We have been talking about “I can’t Stay Here” ...

... and we have used Elijah as an example.1 Kings 19:4 (NLT2) “Then he went on alone into the wilderness, traveling all day. He sat down under a solitary broom tree and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, LORD,” he said. “Take my life, for I am no better than my ancestors who have already died.” Maybe it is just my imagination but it seems like more and more of my conversations with friends and church people are spent on weariness, over commitment, and just being border line ready to quit. When you run into someone you know and you just ask a simple question like…What is going on with you these days? I am way too busy…I am on the edge of burnout…I am doing way too much. So what is the result of this pushing and pushing and going and going? We are doing more and enjoying it less.

1. We deal with inner weariness. We have all had our list of commitments and obligations grow and grow (all good things) and many do not know when enough is enough. I have warned our pastors about once a month commitments. The good news about being this busy is having so many opportunities to use our gifts and skills for God. The bad news is the increasing amount of fatigue and frustration in our spirits.

2. There is always one more thing to do. I constantly pray that nothing will happen in my week to interrupt what I already have to get done without having a major sense of dis-ease about things still undone. Notice the two words – dis-ease and disease. MacDonald – Anyone who has given themselves to the leading, caring, or developing of people knows that there is always one more thing that could be done or done better and more completely. Psalm 27:4 (NKJV) “One thing I have desired of the LORD, That will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD All the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the LORD, And to inquire in His temple.” Jesus is our example of just slowing down. J.B. Phillips – “It is refreshing to study the poise and quietness of Christ. His task and responsibility might well have driven a man out of his mind. But He was never in a hurry, never impressed by numbers, never a slave of the clock. He was acting, He said, as He observed God to act---never in a hurry.” I can’t stay here…I must be like Jesus and I must seek Jesus! 

Last week we started this series…I Can’t Stay Here…

...and it seemed to connect with many of you as well as with myself. We all can relate to Elijah at some point. 1 Kings 19:1-8 (NLT2) “Elijah was afraid and fled for his life. He went to Beersheba, a town in Judah, and he left his servant there. Then he went on alone into the wilderness, traveling all day. He sat down under a solitary broom tree and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, LORD,” he said. “Take my life, for I am no better than my ancestors who have already died.”
We talked about how ninety percent of our lives can be going so well but that ten percent that we cannot control is chewing us up. Your percentage might be different. 80-20, 70-30, or whatever it is. Where did these people go who finally just couldn’t take it anymore? The sadness, the broken-ness, the emptiness of not arriving to that magical place of peace made them disappear into oblivion. 

Please tell us what are you saying, Pastor Rick. I am telling you that you are blessed but I am also telling you that you are only one phone call or attack away from a major test or temptation in your life. It may be a doctor saying you have a brain tumor, Leukemia, lung cancer. It may be a spouse who says I am done. It may be a son or daughter who is addicted to drugs. You fill in the blanks. Life changes quickly. Somewhere along the way I believe we have bought into a myth in the church that we have to be at 100% all the time and if we are not, something is wrong with our faith. Just confess the bad away!

1. I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13 (NKJV) This has probably been one of the most abused verses in the Bible. When we process the Word of God through a gospel of prosperity…the ‘all things’ in this verse become whatever we want. If you read Paul in context, he was talking about an enduring faith that would carry him through whatever life would throw at him. Paul endured so much opposition and pain.

2. I have learned, in whatever state I am, to be content. Philippians 4:11-12 (NKJV) “Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.” Please read it for what it says. I can do all things and I can be content. Our answer is Jesus!

Today we are starting a new series that I feel is going...

... to resonate with many of us, including myself. Sometimes, after serving God for a while, we find ourselves in a place much like Elijah. He had been greatly and miraculously used by God but now his life all of a sudden appears to be dark and empty. Before he felt he was headed for a specific destination but now he seems lost. Someone was sharing with me the other day their frustration with life and how empty they felt. I knew their story so I took the liberty to do an evaluation of where they were. This person (older than me) had been very successful in their career, had plenty of finances to retire, surrounded by family and friends, and had a miraculous encounter with Jesus…this person was healed. 

