Our DNA: God, Growth, Gravity
God is calling us to Celebrate Him, Cultivate Faith in one another and restore the world.
As those passions are expressed, you can expect to see…
1. We are here to Celebrate God.
Devote ourselves to knowing and enjoying the triune God as our great Treasure, resisting all idols that compete with Him for our hearts’ affection;
Embrace God and His will for us by grace through faith in Jesus, resisting both religious and irreligious deeds as the means of our acceptance;
Accept the cost of discipleship, believing that Jesus Christ is better than anything else the world has to offer;
Express our worship of God authentically in spirit and truth, resisting all pretence in our corporate and private worship;
Make God’s glory the ultimate purpose of all we do.
2. We exist to Cultivate Faith. Pharisee & Tax collector: Gospel-centred lifestyle, distinction between religion and faith.
Never stop repenting – for evil deeds and for good deeds done for the wrong reasons.
Surrender all our ambitions, hopes, and plans to the One whose will is good, pleasing, and perfect.
Allow God’s Spirit to transform us by His Word, prayer, and other spiritual disciplines, being teachable, humble, and open to His correction.
Know, develop, and use our unique gifts for the health of the Body of Christ.
Trust God, even when pain and difficulty cause us to doubt that He is working all things together for our good.
Today…
3. We are here to Restore the world.
a. Story: Good Samaritan: rescuing, healing, protecting the broken
PWPT Luke 10
“And by chance a certain priest was going down on that road, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.
“But a certain Samaritan, who was on a journey, came upon him; and when he saw him, he felt compassion, and came to him, and bandaged up his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them; and he put him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.
“And on the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper and said, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I return, I will repay you.’ “Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the robbers’ hands?” And he said, “The one who showed mercy toward him.” And Jesus said to him, “Go and do the same.””
Personal Intervention of the alien traveler, when the physical neighbours avoided the victim.
1. Intervention and hands on care
2. Transport to a safe place
3. Provision for longer-term care
b. THIS IS NOT NEW:
i. Social Gospel—left out Jesus and lost their vitality
ii. Fundamentalists left out the care of neighbours and lost our hearts
c. THIS IS NOW: What about us, here?
i. External Justice: The broken man was left with resources.
ii. Internal Restoration: needs to happen here as well—reconciliation.
d. The Word gets us started in the right direction, Jesus promises to finish it.
i. We can make a difference and will.
ii. We won’t change the course of history; Jesus will.
iii. Jesus will complete the Restoration at the end of History.
iv. Jesus is doing this work now BY His Gospel, the Gospel of Grace.
e. How:
PWPNT [use photos to illustrate, five minutes distance from our site
i. At the nexus of so much that’s going on in the city core, please see the need and the opportunities we have.
ii. WHAT IF:
1. We were to begin right here, seeking to restore all those who have been wounded, alienated by our own behaviours. TAKE OWNERSHIP
2. We were to begin a movement among congregations to prepare people for family life, in order to
a. strengthen their marriages and families, and
b. grow intimate marriages and
c. nurture families and
d. enfold single adults into true fellowship as ‘family’.
3. We were to work in the marketplace with a view to serving those we work with, work for, and sell to, with Christ as the One we keep in focus?
4. We were to restore Justice in our community by standing with the poor; with the poorest of the poor, New Canadians, such that…
a. We helped them settle.
b. We found them adequate housing.
c. We started businesses that employed them.
5. We were to cultivate a public education environment where children were in focus, rather than administrations and unions, such that our city’s children would learn to read, think and work; radically reducing poverty in our city
6. We were to deepen our love of beauty, so that we are sharing God’s joy in creation.
7. We were to savour and celebrate the work of artists ...bringing meaning to our chaotic space, and all who use their gifts, talents and abilities to “make something of the world”
8. We were to engage in managing the physical environment, such that the deterioration of our environment were reversed.
Love the unlovely, share with the needy, comfort the oppressed, and accept the marginalized, since Jesus identified with the least of these…
Commitment Cards: We will Our Restoration Pledge:
Our church family exists for the restoration of our community, the city, and the nations. Therefore, as a Community of Grace, rooted in the Gospel, we will:
• Love the unlovable, share with the needy, comfort the oppressed, and accept the marginalized, since Jesus identified with the least;
• Bless the city and invest ourselves in its well-being;
• Seek to resolve conflict, to be reconciled with those we’ve wronged, and to quickly forgive those who’ve wronged us;
• Pursue and embrace God’s missionary call on our lives, whether as those who send or as those who go, into our community, our city, and the nations.
