A Call To Action
Sermon Review
03 March 2002
(Matt 28:19,20)Introduction: Paul says in 1Cor.14:8, "…if the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle?'. The simple answer is not many or not any. The Great Commission (Matt.28:19,20) which was given to the disciples of Jesus was a clear call to action for those disciples. Under the power of the Holy Spirit, they went and preached the Christian Gospel, and established churches with those who responded wherever they went. Instead of anointing 12 other persons as Apostolic successors to continue what they had begun, they left behind churches. In God's mind and theirs, the church was God's instrument for continuing to fulfil this commission. This means that the responsibility for continuing to fulfil the Lord's command rests fairly and squarely on the shoulders of the church both worldwide and local - that means us.
Therefore, the Great Commission should be a clear trumpet call to action for all Christians - you and I included. As part of the church we are to do what we can to make disciples, which obviously means first sharing the gospel with others because evangelism has to precede discipleship. As the church is to make public the manifold wisdom of God (Eph.3:10), so individual Christians are called to 'declare his praises' ie. make them public 1Pet.2:9; to share the Christian faith with others so they can grow Phil6; and to 'hold out the word of life' to others beyond themselves Phil.2;14-16. Simply put, we cannot avoid the fact that Matt.28:19, & 20 is a call to action for each of us here today who profess to know Christ.
As a call to action, it is important to realise what that means. As the hands and feet of Christ, each of us needs to be actively involved in doing what we can to individually and corporately fulfil the Great Commission. There are no exceptions, no qualifiers, and no exclusions. Life ebbs and flows with changes in circumstance and opportunity, and there are different levels of giftedness and faith, but the trumpet call must always sound clear to each of us. If it doesn't, then we have yet to be 4th. level seeds, able to give forth 30, 60, 100 fold Matt.13:1-23 - ie. misunderstanding (hard path), personal shallowness and instability (rocky soil), or worldly anxieties and concerns (thorns) still reign supreme. We have yet to seek God's Kingdom first, and turn our belief into wholehearted commitment Matt.6:33.
Just recently, I read a book titled 'Primary Purpose', by Ted Haggard. He argues for evangelism as the church's primary purpose, and presents the operating principle of his church in Colorado Springs - to make it hard for people to go to hell in Colorado Springs. That is the aim the Great Commission implicitly carries. As such, it is an aim worthy of us reflecting on. It is worthwhile asking ourselves, 'what are am I doing personally and what am I doing through the church to make it hard for people to go to hell in Armidale?
The answers to these questions would be many and varied, but at the very least they would include the need to be explicitly active as a church in the wider community, and being visible Christians on a personal level, not hidden ones. Why should homosexuals be the only ones who 'out'? Currently there is a push to promote the Gay & Lesbian Mardigras and the Gay Games later on this year in Sydney with over 14,000 athletes will be publicly participating. Surely Christians should be 'out - outing' homosexuals. At the moment we have begun the Market Ministry, and continue to reflect prayerfully on how to establish it as an advertisement for this Church, for Christ, and for ongoing experiments in meaningful contact with non-Christians. At this point we do not need more people helping to run it, after all, we still wish to run a Sunday morning service as well. But it does mean that all can be praying for it, inquiring how it is going, coming down after church every now and then and encouraging those there and seeing how it is going first hand; and surely it means when asked, to be willing to respond wherever and however you can to support and help it happen eg. Appropriate Crafts etc.
Think of the Autumn Festival that is coming up - the interdenominational float, the Travel Club and Youth Amalgamation Float, and our Stall. All of these are worthwhile public activities to be involved in. With respect to our church stall in the park after the parade, this will be more complicated than our Stall in the Mall. It is a much bigger set up, and will require many more people to make it a success. A large number of cakes and slices need to be cooked and donated. People will need to help out behind the counter. And importantly, we need to keep in mind that we are not doing this for financial profit, but to make it harder for people to go to hell in Armidale. This is a significant opportunity for you to be known and identified with a Church and the Christian faith in front of the community - perhaps in front of some people that you actually know, or know you? This is invaluable. On the day we will have tables and chairs for people to sit at. It is an ideal opportunity for any that see friends or associates, to serve them and then go and sit at a table with them for a while. Let others take up serving. On each table there will be a few leaflets advertising the church and outlining the gospel. Take these opportunities to share these appropriately with your friends. Become known as a Christian and pray for opportunities to meaningfully relate to non-Christians that God may bring across your path that day.
On a different but related subject, think about our trip today down to Tamworth to have a BBQ at Freedom today. This is not evangelism, but it is related to the Great Commission. Surely to disciple includes us individually shouldering responsibilities that we have collectively taken on before God. As a church we had the opportunity to pray about our support of this mission for a few weeks and then to come together and to decide what we believed God wanted of us. The decision was made collectively to move ahead and support them. We donate $25 a month as a church, we have supplied a few articles of furniture and a hamper for Christmas, and I keep in regular touch with Chris & Elaine to encourage them. But before God, I believe that we need to do more than this to justify our acceptance of God's endorsement on us supporting this mission. We need to show an interest in Chris & Elaine, in the facilities and location - to encourage them and the Freedom Committee who are struggling with all manner of adverse pressure and difficulty. Surely it means being personally involved with those who are involved in this mission wherever and whenever we can - to try and establish and maintain a human link with them? To sacrifice an afternoon, to supply some meat and travel an hour or so to give them a shot in the arm seems to me to be a small price to pay for great dividends for them. But not only for them, but us also. One of the dividends for us will undoubtably be the opportunity to meet with Christian Aboriginals, something we probably all need with the bad press and escalating problems surrounding the Armidale Aboriginal population.
However, and most importantly, there is another significant dividend for us, for you - experiencing God at work in you and through you! The Experiencing God series should have highlighted in no uncertain terms that a person experiences God as they actively get about doing his work and obeying him in their lives. Being public Christians and participating in such things as the Autumn Festival, Freedom, and the Market and other ministries like the Ladies, Men's, Youth, and Children's, means that you will have the opportunity to grow and develop as a person and as a Christian, and ultimately in your experience of God - not just discharge responsibilities associated with the Great Commission and make it harder for people to go to hell in Armidale than it currently is. Paul said that if the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle? The trumpet has been sounded - have you heard it? Are you ready for battle? Then get involved! Go public! Freedom, the Markets, the Autumn Festival, our Youth, Sunday School, and other church ministries beckon. More importantly, behind them God beckons! How wonderful it would be to have to so many wanting to be involved in these things that some would have to miss out. A Pastors dream and God's delight! The trumpet has sounded. If you have an ear, listen and respond to what the Spirit is saying to us - to you, this morning - you will never regret it.
Blessings