I Like Church, But… 2 of 3

I Like Church, But… 2 of 3

Where Is God?

John 17:21 NLT… I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one-as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.

Introduction: John 17 is the longest recorded prayer of Jesus, and it has three movements of focus: Jesus prayed for himself (1-5), his disciples (6-19), and for us (20-26).

Jesus taught prayer as a principle, but Jesus also taught prayer as a practice. 

Transition: When the world encounters a powerless church because we are prayer-less, their claim is legitimate: I like Church But Where is God?!

Exposition: God can always be found in unity.

Conclusion: If we really want to attract the world, let’s embrace the Lord’s Prayer, and be unified as Jesus and God are unified. 

I Like Church, But… 1 of 3

I Like Church, But… 1 of 3

It Should Serve This Broken World

Luke 4:18-19 (NLT) “The Spirit of the LORD is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, ¹⁹ and that the time of the LORD’s favor has come.”⁠

Introduction: Everyone who claims Christ by faith, has been cleaned, called, and charged to share in the work of Christ. 

Transition: Jesus is now a 30 year old rabbi, who is beginning his earthly ministry. He offers fresh perspective for a familiar passage.

Exposition: The issue that we are faced with this morning, is a broken world who knows the role of the church in this work, but they also know that we are slacking on the job. So, there are broken people who are telling the church of the Lord Jesus, that “I like Church, But” your work is insufficient.

-We don’t have to do this work, we get to do it!

-Serving a broken world is not about catering to the healthy, but about convalescing the sick.

-Our sharing in the work of Christ has to be grounded in humility, because we haven’t always been healthy.

Conclusion:

What Are You Waiting For? 10 of 10

What Are You Waiting For? 10 of 10

The Talents

Matthew 25:14-30 NLT… “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. He called together his servants and entrusted his money to them while he was gone. 15 He gave five bags of silver to one, two bags of silver to another, and one bag of silver to the last—dividing it in proportion to their abilities. He then left on his trip.

16 “The servant who received the five bags of silver began to invest the money and earned five more. 17 The servant with two bags of silver also went to work and earned two more. 18 But the servant who received the one bag of silver dug a hole in the ground and hid the master’s money.

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19 “After a long time their master returned from his trip and called them to give an account of how they had used his money. 20 The servant to whom he had entrusted the five bags of silver came forward with five more and said, ‘Master, you gave me five bags of silver to invest, and I have earned five more.’ 21 “The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’

22 “The servant who had received the two bags of silver came forward and said, ‘Master, you gave me two bags of silver to invest, and I have earned two more.’ 23 “The master said, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’

24 “Then the servant with the one bag of silver came and said, ‘Master, I knew you were a harsh man, harvesting crops you didn’t plant and gathering crops you didn’t cultivate. 25 I was afraid I would lose your money, so I hid it in the earth. Look, here is your money back.’ 26 “But the master replied, ‘You wicked and lazy servant! If you knew I harvested crops I didn’t plant and gathered crops I didn’t cultivate, 27 why didn’t you deposit my money in the bank? At least I could have gotten some interest on it.’

28 “Then he ordered, ‘Take the money from this servant, and give it to the one with the ten bags of silver. 29 To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away. 30 Now throw this useless servant into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

Introduction: When God gives a gift, we bare the weight of using it for maximum multiplication.

Transition: When Jesus told this parable, it was understood opposite of the way we understand it. We compliment what in Jewish antiquity would have been condemned, and vice versa.

Exposition: Jesus labels those who bury their talent instead of being multiplying it…

-Wicked (verse 26)

-Lazy (verse 26)

-Useless (verse 30)

Conclusion: What are you waiting for? Whatever God has given you, use it! Splurge it, invest it, risk it, spread it, for the glory of God and the growth of God’s kingdom!

Reference Micah 6:8 “He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?”

What Are You Waiting For? 9 of 10

What Are You Waiting For? 9 of 10

The Wise and Foolish Bridesmaids

Matthew 25:1-13 NLT… “Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten bridesmaids who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3 The five who were foolish didn’t take enough olive oil for their lamps, 4 but the other five were wise enough to take along extra oil. 5 When the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

6 “At midnight they were roused by the shout, ‘Look, the bridegroom is coming! Come out and meet him!’ 7 “All the bridesmaids got up and prepared their lamps. 8 Then the five foolish ones asked the others, ‘Please give us some of your oil because our lamps are going out.’ 9 “But the others replied, ‘We don’t have enough for all of us. Go to a shop and buy some for yourselves.’

