Now, I can’t make you do this, but I wish I could. Because you need this and you will be blessed by this and you will be a better person for doing this and you will be a blessing to others in doing this. But I can’t make you. I challenge you, no, I dare you, I double dare you, I double dog dare you to give this a semester give this a try. You want it.

We’ve had friends, and they’ve let us down. We’ve had marriages, and they’ve broken. We’ve joined groups or clubs, and they did more to hurt us than help us. And some people have been a part of churches that did more to mess than up that bring them grace, hope and love. But all of us have had little bits and tastes of community and connection, enough to make us desperately hungry for more, but also wondering where we can find it. Like an appetizer that should whet our appetites for a great meal, we’ve had the taste, but we want the meal, the want the full course. And we have created the buffet for you here today.

I can promise that if you put very little into this, you’ll get very little out of it. But that if you put yourself into this, you might get a whole lot out of it.

I can promise you that if you do this, you’re taking a step in the right direction. You’ll be taking a step towards community, towards healing, towards connection.

I can’t promise that you’ll find your best friends in the world, and these relationships will last a lifetime, and if you’re single you’ll find your spouse, but I can promise you’ll meet some amazing people, because I meet so may of you, and you really are some amazing people.

I can’t promise that you won’t be disappointed, discouraged, let down, or even have some significant struggles with your group. I know this because I know many of you, and as wonderful as you are, you’re also really messed up! But I can promise that you can find the opportunity to extend forgiveness, to show people grace, to work out trying to love each other as Christ loved you and gave his life for you.

I can’t promise that you’ll have every problem and every issue in your life solved by Christmas. These groups aren’t your private counseling session. Your facilitators aren’t going to hold up Rorschach ink bog tests, say tell me about your mother, and engage in electro shock therapy. But I can promise that you’ll taste a positive, Christ-center gathering of people who are praying and working to foster a healing environment. I can promise you’ll laugh, or at least laugh at the group after you leave. You’ll share life and socialize together.

I can promise that when you gather together in homes, that you are doing what the church has done from the moment it was born. I promise that when you gather together in Jesus’ name, he is there. I promise that when Jesus is there, you are his body, and you are the church.

And I know this- and it sounds like a guilt trip, but I don’t want it to be a guilt trip, I just believe it’s the truth, if you aren’t a part of a group, you are robbing yourself of what could be one of the most awesome things in your life. And more, you are robbing others of your gifts, of your grace, of your beauty. And I don’t want to be robbed of getting to know you. And I don’t want you to be robbed of getting to know me.

If you’re ready to sign up, go ahead, write your name, mark your group, and hand in the card when you leave. If you have some questions go see Mark and some of our other leaders. Ask them anything at all, even how to drywall your basement. I’m going to pray. You fill in your cards. The band is going to take us out in song.

W

Series: Wiii Church
September 7, 2008

1 Corinthians 12:27 tells us, “Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.” That’s what we’re talking about the next four weeks.

When I was in the 9th grade a friend was going on a summer vacation for a week, and I talked him into letting me borrow his NES. For a week of my summer I did nothing but play SMB, determined that I was going to complete the games. The whole concept was revolutionary. That week I accomplished my goal and finished the game. My friend returned. I gave him back his game system, and I told him, “I just wasted an entire week of my summer. I will never play video games again.” Since that time, I have never owned a video game system. I have become woefully out of touch with the world. I ride a horse and buggy, I think little people live inside my TV, I afraid of electricity and don’t understand these “micro-waves.”

Ok, I’m not that bad. But still, I have never been interested in video games… until the Wii. I was volunteering at the Northwest London Resource Centre after school program, and they were having a game day. They had set up a game cube, guitar hero, and a Wii. A kid asked me to play Wii with him. I told him he’d have to teach me, which he thought was pretty cool. He said let’s box. He handed me the numb chucks. It was awesome. Oh, it felt so good to just kick the virtual snot out of this little punk. Then I went on to kick the snot out of another kid. I was on a roll. I was having a blast. Then this little twerp, I mean, he must have weighted 98 pounds fully clothed, with his backpack, soaking wet, holding a 45-pound plate, took the controllers. I’m telling you, I was flailing around all over the place, and this kid barely moved a muscle, largely because he didn’t have any muscle to move, and he totally cleaned my clock.

