Sermon Synopsis for August 3, 2008

“Jesus Empowers His Disciples for Ministry”
John 20:19-23

Maybe you heard …
A mother took her child to visit a formal liturgical church. The lights were lowered and the priest came down the isle carrying lighted candles. All was quiet until the little girl started singing “Happy Birthday to you ….”

Birthdays remind us that we’re getting older.

This week our congregation celebrates 99 years in this building. (I don’t’ think anyone here was present on that first Sunday meeting in this place)

Why did the ministry continue?
It was handed on to the next generation.
The next generation was trained and prepared.
The next generation was trusted with the work.

What is the future of Maple Grove?
It depends on us … and how we do ministry … and how we empower the next generation for ministry.

INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH PROJECT

To see why some churches grow and others do not, a major study was undertaken world wide. (About 12 years ago Natural Church Development was first published.) It was the most comprehensive research ever done on churches – thousands of churches, in every part of the world were studied.

It was found that the emphasis should not be on developing growth (principles), but on developing healthy qualities for churches to grow (both spiritually and in number)

We want to be a healthy church!

The study revealed 8 qualities or characteristics of healthy churches. We are on a journey to look at these qualities and look at ourselves to see how we use these qualities in our church.

Last week we began our consideration of the first of these quality characteristics of a healthy church: A healthy church has leadership that empowers the members for ministry.

We want to be healthy – we want to be a healthy church.

Jesus and the disciples are an example; they were together for three years of training, preparation, etc.

After the resurrection … Jesus was going to leave … And he was going to leave the continuation of his ministry in the hands of his disciples.

That’s the context of today’s scripture passage


THE PURPOSE OF LEADERSHIP

Last week’s scripture: (let’s review)
Ephesians 4:12 – “to prepare God’s people for works of service”

Prepare = “katartizo” (Greek)

Pastor Neilson Asis is director of the “Katartizo” Healing and Discipleship Center

Uses of the word in the Greco-Roman world:
Medical term – “setting of a broken bone”
In the New Testament – Jesus used the term (MT. 4:21 James & John were “preparing” their nets when Jesus called them) – “mending broken nets” “preparing them for service”
Paul (Gal 6:1) – restoration
Heb 13:20-21 – equip
1 Peter 5:10 – to perfect

Paul was telling the Church in Ephesus that Jesus gives the church leaders for a purpose:

Leaders are to heal, mend, restore, equip, perfect

Leadership is a very personal and intimate ministry!

LEADERSHIP IN A HEALTHY CHURCH
The Natural Church Development study found that healthy churches had leadership that was:

1. People oriented (as opposed to project oriented)

We had Music in the Meadow – important because it didn’t focus on the event – it focused on the people setting up, serving food, singing, running the sound system, parking, moving them around. … And on the people who came.

It worked because the project didn’t become more important than the people involved.

Jesus took time for people – “who touched me” to the sick woman; he changed his schedule to heal the centurion’s daughter; he spent time with the woman at the well; while suffering he addressed mother’s needs while on the cross;

This is central to the Gospel message: love God, love others

Remember Matthew 25:31-46 – separation of sheep and goats – this was based on how we treated people

A project (event, program, etc.) is not worth it, if it comes at the expense of people.

2. Relationship oriented (as opposed to goal oriented)
When we play “The Mennonite Game” it reminds us that relationships are important.

Reaching the goal is not more important that the relationships we develop along the way

I remember going to the Bolivian town of Toro-Toro with ministry students.
Our Goal: evangelistic services in town to help launch the local church
There were relationship issues among the students (differences needed to be calmed, Aymara/Quechua).
Instead of organizing our evangelistic service, we went hiking. We worked on our relationships as Christians.

We didn’t have a service that first night – but the following evenings were great – because we didn’t have one that first night.

3. Team oriented (as opposed to authoritarian oriented)

Is a church leader a dictator or a team player

Dictator – gets more done, more quickly, but change comes through death or revolution

Team developer – goes slowly, but firmly, change is not as intrusive

Our Pastors, Elders, Commission Directors, Leaders are not so much authoritarians (dictators), as they are team builders.

This should not be a surprise – it’s what Paul wrote to the church in Ephesus – Leaders are to deal with people, not with “things” as we build the body of Christ together.

The church is not a building or an organization …
The church is the “body of Christ”
The church is people (you and me) together for the common purpose of serving our Lord Jesus Christ.

THE RESULT
Ephesians 4:12
“so that the body of Christ may be built up” (healthy, body building program)

Ephesians 4:13
“until we all reach unity in the faith … and become mature”

Good leadership (in all areas) produces healthy, unified churches.

THE EXAMPLE OF JESUS
How did Jesus empower his disciples?

They learned from his teaching
The learned by doing with him (sent out, healing, baptizing, feeding 5000)

What did Jesus empower his disciples to do
What does Jesus want his disciples to do?

Love others, share the gospel,

TRUST IS IMPORTANT
Jesus trusted the disciples to carry on the ministry.
God could have done it by him/herself – sometimes it’s easier to do the job yourself.

It’s a mystery – God entrusted us with the work of the Kingdom.

Every generation must learn.

IT’S HARD TO TRUST
I remember the first time my daughter drove off on her own.
I was full of fear and anxiety and dread and …. a knot in my stomach.

We had driven together, practiced, gone over the rules, etc.
The car was powerful
The car was expensive
Her life was precious

How did Jesus feel when he left the disciples in charge?

How does God feel about leaving the church in our hands?
Leaving the work of the kingdom in our hands?

What about you?
Are you worrying God?

How does God feel about leaving his church in our hands?

What is your area of leadership in the church – maybe you lead a three year old class, or your an Elder.

Are you empowered for ministry?
Are you empowering others for ministry?

Jesus tells us, “As the Father sent me, I am sending you.”

I played a game of “Simon Says” with the children.
Obedience and conformity seems to be the object of the game. Another object of the game is for the leader to try and trick us.

Who is Simon? And why does he want us to do things?

Some say it is a reference to Simon Peter, the disciple called by Jesus, but who later denied Jesus, and than later became one of the main leaders of the Disciples. Simon Peter learned to show his love for Jesus, to imitate Christ. If Simon Peter knows how to imitate Christ, he would be a good one to tell us what to do.

1 Thessalonians 1:6 “you became imitators of us and of the Lord”
Ephesians 5:1 “Be imitators of God”

We also need to be aware of when the evil one is trying to trick us.

If we called the game “Jesus Says,” what would Jesus ask us to do?
We can find much of that in the Bible.

In real life we should play “Jesus Says”