• Persevere in our call to restoration until the Lord returns and completes it finally, ultimately, and triumphantly.
KIDS SERMON
Kids: the world is a hurting place—bandaids to help people who are hurting on the outside; Jesus also helps us when we hurt on the inside.
Heb. 2:18 “For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted.
Hebrews 4:15--For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.”
Jesus heals and comforts us so that we can heal and comfort others.
Monday, January 24, 2011
DNA of PMC: Cultivating Faith Together
DNA: A Growing & Reproducing Faith
Central Idea: We grow in faith as it TAKES ROOT in all our person, if we are to Know God, Cultivate True Friendship, and Fulfill our destiny.
1. We exist to worship God by enjoying Him.
2. We live by Cultivating Faith.
a. Within ourselves
b. Within one another
Parable of the Pharisee and the tax-gatherer…
Luke 18:9–14 NASB
“And He also told this parable to certain ones who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt:
“Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee, and the other a tax-gatherer. “The Pharisee stood and was praying thus to himself, ‘God, I thank Thee that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax-gatherer.
‘I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.’
“But the tax-gatherer, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’
“I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled, but he who humbles himself shall be exalted.””
THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF FAITH…
A. Faith begins with the insight that we are broken and no amount of reform can re-form us.
1. Faith builds on our awareness of need, not on our competence.
[Pharisee and tax collector narrative: what ought to happen]
i. Faith in myself vs faith in Jesus.
1. Faith in myself: if I do these things, I’ll be a better person; God will owe me.
2. Faith in Jesus: Jesus has done for me all that God requires of me.
ii. What should have happened.
1. Pharisee didn’t realize his need for mercy;
2. The tax thief DID recognize his need for mercy.
iii. Difference between the religious lifestyle and a Gospel-centred lifestyle.
1. If we are Gospel-centred: hunger for more of Jesus will lead us to employ whatever means we can: SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES.
a. Prayer; Bible-absorption;
b. Fellowship; Rest; Fasting
Indicators that we are practicing religion.
Deep sense of duty & despair.
Growing frustration with the people around me.
Deepening conviction that God has let me down.
Indicators that we are centering our life in the Gospel…
Spiritual disciplines running rampant among us.
Infectious prayer life.
Insatiable hunger for the Word of God.
Transparent fellowship.
Contagious joy and delight in being together; true community.
Deepening awareness of each one’s spiritual gifts, passions, and commitments to serve.
Development of servant-leaders; “it’s about US!”
Joyfull readiness to give “the reason for the hope within”
2. God delights in that awareness, and responds with grace.
THIS IS THE EXPANSION OF FAITH…
B. As faith extends to every portion of a person, God’s transforming power is fully released in that person.
• mind: my intellect is INFORMED by the written Word and fascinated by the Living Word, Jesus.
• emotion: my heart is INFLAMED with passion for an intimate connection with Jesus.
• volition: my will is ENGAGED with the Father’s will, ready to fully obey Him.
APPLICATIONS:
1. Problem: we long for community and talk about community, but we are so afraid of being controlled, so radically individualistic, we actually AVOID the sort of environment that nurtures community.
This is the setting to engage the Gospel of Grace. If you don’t embrace that Gospel of Grace, you will base your identity on your own achievements, the status of your own family, etc. Once you do embrace the Gospel of Grace, your own identity will be gradually transformed as you look to the life and work of Jesus for that identity.
An idol is any good thing that is turned into the Ultimate Thing. Thus, our strong sense of individual identity is good—we are created with the capacity to respond personally to God’s grace.
WHAT would my world become IF faith invaded all of me?
What would OUR world become IF faith took hold in all of us?
What would we SEE, TASTE, HEAR and TOUCH?
• Reliance on grace, not religious duty or obedience for our acceptance with God, ourselves, and each other.
• People engaging God through a variety of spiritual disciplines.
• The gospel as the central reason for all our ministries
• People equipped and active in sharing the gospel – not just ‘being nice’ – as a normal part of life.
• An increasing appetite to know and live by God’s Word
• Ongoing repentance for evil deeds and good deeds done for the wrong reasons.
• Contagious joy and delight in being together; true community.
• Growth in Christian maturity, not just numerical growth, as the measurement of a ministry’s effectiveness.
