The Best is Yet to Come
The Falling Away
August 28, 2022 • Gregg Parris • Matthew 7:21–23, 2 Thessalonians 2:1–3, 1 Timothy 4:1–2, Luke 8:5–15, 2 Corinthians 13:5
Recent headlines and statistics are not encouraging. There are more than 72 Million Millennials in America, almost one-quarter of our population. An increasingly large portion of the Millennials are walking away from a faith of any kind, choosing to identify themselves as religious ‘nones.’ Researchers in 2008 noted that one third of all Millennials describe themselves as religiously unaffiliated. Ten years later that number had grown to 42%. More trouble: Church numbers in America have suffered a decades-long decline. Gallop first measured church membership in America in 1937. It was 73%. In the 1980’s it was 70%. In 2000 65%. By 2010 it was 59%. Today, less than half of Americans 47% are part of a church. Falling away from the Church or falling away from the faith is serious but it is a deeper reflection of people falling away from Jesus. I. What does this mean? 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3 This is a prophecy about tomorrow that may have implications for today. This falling away Paul is referring is more than a gradual defection from the Church. He calls it “The Falling Away.” Don’t panic. We may be seeing the beginning of the great falling away but not the full effect of the tribulation. Therefore, we still have time to work! II. How could people fall away? a. Some people fall away because they are deceived. I Timothy 4:1-2 b. Some people fall away because they are disillusioned. Luke 8:5-8; 12-13 c. Some fall away because they are distracted. Luke 8:14-15 III. Where do we go from here? a. Examine yourselves II Corinthians 13:5; Matthew 7:21-23 b. Encourage yourselves I Samuel 30:6 c. Exercise yourselves I Timothy 4:7-8; Revelation 2:4-5; Jude 24-25 “It's okay if you don't deconstruct your faith! Practice subversion. Practice resistance. Go to church. Go to Sunday school. Go to youth group and pot-luck and feel free to not apologize for it. Read the Bible even if you don't understand it. Read the Bible and come alive. Give money. Give time. Feel free to not deconstruct. Feel free to not have a crisis of faith. I mean, it's okay if you do have a crisis of faith but feel free not to manufacture one. Doubt is normal but it's not as normal as faith. We are hard-wired to believe. Don't fetishize your doubts. Of course, life is full of crises which seem to contradict God's existence. I do not care. The abyss does not scare me. It is fair to critique the inadequacies of mental assent but go ahead, go on up that mountain of belief. Christ isn’t at the top. He is the mountain and it will feel like at times he is resisting you but you'll soon see that the obstacles he allows are simply the places where you will discover the truth of your testimony. Resist the pressure to start a new religion. Resist the pressure to buy someone else's new piecemeal religion. Don't do drugs. Stay married if you can. Resist graceless religious fervor. Conform to the image of Christ. Take seriously Matthew 5, 6 and 7. Take these teachings into your heart and live your whole life by them. You are the salt of the earth.” Andy Squyres
Serving
August 21, 2022 • Jeff Hughes • Hebrews 13:5–6, Jeremiah 1:4–9, Jeremiah 1:17–19
Jeremiah 1:4-9, 17-19 1. The Task is Too Demanding The word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” Jeremiah 1:4-5 2. My Talent is Inadequate “Alas, Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I do not know how to speak; I am too young.” Jeremiah 1:6 "Then the LORD reached out His hand, touched my mouth, and told me: I have now filled your mouth with My words" Jeremiah 1:9 Always let your inadequacy make you dependent on God's all-sufficiency! 3. It’s Not a Good Time "Then the LORD said to me: Do not say, ‘I am only a youth,' for you will go to everyone I send you to and speak whatever I tell you. Do not be afraid of anyone, for I will be with you to deliver you. This is the LORD's declaration" Jeremiah 1:7-8 “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?” Hebrews 13:5-6 "Do not be afraid of anyone, for I will be with you to deliver you. This is the LORD's declaration" Jeremiah 1:8 4. Surely Someone Else Will Go God said, "Now, get ready. Stand up and tell them everything that I command you…" Jeremiah 1:17 “…Do not be terrified by them, or I will terrify you before them.” Jeremiah 1:17
Sharing the Good News
August 14, 2022 • Gregg Parris • John 3:16, Matthew 28:18–20
Matthew 28:18-20 OUR MISSION: (Why we exist) Know Jesus Grow in relationship with Jesus Go making Jesus known to others OUR VISION: (What we are going to do together) Win the lost Outreach to each unique generation Relevant worship Strategic missions Home groups Impacting the Church Practical ministry 1. The Gospel is to be shared. John 3:16; Mathew 28:18-20 2. Tell someone: Close the deal. Be prepared to lead a prayer of salvation. 3. Be ready to follow up after the conversation.
Not Peace But Glory
August 7, 2022 • Gregg Parris • John 12:23–24, 2 Corinthians 11:24–29, John 12:27–28
II Corinthians 11:24-29 “Faith ought not be a puny thing. If you believe, have faith like a giant. And may God not grant you peace, but glory.” Mary Bethune Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds…Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name!” John 12:23-24; 27-28 Glory looks like sacrifice. It looks like paying a price. It looks like dying for something you believe in. It looks like being willing to suffer for the glory of God by bringing His grace into this world. How did the first century Church, this group of nobodies, no clout, no power, no status, no social or political connections…how did they overcome, conquer and transform their culture? They did it by living the way that Jesus lived, by loving and serving in the way of Jesus. And when they were persecuted and executed, they did it by dying the way that Jesus did. It’s going to be hard to minister to this culture in a way that matters. It’s going to be hard to sort the cultural, political and generational landscape. It’s going to be hard to stay faithful, stay committed, stay focused. But that’s okay because we have not been called to easy, safe or comfortable. We have been called to glory! You and I have difficult things to do but that’s okay, because remember this, “Faith ought not be a puny thing. If you believe, have faith like a giant. And may God not grant you peace, but glory.”