Vision Sermon
When I arrived here 7 years ago, I met with the congregation in small groups of 10-12 people and asked 3 questions: What do you love about Gretna UMC? What do you want to change? And what do you want to keep the same? In those meetings, I remember Judy North making a statement that “if we as a church don’t change, we’re going to die.” That struck me because this church, though rocked by Hurricane Katrina but still 140 strong in worship, was nowhere near death. Usually a church will dwindle down to 50 people or less before they realize they need to change. It also taught me that there was an openness to change for the sake of the mission of Christ. I just didn’t realize how much change we were going to undergo. Out of those small group discussions, it became very clear that God had laid on the leadership’s heart a passion and desire to become more diverse. I have to tell you that the idea of building a diverse community of faith was not on my radar. In fact, I knew absolutely nothing about building or growing a multi-ethnic congregation. But I knew this: I wanted to do what God wants, no matter what it is. One morning as I was driving to church, I was thinking about all of the challenges before the church and the idea of becoming a multiethnic congregation and I had an overwhelming sense of inadequacy consume me. Tears started coming down my face as I cried out to God in prayer, “I can’t do that alone. I need you in the middle of this!”
We assembled a Vision Team and went through a revisioning effort, out of which we identified our vision. Say it with me, “Connecting diverse communities to a lifestyle devoted to Jesus.” That first word “connecting” is a powerful word. It’s at the heart of the evangelistic mission of Jesus. From the very beginning of Jesus’ ministry, we see that faith means connecting to Jesus. And being a disciple of Jesus means connecting others to Jesus as well. We see this with Phillip in John Chapter 1 when he encounters Jesus who says to him, “Follow me.” Philip then goes and finds Nathanael, telling him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law." He takes Nathanael to meet Jesus and Nathanael comes to faith in Jesus. Therein lies the heart of what it means to be a disciple: connecting others to Jesus. That’s what a disciple is, one who makes disciples by connecting them to Jesus. So let me ask you a question today: how are connecting people in your life to Jesus? Are you reaching out and developing new relationships? And are those leading to Jesus? We have over 200,000 people on the WestBank and the majority are not connected to Jesus. The opportunity is there if you’re willing to respond to the call of Jesus to be a connector, a disciple and a fisher of men.
It’s about reaching your oikos, the 10-15 people God has strategically placed in your life but it’s also about reaching all people. It’s not just about connecting to people like yourself to Jesus. It’s about connecting people of all nations, races and tongues to Jesus that cross our path. It’s one thing to have an inclusive Gospel, a message of Good News for all people. It’s another to have an inclusive God, who loves all people and offers his Son as a sacrifice for all. But it is quite another to be an inclusive community of faith where not only is everyone welcome but where we commit to connect with one another in life and ministry. Martin Luther King said that the most segregated hour of worship is 11 AM on Sunday morning. He was right then and he’s right today. In America today, 92% of all churches are mono-racial, that is of the same race. And yet God calls us to so much more. In Jesus’ last recorded prayer, He prays that all people “may they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” John 17:20-23 Did you get why unity among all people is so important? First is so that the world would know God’s love for all people. All are welcome in his family and at his table. Second is so that by our life together we may be a living witness of the kingdom of God and they may come to believe. It’s our life together which is the most powerful testimony we could ever share with the world. We are a living witness to the Good News of Jesus Christ. Say it with me, “We are a living witness!” When the world sees unity among such diverse believers, they will know He truly is the Savior of the world and that God’s love overcomes all divisions. The world says what we are accomplishing is impossible. But we know that with God all things are possible. And we have seen what’s possible with God in our very midst. We are beacon to others that diverse believers can walk as one in Christ.
It’s about taking on the lifestyle of Jesus. In New Orleans, you don’t have to go very far to find diversity. We are a checkerboard city with a wonderful gumbo-like culture and people. We are filled with diverse communities and neighborhoods each with their identity and culture. Those neighborhoods and communities are filled with alot of different lifestyles in this city: the yat lifestyle, the WestBank lifestyle, the country club lifestyle, the cool daddy lifestyle, the hip hop lifestyle, the gangsta lifestyle, the Uptown lifestyle, the bohemian lifestyle, the artist lifestyle, and the list could go on and on. Your lifestyle not only defines who you are, with whom you identify but also what you value and believe in. And it is to these diverse people, cultures and lifestyles with whom we are to connect as followers of Jesus and are then to connect them to Jesus. For they “are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus…There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3:26-27 We are a unique city because it is our culture which unites us as New Orleaneans, but it is Christ Jesus which can unite us as brothers and sisters in Christ!