10 “But while they were gone to buy oil, the bridegroom came. Then those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was locked. 11 Later, when the other five bridesmaids returned, they stood outside, calling, ‘Lord! Lord! Open the door for us!’

12 “But he called back, ‘Believe me, I don’t know you!’ 13 “So you, too, must keep watch! For you do not know the day or hour of my return.

Introduction: Old wisdom advises us to embrace the principle of readiness. “It’s better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it”.

Transition: The early church fully expected the second coming of Jesus during their lifetime. This created an issue of looking being more prevalent than living.

Exposition: This parable is both an exhortation and admonition…

-Don’t believe the hype (verses 3-5)

-Stop depending on charity to cover your immaturity (verse 8)

-Midnight always tells the story (verse 6)

-Some opportunities really are once in a lifetime (verses 10-12)

Conclusion: What are you waiting for? You can only conceal temporarily and somethings you can’t steal, you must be ready so you can enjoy the journey.

What Are You Waiting For? 8 of 10

What Are You Waiting For? 8 of 10

The Wicked Servant (Pulpit Notes)

Matthew 24:45-51 NLT… “A faithful, sensible servant is one to whom the master can give the responsibility of managing his other household servants and feeding them. [46] If the master returns and finds that the servant has done a good job, there will be a reward. [47] I tell you the truth, the master will put that servant in charge of all he owns. [48] But what if the servant is evil and thinks, ‘My master won’t be back for a while,’ [49] and he begins beating the other servants, partying, and getting drunk? [50] The master will return unannounced and unexpected, [51] and he will cut the servant to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

What’s most concerning to me about this parable, is that the use of the word wicked/evil is not associated with an outhouse sinner but with an in-house servant/a trusted steward. Jesus informs us in this end time description, that sometimes our enemy isn’t without but sometimes the threat to decency and order, is an inside job.

The problem presented in this prophetic parable is that a trusted servant of the house can defect to evil/to wickedness/to disobedience, which results in permanent judgment.

Why? Why would a servant of such a kind/trusting master decide to go rogue/defecting to wickedness? Jesus gives us the answer in verse 48 in the words evil and thinks. Evil introduces a cancerous infection of the heart, while thinks implies the cancer has spread to the head. The servant has this false sense that the master will be gone so long that essentially this is my house now, and I can allow all of my perversion/dysfunction/arrogant opposition to the master a loose on everybody and everything in the house.

Brothers and sisters, Galatians 6:7 is clear “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap”. You just can’t give God your posterior to kiss and think you’ll get away it! This Christian life is not a childish game, nor is it an opportunity for you to come up at God’s expense. It’s either all or nothing!

What are you waiting for? There is no time for the exertion of our will, only the execution of God’s will! Why? He’s coming back one day just like he said he would, but we don’t know when. So we must be ready for his return.

What Are You Waiting For? 7 of 10

What Are You Waiting For? 7 of 10

The Wedding Banquet

Matthew 22:1-14 NLT… Jesus also told them other parables. He said, 2 “The Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a king who prepared a great wedding feast for his son. 3 When the banquet was ready, he sent his servants to notify those who were invited. But they all refused to come!

4 “So he sent other servants to tell them, ‘The feast has been prepared. The bulls and fattened cattle have been killed, and everything is ready. Come to the banquet!’ 5 But the guests he had invited ignored them and went their own way, one to his farm, another to his business. 6 Others seized his messengers and insulted them and killed them.

7 “The king was furious, and he sent out his army to destroy the murderers and burn their town. 8 And he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, and the guests I invited aren’t worthy of the honor. 9 Now go out to the street corners and invite everyone you see.’ 10 So the servants brought in everyone they could find, good and bad alike, and the banquet hall was filled with guests.

11 “But when the king came in to meet the guests, he noticed a man who wasn’t wearing the proper clothes for a wedding. 12 ‘Friend,’ he asked, ‘how is it that you are here without wedding clothes?’ But the man had no reply. 13 Then the king said to his aides, ‘Bind his hands and feet and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

14 “For many are called, but few are chosen.”

Introduction: Jesus is having a bad day, and it begins with a walk, a cursed fig tree, an argument, and parables that are uncharacteristic of Jesus to tell.

Transition: Let’s not give more weight to the king of a kingdom, than we do to a father giving a banquet for his son. The king of heaven is relational!

Exposition: What are banquet clothes? Matthew 21 has the answers…

-A life that bears good fruit (verses 18-22)

-A life that accepts the authority of Jesus (verses 23-27)

-A life that is deeper than words (verses 28-32)

Conclusion: What are you waiting for? The Christian is called to a life which must produce love (John 13:35) and light (Matthew 5:16).

