http://bible.com/events/48941744

Church of the Nazarene Harrisonburg

Your Un-Churched Neighbor Part 3: Serving
God works as we serve.

Series Purpose:

To inform, inspire, equip and challenge us as the people of God to embrace our unique calling to be a counter-narrative people, to do His will and serve others, and to speak the truth in love, to those who are far from God, as we tell of what He has done in our lives and for the whole world.‭‭

Luke‬ ‭19:10

‬‬For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.

”The focus for today is: SERVING.

Week 1 we began with the focus of UNDERSTANDING. You can’t reach someone with whom you don’t empathize, and you won’t empathize until you understand.

Week 2 we focused on PRAYING. God works through our prayers, and at the same time, God works in us as we pray. Prayer is essential.‭‭

John‬ ‭13:1-17‬‬

It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.” “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!” Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean. When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.“

Do you understand what I have done for you?”-Serving at the level that Jesus is asking us to serve is easy to misunderstand.-Jesus acknowledges that He is their leader, their teacher, the one in a position of authority over them and yet He serves anyways.

Many people are looking for an opportunity, even praying for an opportunity, but it’s the wrong one.

-Too often we may be looking for an opportunity to be right.

-Too often we may be looking for an opportunity to win an argument.

-But the truth is, the opportunity to reach someone will likely start with an opportunity to serve them.

Bottom Line:

God works as we serve.

Church of the Nazarene East Rock

Your Un-Churched Neighbor Part 3: Serving

In many, if not most cases, God provides an opportunity to reach someone by starting with an opportunity to serve someone.

Welcome back to our summer teaching series “Your Unchurched Neighbor”

Through this series we are seeking to be more informed, better equipped, and yes, even challenged to reach the lost and seeking hearts all around us.

As we continue in our series today, we will see that most often our first opportunity to reach someone – if we are truly interested in reaching them– will likely come with an opportunity to serve them.

To serve someone doesn’t mean we agree with them or their lifestyle. It doesn’t mean we approve of or affirm their beliefs or actions.

It just means we are willing to obey God and follow his example where they’re concerned. No questions asked

That’s how Jesus lived, right down to his final hours.‭‭

John‬ ‭13:1-17

‬‬It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.” “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!” Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean. When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

When Jesus said “No servant is greater than his master…” He is saying loud and clear to anyone who would follow him: “You are servants!”

That echoes to us in 2022.

If this scene displays clearly for us the heart of Jesus and his perspective on serving, if this is the example he has left for his followers

-Why is it that 2000 years later the polls and surveys reveal that many people feel the same way about the church, aka you and me, like they would about calling their cable television provider?

Think back to what we learned in part 1 of our series and the need for understanding and ask yourself “what has happened?”

I ask what has happened because I have to believe that If I was loving and serving like Jesus, if you were, if WE were, people couldn’t say that about the church, could they?

I know we are completing the mission, we are loving like Jesus, and we celebrate that.

But I am asking, what would it look like to love like Jesus more? What would it look like if we were more about serving than saying?

How can we lean in to bridging this gap between the church and our communities?

How can we bring the Love of Jesus into the lives of more people in Elkton and beyond?

How can we be so obedient and so compassion that people are shocked by it? The way they were in that room that night.

As we have studied and reflected on this passage and the example that Jesus set, not only here, but throughout his life, I believe there are a few things that must be true of each one of us individually, and true of us as the Church if we are to continue to live our mission like Jesus.

We must have the heart of Jesus

In Jesus, we are shown the power of a servant- In Judas we are shown the opposite of what it means to serve.

To serve like Jesus, we must submit to the way of Jesus

Peter had to submit to the way of Jesus to have a part with Him, and so do we.

Finally, we must have His perspective on serving

The disciples looked at serving and asked “What’s in it for me?”

Jesus looked at serving and asked “What’s in it for them?”

Whose story could you impact with the perspective of Jesus?