Hey, all kidding aside, the Wii system is a fascinating development in technology. It was developed under the code name “Revolution,” but they soon decided that this did not really convey what they were trying to do with the Wii. You see the Wii wasn’t so much about a wireless controller, that technology was already commonplace. What was revolutionary about the Wii was how it was going to bring people together. Obviously the Wii is spelled with two lowercase I’s, side by side, representing people standing together, and simple put, the name, “Wii” sounds like “we.” Two or more people, connecting together, sharing in the game, sharing the experience.

They changed the name from revolution to Wii, but Wii has still revolutionized the way gaming is done and will be done. And likewise, this September, we want to revolutionize the way you think about church, the way you understand church, the way you do church, the way we exist as a church, the way the world thinks about us as a church. Today, and all this month, it’s about “Wii Church.” It’s about me, and you, and all of us together, in community, in connection, doing life together.

Even the title of this series emerged in a group a few weeks back as a few of us were talking about this coming fall. But the thinking behind it started in me long ago, and really started to come into focus when I decided to go with the name “Connections.” I knew it sounded like a Christian dating service, or an internet provider, but still, it was a way for me to capture what I hoped and dreamed and believed a local church could be.

Like our mission states, we believe in a church that can become a gathering of people who are radically connected with God, with people, and with the world. And all I mean by “radical” is its root meaning, which is, “root.” To be rooted, connected in a way the grounds, that nourishes, that gives life- to God, to people and to the world. We believe that our connection with God is the most vital, most essential, most important thing we can do in this world and with our lives. And we believe that our God, unlike any religion can ever offer, invited us to enter into a relationship. We believe that God the Father loves us and sent his son Jesus to us. We believe that Jesus lives in a direct connection and relationship with each and every one of his believers by sending us the Holy Spirit. And that each believer, filled with the Holy Spirit, is connected to one another, in a way that is both contemporary and concrete (here and now) and is metaphysical and eternal.

And it is through this connection with God that we become connected with one another, and when we are connected to one another, we become what the bible calls the church. And thus the church is “me,” but it is so much more than just me, it is “we.”

We are Canadians and Americans, and Camericans like my family!
We are young and old,
men and women,
rich and poor,
Red and yellow, black and white, and some even have the orange tan thing.
We are educated and uneducated,
left brained and right brained and no brained,
capable and handicapped.
We are Liberals and Conservatives.
We are athletes and book worms.
Leafs fans and Senators fans, and maybe even some of us who care way more about football.
We are the mature in faith, and new in faith,
traditional and contemporary,
Orthodox and Catholic,
Reformed and Wesleyan,
Baptist and Anabaptist.
We have been monks, and social activists.
We have conscientiously served, and we have conscientiously objected
We have built a city on a hill, and we have entered into the city to heal
We have sinned greatly, and have been greatly forgiven
We have been given much, and we have much still to give
We have loved much, and have many more to love!

We are the church and we are every person, in every corner of the world, who has died, who lives, who are yet to be born, who are IN JESUS CHRIST. That’s it, that’s the primary definition of the church- We are the gathering of everyone who has lived or now lives in Jesus Christ- every person who puts their life in Jesus.

And when we are the church, we will experience life the way it was meant to be lived. We will find community, hope, healing and wholeness. We will find life in Jesus, and we will find life in each other. We will be encouraged, and challenged. We will have our lives saved, and we will have our lives ruined- that is, we will have our old, boring, dead-end dreams of fame, wealth and worldly success ruined by a vision to live in a better way. We will discover that place where we are loved, where we have purpose, where we belong. And in the church, in this connection, we will tap into a power unlike anything else we have ever experienced.

You see, I believe that behind what much of our culture calls psychological disorder (not everything mind you), but much of what we think of as disorder, is actually so prevalent, that it is in fact the normal order of things in a fallen world. Angst, anguish, anger, confusion, depression, fear, guilt, loneliness… since everyone experiences these things to some degree, they are a part of our common soul cry for God.

I believe that because a disconnected soul lies at the heart of most of our personal and cultural struggles, the solution (again, not always, but more often that not) is not therapy, not to further isolate ourselves from others, going behind closed doors to vent on a expert at reflective listening, but church. The solution is believing in Jesus, repentance, turning our life over to God, connecting with Him, then connecting with others in him.