I told this person…you have felt so blessed in so many ways…you have even felt successful in ways you could have only dreamed, ninety percent of your life absolutely could not be better. The problem is that 10% that you cannot ever seem to get where you want it to be. You pray, you fast, you beg God, you read books, you do everything, yet that part of your life is sucking the life out of you. Sadly, this is not something you have dealt with for a few days, a few months, and not even a few years. This has become your thorn in the flesh that seems to have plagued you for years. They asked…How did you know? I did not ask this person what the 10% was because that was between them and God. How did I know? I knew because I have had the 10% syndrome also making me feel the same way. 

Why is human nature that way that, 90% of our lives can be wonderful but we can’t seem to enjoy it because the 10% keeps us pre-occupied with hurt and frustration. Emptiness and pain. It is as though our lives are a mindless and spiritless journey crammed with events (not experiences) and contacts (not relationships). Where am I going? What does all this mean? Why has this journey with Jesus turned into a wearisome journey? When will I find tranquility and peace again? To claim that such questions do not occur to a Christian is to be unrealistic, and actually, unhelpful. With God’s help we will be attempting to answer some of these questions.

When things do not go well for us we all have a default mechanism that we run to…hopefully it is God, but many times, that is not the case. Porn, drugs, relationships, alcohol…maybe you go fishing or play tennis.

The point is…I can’t stay here and neither can you! You must declare…I can’t stay here!

Today we will conclude this ten-week series...

... on “I Love my Church” and I hope you see how important it is to be in community with the family of God. Today, in my sermon, I broke down the word community, and for simplicity, I am going to give you the Pastor Rick definition of the Community of God. Community of God – A group of born again believers worshiping together, loving each other, encouraging each other, and sharing their possessions and responsibilities in complex unity for the glory of God. Here’s the point, we are stronger together than we are apart. As we learn to love each other, as we realize none of us are perfect, and as we work toward common goals that are Biblical and godly, Jesus will be pleased with us. 

Today we are looking at the Day of Pentecost and how God poured out Holy Spirit power to people (120) who were all in one mind and one spirit. God had given this promise about the outpouring of the Spirit: Acts 1:8 (NKJV) “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." Because 120 people didn’t get discouraged after close to 400 other believers decided not to wait to be endued with power, the Holy Spirit came upon them in unity and power. The 120 quickly grew to over 3100. That can happen here!

No surprise, a day of persecution came. The apostles were arrested and commanded not to preach in Jesus Name again. They quickly went to the community of God and gave a report. Acts 4:23-24 (NLT2)
^“As soon as they were freed, Peter and John returned to the other believers and told them what the leading priests and elders had said. When they heard the report, all the believers lifted their voices together in prayer to God.” The result of the prayer meeting…the place was shaken, they were all filled with Holy Spirit, they spoke the Word with boldness, and the church grew to over 5000. Community works. 

We are calling the community of God to unity in regard to missions. We can obviously do more together perpetuating the gospel than we can apart. I challenge you to be in one mind and one accord with your pastors and leadership. The end result will be that the Kingdom of God will grow by thousands of souls coming to Christ because of our unity and vision. Community works when we all bear responsibility and do our part! Hebrews 10:24-25 (NCV) “Let us think about each other and help each other to show love and do good deeds.
You should not stay away from the church meetings, as some are doing, but you should meet together and encourage each other. Do this even more as you see the Day coming.”

Today we continue the series on community...

... and we continue speaking about the paralyzed man and his four friends. Luke 5:18-19 (NLT2) “Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a sleeping mat. They tried to take him inside to Jesus, but they couldn’t reach him because of the crowd. So they went up to the roof and took off some tiles. Then they lowered the sick man on his mat down into the crowd, right in front of Jesus.” Today for a moment please imagine with me that you are the man on the mat.

1. The trust issue with your friends. You wonder if you can trust your friends to keep you safe. What are these guys getting me into? Are they going to drop me? Ground level wouldn’t be so bad but from the roof…it could be bad! Whenever you venture out to share Christ with someone, are you a person who can be trusted to not drop them? Can you deliver on what you are promising them? Be careful what you promise people. Matthew 11:19 (NIV) “The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and "sinners."' People want to know they are loved and that we truly do care for them. Love keeps showing up, love keeps listening, love keeps making sure that people are not hurt…love keeps directing people to Jesus!