We have a choice. We can live out of a “What’s in it for me” attitude

OR

We can live the call of Jesus asking “What’s in it for them?”

The world is watching to see what we will choose.

http://bible.com/events/48938137

Church of the Nazarene Harrisonburg

Your Un-Churched Neighbor Part 2: Praying

When you pray, God works in you and through you.

Series Purpose:

To inform, inspire, equip and challenge us as the people of God to embrace our unique calling to be a counter-narrative people, to do His will and serve others, and to speak the truth in love, to those who are lost/far from God, as we tell of what He has done in our lives and for the whole world.‭‭

Luke‬ ‭19:10‬‬

For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”‭‭Luke‬ ‭15:7‬‬I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

The focus for today is: PRAYER.

Last week we began with the focus of UNDERSTANDING.

We must first seek to understand our neighbor.‭‭

1 Timothy‬ ‭2:1-6

‬‬I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people. This has now been witnessed to at the proper time.

-Paul is saying “pray for everyone”, even those who are in authority and may oppose the way of Jesus.

-The heart of God is for all people to be saved.

-There is one Savior, who made a way for all people to be reconciled to God.

Why does prayer matter so much?

-First, we acknowledge prayer is powerful and effective (James 5:16). Through prayer we have access to divine power. And through prayer, this power is working and moving!

-Next, it matters because it’s our weapon as we declare war in the heavenly realms (Ephesians 6:12).-But there’s another reason: as we pray, God works in our hearts. Prayer aligns our hearts with God’s hearts.

Bottom Line:

When you pray, God works in you and through you.

If we begin truly praying for all people, even people who are far from the Lord, then our hearts begin to align with our Father’s heart. He begins to lovingly direct our thoughts. He begins to point out in us things that don’t please Him. He begins to give us a heart for those around us that desperately need hope.

If we are serious about the people around us experiencing new life in Christ, then we must pray.”

Lord, give me a heart that beats as one with your heart. A heart for all people.”

Your Un-Churched Neighbor Part 2: Praying

When you pray, God works in you and through you.

Series Purpose:

To inform, inspire, equip and challenge us as the people of God to embrace our unique calling to be a counter-narrative people, to do His will and serve others, and to speak the truth in love, to those who are lost/far from God, as we tell of what He has done in our lives and for the whole world.‭‭

Luke‬ ‭19:10‬‬

For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭15:7

‬‬I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

The focus for today is: PRAYER.

Last week we began with the focus of UNDERSTANDING. We must first seek to understand our neighbor.‭‭

1 Timothy‬ ‭2:1-6

‬‬I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people. This has now been witnessed to at the proper time.

-Paul is saying “pray for everyone”, even those who are in authority and may oppose the way of Jesus.-The heart of God is for all people to be saved.

-There is one Savior, who made a way for all people to be reconciled to God.

Why does prayer matter so much?

-First, we acknowledge prayer is powerful and effective (James 5:16). Through prayer we have access to divine power. And through prayer, this power is working and moving!

-Next, it matters because it’s our weapon as we declare war in the heavenly realms (Ephesians 6:12).-But there’s another reason: as we pray, God works in our hearts. Prayer aligns our hearts with God’s hearts.

Bottom Line:

When you pray, God works in you and through you.

If we begin truly praying for all people, even people who are far from the Lord, then our hearts begin to align with our Father’s heart. He begins to lovingly direct our thoughts. He begins to point out in us things that don’t please Him. He begins to give us a heart for those around us that desperately need hope.

If we are serious about the people around us experiencing new life in Christ, then we must pray.” Lord, give me a heart that beats as one with your heart. A heart for all people.”