The only lifestyle which truy in life-giving is following in the footsteps of Jesus. The life you have been given is a gift of God and we called to live that life for God. In fact, your entire life is meant to be your worship of God: your thoughts, your words and your deeds. Too often, we Christians have limited following Jesus to just believing in him, as evidence that most non-Christians see no difference between the lives Christians lead and their own. We’re not just called to believe in Jesus. We are called to live for Jesus and to live LIKE Jesus. You remember the Gatorade commercial with Michael Jordan and the tagline, “Be like Mike.” Well, our goal as Christians is to “be like Jesus.” 1 John 2:5-6 puts it this way, “This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.” The Message Translation in Ephesians 4:24 says: We are to “…take on an entirely new way of life—a God-fashioned life, a life renewed from the inside and working itself into your conduct as God accurately reproduces his character in you.” (The Message) This meant to be our lifestyle, following the example of Jesus. When a person gives their life to Christ, that’s exactly what they are doing, giving their life over to Jesus. They give up their old lifestyle their way of thinking and acting, and take on the thoughts, beliefs and actions of Jesus. You see, Jesus claims it all. He will accept nothing less! We are to love Him and follow Him in all things, not just some things. Jesus calls us to total obedience and loyalty, in every part of life, our family, our careers, our friendships, our finances and our inner life.
So part of our challenge as followers of Jesus is to take seriously Jesus’ calls on our lives: to not only to believe in him but to live for him and like Him. Your life is your witness. Jesus said, “Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”You know the old saying, “Your life may be the only Bible a person reads.” People want to see a sermon before they listen to one. And that starts with us. You cannot call someone to something you’re not living and doing.
You are to be devoted to Jesus above everything else! Everyone is devoted to something: career, a lifestyle, a spouse, a family, or even a favorite hobby or pastime. But when you decided to follow Jesus, you devoted yourself to Him above everything else! When you come to faith in Jesus, it’s isn’t about adding Jesus to your life. He went on to say, "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.” Matt. 8:23 It’s about making Jesus your life by taking on his lifestyle. Jesus said, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” Luke 9:23 In other words, you’ve got to make a choice in this life to be “devoted to Jesus” above everything and everyone else or you’re not devoted to Him at all. And it’s not a once time decision, it’s reaffirmed in very decision you make every day.
What does it mean to be devoted to Jesus? It’s means being his disciple. In the first century, a disciple chose a rabbi or teacher and followed Him until they became just like him. They committed to three things. First is to know and understand their rabbi’s teachings. If you are a disciple of Jesus, how well do you know Jesus’ teachings? You cannot follow Jesus and be like Jesus if first you don’t understand his teachings and His call on your life. The Bible is not just words and stories, but this is our guidebook and our manual of life. We must live out all of its commands. Second is to imitate their rabbi’s actions. Disciples lived with and followed a rabbi to observe and learn how their teacher kept the commands of God in every area of their lives: how he kept the Sabbath, how he fasted, how he prayed, how he gave charity, and how he served others on and on. It wasn’t enough just to know the Scriptures or even what your Rabbi teaches. You’ve got to put these things into action. Otherwise, they really don’t hold any real value in your life. The goal of following Jesus is to become just like Him. Jesus put it this way: “every disciple, after he has been fully trained, will be like his teacher.” Luke 6:40 So how much of your life, your thoughts, your words and your actions reflect those of Jesus?. When people look at you do they see Jesus? Are you able to say as Paul did, “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ”?
The third and final charge given to a disciple was to raise up other disciples. When a disciple was fully trained (usually after a period of three years), they went out on their own to become a full-fledged rabbi. They then sought their own students to teach His Master’s teachings, traditions, interpretations of the Law and His way of life. The goal was to pass on the rabbi’s way of life to the next generation. During Jesus’ time on earth, he spent three years spending time with, teaching and training his disciples to do one thing: to go out and raise up more disciples. This why his final command was to: “go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” This is our commission today as well so that the teachings and lifestyle of Jesus might be fulfilled from generation to generation until the Kingdom of God is established in our midst.
So how long have you been a disciple of Jesus? If it’s been longer than three years and you’re not out on your own making disciples, why not? What do you need to do become a disciple of Jesus which means making disciples?
Do you get it? The mission of Gretna UMC “connecting diverse communities to a lifestyle devoted to Jesus” starts with you. It will only go as far as you have grown in your relationship with Christ and as you are making disciples who make disciples. Together, the vision of God will continue to become a reality. It’s not going to be easy. But it is the only thing where you will find true meaning, life and purpose. It’s why you are here. It’s what you were born for. And it’s what you have given your life to when you came to faith in Jesus Christ. Amen.