• A trust that perseveres through trials and pain
• Deepening awareness of each one’s spiritual gifts, passions, and commitments to serve.
• Disciples who are making disciples
• Training influencers for the congregation and the world.
Years ago, after a celebrated international career on the stage, the world-famous violinist Jascha Heifetz became a professor of music at UCLA. When someone asked him why he had left the glamour of performing to become a teacher, Heifetz answered, "Violin-playing is a perishable art. It must be passed on; otherwise it is lost." Then he went on to say, "I remember my old violin professor in Russia. He said that (if I worked hard enough) someday I would be good enough to teach."
--From a speech by William Graves, editor of National Geographic magazine, Speaker's Idea File
2. Solution: Our church family exists for the cultivation of deeper faith in Jesus. Therefore, as a Community of Grace, rooted in the Gospel, we will:
• Never stop repenting – for evil deeds and for good deeds done for the wrong reasons.
• Surrender all our ambitions, hopes, and plans to the One whose willis good, pleasing, and perfect.
• Allow God’s Spirit to transform us by His Word, prayer, and other spiritual disciplines, being teachable, humble, and open to His correction.
• Know, develop, and use our unique gifts for the health of the Body of Christ.
• Trust God, even when pain and difficulty cause us to doubt that He is working all things together for our good.
Next week:
3. We long to Restore the world. Good Samaritan: healing the broken
Central Idea: We grow in faith as it TAKES ROOT in all our person, if we are to Know God, Cultivate True Friendship, and Fulfill our destiny.
1. We exist to worship God by enjoying Him.
2. We live by Cultivating Faith.
a. Within ourselves
b. Within one another
Parable of the Pharisee and the tax-gatherer…
Luke 18:9–14 NASB
“And He also told this parable to certain ones who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt:
“Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee, and the other a tax-gatherer. “The Pharisee stood and was praying thus to himself, ‘God, I thank Thee that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax-gatherer.
‘I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.’
“But the tax-gatherer, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’
“I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled, but he who humbles himself shall be exalted.””
THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF FAITH…
A. Faith begins with the insight that we are broken and no amount of reform can re-form us.
1. Faith builds on our awareness of need, not on our competence.
[Pharisee and tax collector narrative: what ought to happen]
i. Faith in myself vs faith in Jesus.
1. Faith in myself: if I do these things, I’ll be a better person; God will owe me.
2. Faith in Jesus: Jesus has done for me all that God requires of me.
ii. What should have happened.
1. Pharisee didn’t realize his need for mercy;
2. The tax thief DID recognize his need for mercy.
iii. Difference between the religious lifestyle and a Gospel-centred lifestyle.
1. If we are Gospel-centred: hunger for more of Jesus will lead us to employ whatever means we can: SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES.
a. Prayer; Bible-absorption;
b. Fellowship; Rest; Fasting
Indicators that we are practicing religion.
Deep sense of duty & despair.
Growing frustration with the people around me.
Deepening conviction that God has let me down.
Indicators that we are centering our life in the Gospel…
Spiritual disciplines running rampant among us.
Infectious prayer life.
Insatiable hunger for the Word of God.
Transparent fellowship.
Contagious joy and delight in being together; true community.
Deepening awareness of each one’s spiritual gifts, passions, and commitments to serve.
Development of servant-leaders; “it’s about US!”
Joyfull readiness to give “the reason for the hope within”
2. God delights in that awareness, and responds with grace.
THIS IS THE EXPANSION OF FAITH…
B. As faith extends to every portion of a person, God’s transforming power is fully released in that person.
• mind: my intellect is INFORMED by the written Word and fascinated by the Living Word, Jesus.
• emotion: my heart is INFLAMED with passion for an intimate connection with Jesus.
• volition: my will is ENGAGED with the Father’s will, ready to fully obey Him.
APPLICATIONS:
1. Problem: we long for community and talk about community, but we are so afraid of being controlled, so radically individualistic, we actually AVOID the sort of environment that nurtures community.
This is the setting to engage the Gospel of Grace. If you don’t embrace that Gospel of Grace, you will base your identity on your own achievements, the status of your own family, etc. Once you do embrace the Gospel of Grace, your own identity will be gradually transformed as you look to the life and work of Jesus for that identity.
An idol is any good thing that is turned into the Ultimate Thing. Thus, our strong sense of individual identity is good—we are created with the capacity to respond personally to God’s grace.
WHAT would my world become IF faith invaded all of me?
What would OUR world become IF faith took hold in all of us?