2. Trust issues with the crowd. The crowd could have looked at this as a form of butting ahead and no one likes for anyone to jump in line in front of them. He was in no place to defend himself if people got physical. The crowd (congregation) should rejoice with those who get to Jesus and find salvation or healing. Romans 12:15-16 (NLT2) “Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!”

3. Trust issues with Jesus. This man’s friends must have wondered how Jesus would respond (we still wonder). Jesus looks up and sees the faces of the friends looking down at Him. The verse says He saw their faith. We have no indication that these men said anything to Jesus but he saw their faith. He saw men working hard to get their friend to Him and their only thought was…We must get our friend close to Jesus. James 2:17 (NKJV) “Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” What does Jesus see when He sees you?

The more we dig into the scriptures...

...the more we find this idea of community. Today we are looking at men of this small community who were roof crashers. Luke 5:18-19 (NLT2) “Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a sleeping mat. They tried to take him inside to Jesus, but they couldn’t reach him because of the crowd. So they went up to the roof and took off some tiles. Then they lowered the sick man on his mat down into the crowd, right in front of Jesus.” These friends were doing what they were doing because they loved their friend. Philippians 2:3-4 (NKJV) “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.” This is key to community - True friends get their friends to Jesus!

1. Roof crashers are desperate to get their friends to Jesus. This can be for salvation, deliverance, or healing but holy desperation is necessary to get people to Jesus. Community recognizes that the only hope people have is Jesus. They are so desperate to get to Jesus that they decide nothing was going to get in their way…not even a crowd or a roof. They were motivated by their love for their friend and their trust that Jesus could do something.

2. Roof crashers break through. When was the last time you determined to break thru for a friend or someone in this community who needed a miracle? Communities pray for one another and we fight for one another. May stay up all night praying. Remember if this man does not have these friends he does not get to Jesus, he doesn’t have his sins forgiven, he doesn’t get healed, and he doesn’t have a break through.

3. Roof crashers are committed to community. This paralyzed man had true friends in their small community. Not people who were just friendly but people who are committed to you in a way acquaintances or paid service providers are not. Urie Bronfenbrenner – A family or community is a group which possess and implements an irrational commitment to the wellbeing of its members. Let’s crash some roofs for each other!

For several weeks now we have been preaching a series…

...I Love My Church…and we have been talking about the whole idea of community. The value or benefit of the local church…of Life Church! Many of you are new today and you are our very special guests. Thank you for coming to this wonderful community of God and this Easter Production. God has something wonderful in mind for you. We have talked about how Father, Son, and Holy Spirit have experienced beautiful community for all eternity and how there came a time that we were invited into that glorious community. Jesus, by His coming, His death, His burial, and His resurrection has made it possible for us to be brought into this community…into this wonderful family of God. Not a perfect family…just look around. Jesus said in Matthew 16:18 (NKJV) “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.”

Jesus’ purpose was to build His church (this community) and that is what has been happening since Jesus rose from the dead. That brings us back to this community…Life Church. Our purpose has to be His purpose…we want to co-operate with Jesus in building His church. We want to exist as a community of God so that we can invite others into this wonderful family. Thus My Easter Story! Life Church…this community…has a community within this community which is called the Life Church Music Department. This group of believers have a beautiful goal in mind for all the work they have been doing. They want you to have a personal invitation to be in community with Father, Son, Holy Spirit, and the Body of Christ…the local church. Any other purpose is misguided. Back to my original text…Jesus to the Pharisees. John 5:40 (NKJV)  “But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.”

The Pharisees thought there was another way to get into this community or to get eternal life and that was through the scriptures. The scriptures are good, church is good, an Easter program is good but…Jesus said it best…But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life. You can come to Life Church, you can come shake my hand, you can read your Bible but until you come to Jesus…you are not in. Listen to Jesus. 

John 10:9-11 (NKJV) “I am the door.” Your Easter Story can start today not because you entered this building, heard a great program, or even heard a short sermon…your story will begin because you come to Jesus. He is the only way. Acts 4:11-12 (NLT2) ^“There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.” He is the Door to this community of God and He welcomes you to come in today. We welcome you to come to Him today. Be willing to come to Jesus so you can find life and find wonderful community. Let today be the day you can say this is My Easter Story!