I believe that the greatest need then in someone’s life after they connect with God, is to connect with other people. Communities of people pouring their heart, their love, their lives into others; as we have others pouring their heart, their love, their lives into ours.

And therefore, (and this is what’s going to ruffle the feathers of hard-core church types) these communities are not primarily about correcting wrong behaviors, or providing accountability, or having mentors who are like spiritual giants standing over us- these communities are about connection. Simply connecting with each other, as the children of God, the body of Christ.

Is there a place for correcting wrong behaviors? Sure there is. If your life is wrapped up in self destructive and other-destructive behaviors, then God can help, and the church can help, and God will help and the church will help. But the church is not primarily about entering into a behavior modification program of rules and regulations; it’s about a living relationship with God.

Is there a place for accountability? Sure, when we come to a place where we desire a standard of life higher than we can ever achieve on our own, when we have that kind of intimacy with a few others. But again, the church is not primarily about holding a standard over your head so you feel constantly guilty about where you are. The church is about receiving forgiveness in Jesus, and together leaning on the standard of Jesus to raise us from death to life, from this world to the next, and living in grateful response to the grace and love he’s lavished on us.

Is there a place for being mentored and mentoring others? Of course there is. But these relationships are so intimate, so personal, so wonderful when they happen and come into place, that we can’t force them. But we can plan for them. Because the only way we are ever going to find them, the only way we can ever get to place to say to some one, follow me, or, I want to follow you, is if we are already connected, already in community, already living as the church.

This is about “we” being the church. I want to do this because I believe, like others before me, that the church is the hope of the world. I believe that the church is the one enduring and eternal institution of this world. I believe it is way more than an institution, it is an organism. I believe that the church is the organic, dynamic, predestined hope for the world. I believe that church is the living, breathing, growing body of Jesus Christ. I believe that the church is made manifest in the people of God here on earth, and will be made glorified in eternity. I believe the church is the best thing that I, or anyone else, can be a part of on this side of heaven, because the church is going to be the bride of Jesus in heaven. I believe that church, more than anything else in the world, is the method and the means to change the world.

We are the Ecclesia. That’s the Greek word that we translate church. It means a gathering or an assembly. It also has the connotation of being called out. So we, the ecclesia, are people who are called out from the world, who gather together in Jesus. Then Jesus sends us back out into the world to gather more!

Jesus said, whenever 2 or more people get together in my name, I am there. Whenever one person calls on the name of Jesus, they are saved. They become a Christian. They enter into a relationship with God the Father through believing in Jesus Christ the Son and they are filled with the Holy Spirit. They are a Christian. And that person, whether they like it or not, whether they want it or not, are immediately and eternally a part of the church. When that Christian gets together with just one other Christian- bang! The church is made visible. That’s the way it is, because we are the church. It’s not a building, and we do violence to the real nature of the church when we think of it not analogous to a building, but as a building, we change it from something living, to something dead. It’s not just a meeting on Sunday mornings. And we diminish church, we lessen it’s greatness when we think if is simply as one hour Sunday morning, no matter how important or awesome that worship experience is.

Some people don’t get this because Jesus didn’t talk about it much. Jesus didn’t rail on and on about the church. He spent his ministry talking about the Kingdom of Heaven, or the Kingdom of God. He preached, more than anything else, repent, for the kingdom is near! Jesus spent his life calling people into a relationship with him, calling people to follow him, healing the sick, giving sight to the blind, feeding the hungry, casting out demons, even raising the dead. He taught people about the love of God and how to love their neighbors. He welcomed little children into his arms. He mingled with the haves and have not’s. He associated with the right people, and the wrong crowd. He comforted the afflicted, and he afflicted the comfortable. He gave people without hope a reason to live. He gave people without purpose a direction in life. He forgave sinners and set them free. Jesus is without a doubt the most compelling figure in all of history. He has changed the world. His legacy lives on and grows larger every day.

Jesus is easy to love. He really is. And there really are few people in the history of the world who have studied the life of Jesus and have not come to believe in him as the Lord and savior of the world, even fewer won’t at least fall in love with him as the most exceptional human who ever lived. It really is hard not to love him.

So Jesus, on the last night of his life on earth, before his death, resurrection and ascension, said to his disciples a new command I give to you: love one another, as I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples. (John 13:34-35) Can you believe that- he set us up. He came to us, he lived with us, he taught us, healed us, saved us. He became our savior and our Lord, and that was great. Then he had to go and mess the whole thing up by telling us that we had to love each other, and that this is how the world will know him. He set us up!