What would we SEE, TASTE, HEAR and TOUCH?
• Reliance on grace, not religious duty or obedience for our acceptance with God, ourselves, and each other.
• People engaging God through a variety of spiritual disciplines.
• The gospel as the central reason for all our ministries
• People equipped and active in sharing the gospel – not just ‘being nice’ – as a normal part of life.
• An increasing appetite to know and live by God’s Word
• Ongoing repentance for evil deeds and good deeds done for the wrong reasons.
• Contagious joy and delight in being together; true community.
• Growth in Christian maturity, not just numerical growth, as the measurement of a ministry’s effectiveness.
• A trust that perseveres through trials and pain
• Deepening awareness of each one’s spiritual gifts, passions, and commitments to serve.
• Disciples who are making disciples
• Training influencers for the congregation and the world.
Years ago, after a celebrated international career on the stage, the world-famous violinist Jascha Heifetz became a professor of music at UCLA. When someone asked him why he had left the glamour of performing to become a teacher, Heifetz answered, "Violin-playing is a perishable art. It must be passed on; otherwise it is lost." Then he went on to say, "I remember my old violin professor in Russia. He said that (if I worked hard enough) someday I would be good enough to teach."
--From a speech by William Graves, editor of National Geographic magazine, Speaker's Idea File
2. Solution: Our church family exists for the cultivation of deeper faith in Jesus. Therefore, as a Community of Grace, rooted in the Gospel, we will:
• Never stop repenting – for evil deeds and for good deeds done for the wrong reasons.
• Surrender all our ambitions, hopes, and plans to the One whose willis good, pleasing, and perfect.
• Allow God’s Spirit to transform us by His Word, prayer, and other spiritual disciplines, being teachable, humble, and open to His correction.
• Know, develop, and use our unique gifts for the health of the Body of Christ.
• Trust God, even when pain and difficulty cause us to doubt that He is working all things together for our good.
Next week:
3. We long to Restore the world. Good Samaritan: healing the broken
DNA of PMC: Worship God by Enjoying Him
Our DNA: God, Growth, Gravity
Why are we here?
Celebrate God, AS A COMMUNITY OF GRACE, ROOTED TOGETHER IN THE GOSPEL
Who are we? A Lot of heritage…
Preaching Music Missions “Times Square” of Hamilton
Foundation:
Matthew 28:18–20
“And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.””
There are other local assemblies who do this that and the other.
What God is calling us to Celebrate Him, Cultivate Faith in one another and restore the world.
1. We are here to Celebrate God.
Everyone worships something; at PMC, we are committed to the celebration of God.
Romans 1:16–25 NASB
Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, that their bodies might be dishonored among them. For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and
PWPT worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.”
a. We celebrate God in that…
i. We tell Him how great He is…
PWPT Psalm 95:3 “For the Lord is a great God, And a great King above all gods…
ii. We exhort one another to celebrate Him: Hallelujah!
PWPT Psalm 106:1
“Praise the Lord! Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; For His lovingkindness is everlasting.”
iii. We enjoy Him.
1. Together
PWPT Psalm 34:8
O taste and see that the Lord is good; How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!
2. Alone
PWPT Matthew 14:23
And after He had sent the multitudes away, He went up to the mountain by Himself to pray; and when it was evening, He was there alone.
iv. We worship by expressing all our gifts and talents in His honor.
PWPT
Col. 3:16-18
Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father…
b. “Celebration” requires authenticity, meaning we worship even when our hearts are heavy!
c. THIS IS NOT NEW, this is Ancient:
i. Israel practiced corporate worship.
ii. The church has made worship a priority.
iii. PMC has long been committed to worship the One True God.
PWPT
d. If we were celebrating God…
i. We’d see obedience to his commands.
ii. We’d see true fellowship, unity would grow among us.
iii. We’d see passion for His Word, not merely Bible knowledge.
iv. We’d see the transforming Gospel as the central element of all our ministries.
v. We’d see more and more curious neighbours, drawn by our mesmerizing passion for Him.
vi. We’d hear reports of expanding and deepening times alone with God.
vii. In hard times, we’d see deep trust in God.
viii. We’d hunger to practice the spiritual disciplines (next week).
PWPT Take home:
• We provide diverse settings so that we can worship authentically:
o We want to enable people to speak to God in their own dialect (English, musically, etc.)
o We do NOT want to divide the church based on PREFERENCE (what is an indicator that you are driven by preference—you skip the combined services! Not even one time can you tolerate someone else’s dialect, then you are motivated by personal taste.)
