RUMC
September 6, 2009
Many of you remember the show mission impossible. In each episode the series the Impossible Mission Force as they were called, was presented with what seemed like an impossible mission. Somehow,
· No matter how impossible it seemed they always seemed to do the impossible.
· No mater how amazing it was they did the amazing.
· No matter how dangerous it was they faced and survived the danger.
I want to tell you today, you are God’s IMPOSSIBLE MISSION FORCE.
Thorough the Bible, God’s people have always been an impossible mission force. But then that only makes sense because, to quote the angel speaking to Mary,” with God nothing is impossible.”
We can start with creation itself- create something out of nothing? Mission
Noah- Flood the whole world and save one family? Mission
Abraham and Sarah. A child from an old woman? Mission
Escape from the slave drivers in Egypt Mission
Walk through the red sea without getting wet? Mission
Survive 40 years in the desert? Mission
A shepherd boy kill a giant with one small stone? Mission
That same shepherd boy become the greatest king of Israel Mission
The exile, the prophets, Daniel and the lion’s den? All Mission
Virgin birth- God incarnate? Mission
Water into wine, feed 5000, heal the sick, raise the dead, beat the Pharisees at their own game, defy the temple authority, die and be raised again, appear to friends after death? Mission
Take an uneducated, un couth rag tag band of fishermen, farmers, tax collectors and sinners and turn them into the greatest bunch of prophets, PR men and preachers the world has ever seen. Their message of salvation spreading like wildfire through the known world to become the official religion of history’s greatest empire within 2 centuries. Mission
If none of those things are impossible for God what makes us think we are so special? What makes those who are proclaiming the death of the church in America
Take the American church- whose death seems almost sealed by decades of decline, top heavy bureaucracy, out of touch management and lazy leadership and turn it into a living vibrant powerful force for good and the gospel of Jesus Christ? Mission
Do you remember that I told you a few weeks ago that the people who study population trends – particularly church trends- tell us that by 2020-- That is in 11 years this church and most others like it will be decimated by an aging population and migration to urban areas? They say that in 11 years 75% of the people you see here today will be gone- either dead or moved. Look around you and add 11 years to everyone’s age. Kortney and Brooke will be two of our varsity girls basketball stars - but we are being told they will not have a church to which they can bring their friends.
I say it isn’t going to happen. At least it doesn’t have to. I say if we believe that God created everything out of nothing. Nothing is impossible with God.
I say if we believe that God came in Jesus Christ to save us from our sin. Nothing is impossible with God.
I say if we believe that God can take a dead as a doornail Jesus and resurrect him to live and breathe and eat and send the disciples out to be the church. Nothing is impossible with God.
I say that if we believe that Jesus gave a bunch of normal everyday people, farmers and fishermen, office workers and physicians, business people and government workers the power to go into all the world --- and they became this great church of which we are a part, nothing is impossible with God. Dangerous, but not impossible.
The fist thing that makes us dangerous is we have a mission.
Is it dangerous for us to believe that God has given us a mission? Of course it is. Look at what people have done in the name of religion. The crusades, the inquisition, witch burnings, Jim Jones. Those around us will say these are dangerous people because they believe that God has called them to share love, and grace and hope where those are scarce. They will say these are dangerous people because they are willing to put themselves out, take risks and make sacrifices for the good of others. Or will they? I guess that is really up to each and every one of us. Do you have a mission? Do you feel an obligation, a duty, a commitment, a responsibility to step out and take risks for God? Or do you think your responsibility ends right here in your pew.
The second reason they will say we are dangerous is because we have a vision. They will say- they want to change the world. They want to turn the world upside-down. They want to change everyone. They want everyone to be like them. Let’s see “like us would be living the fruit of the spirit” - fruit of the Christian life is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness and self control. I guess they are right. We do want everyone to know the love we know. But is that a bad thing? We want everyone to be filled with the joy of salvation. Is that such a bad thing? I guess they are right we do want to change people from hatred and violence-loving to peace loving people for whom peace comes first from the heart then flows to our relationships and finally to society and the world. I guess they are right if we brought patience to our chaotic world it would seem like everything was turned upside down. If people started treating each other with kindness and goodness what would they talk about on the news? If all people exercised self control- stopped and thought before they talked, or lashed out, or flipped the bird, or shot at someone, or strapped on a bomb, … the world would be completely different wouldn’t it. Maybe our vision is dangerous. But I guess that is really up to everyone here. Do you have the vision- God’s vision for a world in which we have loved, and witnessed, and shared the good news and brought all people to Jesus to be baptized in the name of the father son and Holy Spirit?
· Do you have a vision for this congregation like I do, that it each and every one of us will experience a revival and be recommitted - to growing closer to Jesus?
· Do you have a vision for this congregation like I do, that those who sit in the pews Sunday after Sunday but believe they have nothing to contribute will be empowered to give whatever time, experience, leadership, encouragement, and service they can muster? That they will understand that their widow’s mite is more valuable to God than anything any pastor has ever done for anyone?
· Do you have a vision for your congregation like I do, that it will unite behind a common outreach that will not only make a difference in people’s live, but will bring a steady flow of new people to know Jesus.?
If that vision lies on the pages of the Bible and is never given life by those of us who read it, it is a very safe vision indeed. If that vision comes out of my mouth here this morning and falls to the ground like a lead balloon because no one picks it up and makes God’s vision their vision it is a very safe vision indeed. But that safe vision is not God’s vision. God’s vision is that we would become world changers, game changers, life changers right here in the Reinbeck UMC.
Finally we see from this passage that we are not only to have a dangerous mission and a dangerous vision, we are to be filled with a dangerous hope. Hope that we are not alone. Hope that we don’t do this for ourselves. Hope that we are not a doomed congregation in a doomed denomination in the doomed institution of American Christianity because we have one who walks beside us. He says, Lo- I am with you. I am with you when you are mocked for sharing your faith. I am with you when you fear that your pet program might fail. I am with you when you have the opportunity to reach out and help someone in Jesus name, but you don’t know whether they will accept it. I am with you; Jesus says when you fall flat on your face and when you soar like an eagle. I am with you when you take the risk to have an outreach event and no one comes and I am with you when people do come and you aren’t sure that you know what to do with them. Lo, I am with you when you have an opportunity to witness to someone even if you choke on your words and stumble
Lo I am with you always.
Lo, I am with you when you sit in your pews and cower in fear for the future of your congregation - and I am with you when you step out to follow the mission I have given you even if it seems risky, dangerous or downright impossible. Lo, I am with you always, Even to the end of the age.
At the beginning of mission impossible they always had a tape that said “Your mission if you choose to accept it.
Your mission if you choose to accept it is what I am calling the 600% challenge (Video)
100% of us actively growing closer to Jesus.
100% of us giving 100% of what we can in life-giving love, positive leadership, and willing service,
100% of us believing 100% that Jesus is 100% faithful when he says, Lo, I am with you even as we rethink church. Your mission if you choose to accept it. . .
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