He set us up because you people really make it hard to love you. I know, I’m your pastor. I mean, you have issues, you have baggage, you have real problems. You come from broken families, and the sins of your parents have haunted you for a lifetime. You have addictions and attitudes problems. You have parents who are sick and dying and need cared for. You have kids who have rebelled and break your heart. You have trouble finding a relationship, and finding someone to marry. Then when you find someone you have trouble in your marriage. You have debt and messed up finances. You have trouble at school and at work. Have you seen you people? Have you looked in the mirror? You really make it really hard to love you.

But God did love you. He loved you so much he has saved you and called you his very own. He loved you and trusted you so much he entrusted to you the very desire of his heart, the very center of his mission- to be the church. To be his body, the body of Christ. And as the church he send us into the world. So we’d be his feet going to everyone on earth. And we’d become his voice and we’d share the best news the world has ever heard, the greatest story ever told. And we’d be his ears, listening to the voices crying out in the darkness. And we’d his hands, going to everyone and lifting them out of the graves of this world. And so now we are left having to love other people the way Jesus loved all people because the Holy Spirit lives in us, and connects each of us, and changes my life from just being about me, to being all about we.

Our story doesn’t end with Jesus. It really just begins. Jesus appeared to his disciples for 40 days after his resurrection, then he ascended into heaven, promising to send to us the Holy Spirit. And when the Spirit would come, the church would be born. And the Spirit did come, and the church was born, and on the they very day the church was born A man named preached the story of Jesus, and 3000 people believed, repented, and were baptized.

Immediately Acts tells us what marked the life of the church…

Acts 2:42They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. 44All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. 46Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

What are the marks of the church? To summarize, they were devoted to God, they were devoted to one another, and they were devoted to others. And this is what we have devoted ourselves to. Take away one of those pillars- devotion to God, to people, to the world, and the church isn’t the church anymore. Take away one, and like a three-legged stool, the whole thing falls over.

This is what the church did, and what our church does. To gathering in worship in celebration of God, to study God’s word, to pray. That’s what these celebrations are all about. It didn’t end there, that was just the beginning, They gathered in homes to fellowship with one another and share in life together. That’s what we’re talking bout next week. Their life together was marked by their baptism in the Lord Jesus. SO that’s what we’re doing September 21. Their life together was sustained in sharing Communion, or the Lord’s Supper, or the breaking of Bread, or the Eucharist (it sure has a lot of names), but whatever your favorite title, we’re sharing in that meal on September 28.

That passage ended with what I think is just about the most awesome things ever- They enjoyed the favor of all people and the Lord added daily to their number those who were being saved. And so we pray daily to see people saved. This is what we mean by Wiii Church.

We are serious about Wiii Church. We are so serious about this, that we want to remove every obstacle form your path to connecting with God, and connecting with people, and connecting with the world. One of the things we’ve heard from some of our folks is that because we rush out of here after worship, a lot of folks don’t have time to connect with others. Sorry, it’s one of the limitations of the theatre and engaging our culture here. But today I want to remove your excuse for not connecting. We believe so deeply in WE, in relationships, that we are giving you a $5 gift card to Starbucks. Everyone who wants one will get one. IF we run out, I’ll run over to Starbucks and get more. They are worth $5, that’s enough for two people to each get a Grande, or Giganto, or whatever they call it, coffee. But that’s the catch. You have to share it. You have to grab a person, grab a card, and go, or set up a time to go. Or, if there’s someone you’ve been wanting to invite to Connections, or someone you just need to connect with, you can take a card, call that person, and go connect.

Are we trying to buy you off? Absolutely. You bet. We think you are worth $5. We think your relationship are worth $5. In fact, we think your life and your relationships are worth way more than $5. We think you are priceless, you are worth the life of Jesus Christ, and your relationships are about the best thing you can invest in in this world. And if $5 can help us communicate you’re worthy. If $5 can help grow relationships, well we think that the best investment we can make as a church.

And if $5 Starbucks cards gets people talking about the church that bribes people to come- well so what. In fact, if it gets them talking, if it gets them visiting us, great! But we aren’t giving out cards next week, so they all missed the boat!