• We prepare ourselves for corporate worship—beginning Monday, continuing through Saturday evening.
• We seek the face of God daily.
• We honour God by our approach to life and work.
PWPT Commitment Card
Our church family exists for the celebration of God. Therefore, as a Community of Grace, rooted in the Gospel, we will:
• Devote ourselves to knowing and enjoying the triune God as our great Treasure, resisting all idols that compete with Him for our hearts’ affection;
• Embrace God and His will for us by grace through faith in Jesus, resisting both religious and irreligious deeds as the means of our acceptance;
• Accept the cost of discipleship, believing that Jesus Christ is better than anything else the world has to offer;
• Express our worship of God authentically in spirit and truth, resisting all pretence in our corporate and private worship;
• Make God’s glory the ultimate purpose of all we do.
Next:
2. We exist to Cultivate Faith. Pharisee & Tax collector: Gospel-centred lifestyle, distinction between religion and faith.
Why are we here?
Celebrate God, AS A COMMUNITY OF GRACE, ROOTED TOGETHER IN THE GOSPEL
Who are we? A Lot of heritage…
Preaching Music Missions “Times Square” of Hamilton
Foundation:
Matthew 28:18–20
“And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.””
There are other local assemblies who do this that and the other.
What God is calling us to Celebrate Him, Cultivate Faith in one another and restore the world.
1. We are here to Celebrate God.
Everyone worships something; at PMC, we are committed to the celebration of God.
Romans 1:16–25 NASB
Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, that their bodies might be dishonored among them. For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and
PWPT worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.”
a. We celebrate God in that…
i. We tell Him how great He is…
PWPT Psalm 95:3 “For the Lord is a great God, And a great King above all gods…
ii. We exhort one another to celebrate Him: Hallelujah!
PWPT Psalm 106:1
“Praise the Lord! Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; For His lovingkindness is everlasting.”
iii. We enjoy Him.
1. Together
PWPT Psalm 34:8
O taste and see that the Lord is good; How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!
2. Alone
PWPT Matthew 14:23
And after He had sent the multitudes away, He went up to the mountain by Himself to pray; and when it was evening, He was there alone.
iv. We worship by expressing all our gifts and talents in His honor.
PWPT
Col. 3:16-18
Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father…
b. “Celebration” requires authenticity, meaning we worship even when our hearts are heavy!
c. THIS IS NOT NEW, this is Ancient:
i. Israel practiced corporate worship.
ii. The church has made worship a priority.
iii. PMC has long been committed to worship the One True God.
PWPT
d. If we were celebrating God…
i. We’d see obedience to his commands.
ii. We’d see true fellowship, unity would grow among us.
iii. We’d see passion for His Word, not merely Bible knowledge.
iv. We’d see the transforming Gospel as the central element of all our ministries.
v. We’d see more and more curious neighbours, drawn by our mesmerizing passion for Him.
vi. We’d hear reports of expanding and deepening times alone with God.
vii. In hard times, we’d see deep trust in God.
viii. We’d hunger to practice the spiritual disciplines (next week).
PWPT Take home:
• We provide diverse settings so that we can worship authentically:
o We want to enable people to speak to God in their own dialect (English, musically, etc.)
o We do NOT want to divide the church based on PREFERENCE (what is an indicator that you are driven by preference—you skip the combined services! Not even one time can you tolerate someone else’s dialect, then you are motivated by personal taste.)
• We prepare ourselves for corporate worship—beginning Monday, continuing through Saturday evening.
• We seek the face of God daily.
• We honour God by our approach to life and work.
PWPT Commitment Card
Our church family exists for the celebration of God. Therefore, as a Community of Grace, rooted in the Gospel, we will:
• Devote ourselves to knowing and enjoying the triune God as our great Treasure, resisting all idols that compete with Him for our hearts’ affection;
• Embrace God and His will for us by grace through faith in Jesus, resisting both religious and irreligious deeds as the means of our acceptance;
• Accept the cost of discipleship, believing that Jesus Christ is better than anything else the world has to offer;
• Express our worship of God authentically in spirit and truth, resisting all pretence in our corporate and private worship;
• Make God’s glory the ultimate purpose of all we do.
Next:
2. We exist to Cultivate Faith. Pharisee & Tax collector: Gospel-centred lifestyle, distinction between religion and faith.
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