When the Son of God stepped from heaven and climbed into the manger as an infant, the entire world became a new place.  This was love in action. For the first time ever, every person became a person of value. No matter their gender, no matter their race, regardless of their health, in spite of physical disabilities, they each became a person of value, truly loved by God.  The 400 silent years between the Old Testament and the New Testament were erased. This was love and power in action.  And the battle was on! Satan sought to destroy Jesus… only to discover later that he had played into God’s hand, for Jesus came to earth to die for our sins.

The battle continues today.  Many people want to do away with the scriptures, and take Christianity out of our society. Although formal prayer has been taken out of the classrooms, and the Bible out of school, the Kingdom of God continues to grow. Some seek to do away with the BC and AD (Before Christ and Anno Domini) definition of the calendar – which is dated to show the birth of Christ. But it won’t work! They may call it “BCE” and “CE” but it still hinges on the birth of Christ! No matter what they do, God is not going away.

I believe that God has called this church to help turn the tide. Are you ready?

Matthew 25:14-30        

        Jesus’ ministry started a spiritual revolution. That revolution continues today. I believe that God is calling our church to play a greater role.

        James Emery White has written, “There has been a second fall of man. In the first fall, God expelled Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden. In the second fall, man returned the favor… we kicked God out.” (Enrichment, Fall 2008, page 28)

Some refer to our current situation as a Cultural War. The secular world wants the church to get out of the way so that they can do what they want, whenever they want, in the way they want it done. That is why they hate the Ten Commandments, prayer in schools and Bibles in general. Interestingly enough, they embrace other religions so that Christianity will be buried in the process.

No matter what man wants to do, he has a place for God in his heart that cannot be changed. Although many try to ignore God’s call on their lives, He will not go away. Someday, the scripture tells us, “Every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.”

        In the parable of the talents the man, who represents God, gives talents to 3 men. The first man received five, the second man two, and the third man received one talent.

        At an unspecified time – and unexpectedly – the man returned. He called the servants in so they could give an accounting of their success. The first man had doubled the investment! His five talents grew to ten. The enthusiastic manager said, “Well done, good and faithful servant!” Then he doubled the man’s responsibility. But he also said, “Come and share your master’s happiness.”

        The second man also doubled his two talents. He received exactly the same commendation. God knows our strengths and weaknesses. He does not expect me to be a Billy Graham, nor does He expect you to be a world leader, but He does expect us to use our talents and abilities to the best of our abilities.

        Talents represent our abilities, time, resources and opportunities to serve God while on earth. God considers them a trust that we are responsible to administer in the wisest way possible.

        The need for a powerful Christian witness that is full of love is very obvious. George Barna loves to do studies. In a recent study he noted that across our nation young people outside the church have a poor perception of Christianity. According to an article in the fall 2008 issue of Enrichment magazine, people ages 16-29 have the following views of Christianity. (Page 64)

This should not alarm us. A few years ago the members of that age group decided that they could not trust any one over the age of 30. Of course that changed when they turned 30. However, since you and I represent Christianity we should be concerned.

We need to be sensitive to the needs and feelings of this group, but this is the age where young people try to discover who they are by testing their limits and asking, “What can I get by with today?”

But I must admit that some of their criticism is right on target, for churches often forget that the goal is to win people to Christ, not straighten out other churches.

Former president Ronald Reagan stated, “No Republican should ever speak ill of another Republican.” I agree… I would expand that to “No Christian should ever speak ill of another Christian.” I blush to think how miserably I have failed in that area!

Another study by Barna checked with older people, asking how they viewed Evangelicals. I am more concerned about their response. This is the age group that leads the world today. Many of them are not seeing God’s love in our hearts and lives. That needs to change.  

Only 3% of those age 16-29 view evangelicals favorably

25% of Baby Boomers view evangelicals favorably

27% of Builders view evangelicals favorably

From a business standpoint, any business with only a 25% favorable rating among its possible clients is doomed for failure.

Christianity is not out of date. The Bible is still the Word of God and is the most powerful document on the face of the earth. But sometimes what God says is not what we hear.

Jesus told us to love everyone… including our enemies and those that persecute us. (Matthew 5:44) Obviously folks are not hearing or seeing our love! If people cannot see or feel our love, for them it does not exist.

The early church suffered persecution for what they were doing in a positive manner, not the negative acts. They healed the sick, raised the dead and delivered people from demonic possession. Look at Mark 16:15-18. The early church actually did those things. God expects this church to do the same. (No, not snake handling! What Jesus meant was that if a snake bites you like one did Paul in the book of Acts.)

How can I possibly believe that God’s plan for the church is that each local congregation is a complete body? Paul set up each church as a separate body. Every church should have a pastor, elders and deacons. Without this type of leadership, things never get done. I have pastored 3 churches where the lawn, the cleaning, and in two churches the secretary-treasurer work, all fell in my lap. Our situation here is much better!

The Loyal Evangelical Church is well established. We have been around for 114 years. We have money in the bank and the respect of the community. We pray for a lot of people, we have a community outreach to the younger children, and we support missionaries in our prayers and with our money.

Is that all a church is supposed to do? Let’s look at the scripture.

         "...Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." ~Jesus Christ, in Matthew 28:18-20

        My prayer is that we, as a congregation, will pray until God has chosen someone from among us to enter the ministry. My prayer is that we, as a congregation, will pray until God calls someone from among us to go on the mission field – either in the United States or in another country. If none of us that are currently a part of the church feel the call, pray someone else in!

       The other aspect of ministry is through the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Without the Holy Spirit nothing will ever be accomplished.

       1 Corinthians 12:4-11, 31 - There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit.  There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord.  There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.  Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.  To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit,  to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues.  All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and He gives them to each one, just as He determines. 

       Verse 31: But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet show I unto you a more excellent way.

       1 Corinthians 14:12, “Since you are eager to have spiritual gifts, try to excel in gifts that build up the church.”

       In the last 94 years the Assemblies of God have grown from a handful of people to a world-wide fellowship. Every Sunday more than 60 million believers gather in more than 300,000 congregations around the world. That is pretty impressive, but 60 million people is just over 1 percent of the world’s vast, unreached multitudes. (Today’s Pentecostal Evangel June 2008, page 8)

        They attribute their success to the fact that each church on the mission field is a fully autonomous and indigenous congregation. Everyone is taught to pay tithes and offerings. Pastors are trained, but not put on salary by the missionary organization. Therefore, when hard times come, they stand on their own two feet.

        Each of their churches is taught to develop its own missionary program and sends out missionaries. If political strife forces foreigners out and cuts off the monies from the United States, the church usually survives, often growing much stronger because it is their ministry. They understand the culture, customs and needs of their countries.

Some of those nations now send missionaries to the United States of America!

         Personally I believe that God would be pleased if this church will start other Evangelical Association churches.  There are a lot of unreached Americans. Although 85% of Americans claim to be Christians, I can assure you that many people that claim to be Christians have no concept of what a Christian is. Jesus said, “Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 7:21)

“Americans are both deeply religious and profoundly ignorant of religion,”

Stephen Prothero writes in his new book, “Religious Literacy

         If you will look at the prayer list in the bulletin you will notice that I have added praying for some to be called from this congregation into the ministry as pastors and as missionaries.

         Will one of them be you?

         If you have not made Jesus Christ your absolute Lord and Master, please do so today. Take the limits off! Ask the Holy Spirit to inspire you to become more and more like God!