Church of the Nazarene East Rock

Your Un-Churched Neighbor Part 1: Understanding

You can’t reach someone with whom you don’t empathize, and you won’t empathize until you understand. As we came through our services last week having to make a few adjustments to our normal routine, it was a reminder of just how many things are different today, than they were 2 years ago. Some of these differences are not so bad, but there are more than a few changes that remind us, it is a different world out there. The world health organization estimates that depression and anxiety have increased 25% globally since the onset of the pandemic. The fragility of our lives has been brought to the forefront of our thinking through many ways. I think many of us have some memory of toilet paper being more valuable than gold. A conflict a world away right now is affecting our supply chains, energy costs, and so many more things. When we say it’s a different world, we are not just saying it for effect. It’s not just establishing a reason for our new teaching series. It’s really a different world. And where is the church in all of this? One look at recent surveys or polls may surprise you. Here are just a few that caught my attention: Half of non-Christian Americans don’t trust local pastors

The percentage of people who attend church 1 or two times per month decreased from 34% in 2019 to 28% in 2022

In the same time frame, the percentage of people that never or seldom attend church grew from 50% to 57% Only 21% of non-Christian people have a positive perception of the local church yet 80% of Christians have a positive view. (This represents a huge gap in our understanding of the people around us.)As a church that is committed to the mission of Christ, committed to seeing people find relationship and restoration in Christ, this should alert us! If we are committed to being Transformed by God to bring hope to others through Christ, we must also be committed to making changes in ourselves and in our approach to our mission as the church to reach our new and different world. Yes, the message is always the same. But the world is different. The people all around us are different. Today we are beginning a new teaching series called “Your un-churched Neighbor” Through this series we want to be more informed, better equipped, and yes, even challenged to reach the lost and seeking hearts all around us .We begin our series today by unpacking the need for understanding. You can’t reach someone with whom you don’t empathize, and you won’t empathize until you understand. As we begin will see that until we are able, or willing, to work to understand others – especially those who are different from us– we can’t begin to know them or empathize with them. And if we can’t do that, we can’t reach them.‭‭John‬ ‭4:1-30‬‬Now Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that he was gaining and baptizing more disciples than John— although in fact it was not Jesus who baptized, but his disciples. So he left Judea and went back once more to Galilee. Now he had to go through Samaria. So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about noon. When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.) The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.) Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” “Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his livestock?” Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.” He told her, “Go, call your husband and come back.” “I have no husband,” she replied. Jesus said to her, “You are right when you say you have no husband. The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true.” “Sir,” the woman said, “I can see that you are a prophet. Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.” “Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.” Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you—I am he.” Just then his disciples returned and were surprised to find him talking with a woman. But no one asked, “What do you want?” or “Why are you talking with her?” Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?” They came out of the town and made their way toward him. Did you catch that? She didn’t say “The Messiah chose me!” or “I am the first!” She said: “Come see a man who told me everything I have ever done!” Of all the amazing things about the encounter at the well, THAT is what stood out to her. Maybe, for that woman, it was the first time in her life she was understood. Really understood. Not judged, not condemned, not abandoned. Understood. The message she carried back to town was that she had met someone who KNEW her. The power of understanding is news worth sharing…Of course, we don’t have the understanding of Jesus, nor will we ever. But we have opportunities every day to understand those around us, to learn, to discover, to hear their stories. To WANT to listen To NEED to understand. The question today is will we do the hard work of understanding others so that we can love them better for Jesus’ sake? Will we put others first? As we continue in our series over the coming weeks, we will unpack other areas of focus for bridging the gap or being effective in sharing Jesus in our ever-changing world. We will see that no matter how much our world has changed, evangelism, or reaching the lost, is a supernatural pursuit that must begin in prayer. We will see that perhaps one of the greatest ways we can show people the love of Christ, is to serve them. We will be reminded that evangelism takes real work. And finally, we will understand that the ultimate expression of love is sharing the honest and compelling truth of the Cross of Christ When we think of all that we have said this morning…from this new normal we’re living in to the way the church is perceived, from how Jesus approached the Samaritan woman to the ways we have sometimes approached those He has put around us…Here’s the point: Before someone needs my judgment, they need my compassion Before they need my opinion, they need my understanding.