What Are you Waiting For? 6 of 10

What Are You Waiting For? 6 of 10

Laborers in the Vineyard

Matthew 20:1-16 NLT… “For the Kingdom of Heaven is like the landowner who went out early one morning to hire workers for his vineyard. [2] He agreed to pay the normal daily wage and sent them out to work. [3] “At nine o’clock in the morning he was passing through the marketplace and saw some people standing around doing nothing. [4] So he hired them, telling them he would pay them whatever was right at the end of the day. [5] So they went to work in the vineyard. At noon and again at three o’clock he did the same thing. [6] “At five o’clock that afternoon he was in town again and saw some more people standing around. He asked them, ‘Why haven’t you been working today?’ [7] “They replied, ‘Because no one hired us.’ “The landowner told them, ‘Then go out and join the others in my vineyard.’ [8] “That evening he told the foreman to call the workers in and pay them, beginning with the last workers first. [9] When those hired at five o’clock were paid, each received a full day’s wage. [10] When those hired first came to get their pay, they assumed they would receive more. But they, too, were paid a day’s wage. [11] When they received their pay, they protested to the owner, [12] ‘Those people worked only one hour, and yet you’ve paid them just as much as you paid us who worked all day in the scorching heat.’ [13] “He answered one of them, ‘Friend, I haven’t been unfair! Didn’t you agree to work all day for the usual wage? [14] Take your money and go. I wanted to pay this last worker the same as you. [15] Is it against the law for me to do what I want with my money? Should you be jealous because I am kind to others?’ [16] “So those who are last now will be first then, and those who are first will be last.”

Introduction: The questions of Matthew 19 are the backdrop of Matthew 20. Jesus uses this contexually comfortable parable to answer Peter (19:27).

Transition: This parable is about the urgency of God’s kingdom building work, our role in it and our response to it.

Exposition: Don’t get lost in attempting to make allegory of this parable…

-You don’t want what you deserve

-You want the Master’s grace

Conclusion: What are you waiting for? Get off the sideline and get in the game!

What Are you Waiting For? 5 of 10

What Are You Waiting For? 5 of 10

The Lost Sheep

Matthew 18:10-14 NLT… Beware that you don’t look down on any of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels are always in the presence of my heavenly Father. 12 “If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them wanders away, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others on the hills and go out to search for the one that is lost? 13 And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he will rejoice over it more than over the ninety-nine that didn’t wander away! 14 In the same way, it is not my heavenly Father’s will that even one of these little ones should perish.

Introduction: Signs are not just for information, but they also give us direction when we pay attention.

Transition: Jesus drives home the point of the beware sign, by asking his disciples a question…

Exposition:

-God cares for you

-We must care for each other

-“If” should give you pause

Conclusion: What are you waiting for? Live with communal intention, because you can’t do life alone.

What Are you Waiting For? 4 of 10

What Are You Waiting For? 4 of 10

Buried Treasure

Matthew 13:44-46 NLT… “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure that a man discovered hidden in a field. In his excitement, he hid it again and sold everything he owned to get enough money to buy the field. 45 “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant on the lookout for choice pearls. 46 When he discovered a pearl of great value, he sold everything he owned and bought it!

Introduction/Transition: The true and living God knows a thing of value and beauty when God sees it. Once God found the valuable treasure and the beautiful pearl, God gave up everything in order to acquire it.

Exposition: We must be careful of human placement in these parables…

-God is never lost. REFERENCE II Corinthians 4:7; Psalm 139

-We were spiritually bankrupt

-“Everything” is a lot. REFERENCE Genesis 1:27

Conclusion: What are you waiting for? Embrace that you are of great value, and accept that life’s irritation has made you beautiful!

What Are you Waiting For? 3 of 10

What Are You Waiting For? 3 of 10

The Mustard Seed

Matthew 13:31-32 NLT… Here is another illustration Jesus used: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed planted in a field. 32 It is the smallest of all seeds, but it becomes the largest of garden plants; it grows into a tree, and birds come and make nests in its branches.”

Introduction: Hope is in the air! Hope that a mess will turn into a miracle.

Transition: When Jesus said that a nuisance of a shrub from a tiny seed, would grow into a large tree providing branches for birds to nest in, it was comedically clever.

Exposition: The point of this parable is that something can be highly unlikely, statistically improbable, and comically laughable, but God intervenes to turn it into something large and useful.

-It’s not in a mustard seeds nature to grow into a tree.

-Somebody is waiting on you to grow up!

Conclusion: What are you waiting for? Hope is in the air!