Urgency of Mission.

Steve Gentry

[0:00] Once again, just want to welcome you to the village. This is your first time here. My name is Steve [0:05] I am one of the pastors here. I met a lot of you coming in [0:10] If you have your Bibles James chapter 4 we’re gonna start in verse 13 today [0:16] in our reading I

[0:20] Hope that you make every effort to come to the the Tenebrae service [0:27] If you’re an old Baptist [0:29] It’s probably a different type of service for you [0:32] it is [0:34] It is a time where we [0:37] intentionally

[0:40] just [0:40] Slowed down the week of Easter [0:43] To reflect on the death of the Son of God [0:47] It is a somber time and the reason for it is because without the death what need is there for resurrection

[0:57] Without our sin what need is there for salvation [1:00] And so what we do that night is we take time to come together as a church [1:06] To reflect on why the Son of God had to die and what I believe in that week is a [1:14] Vastly significant thing for each and every one of us that for me [1:19] And I take the least active role in that night whereas planning and work is concerned [1:26] But for me last year, which was the first year that we did this

[1:29] It was amazing to see the worship that took place as we simply [1:36] Reflected on what Jesus did for us and then we left there with such a you leave with such a great anticipation [1:45] Because you know that Sunday is coming [1:49] And I think that’s the beauty of being on this side of the cross [1:53] Is that when you reflect on the death and you walk out with the gravity of sin for that moment? [2:01] It’s just almost

[2:03] Unbearable, but then in faith we realize that Sunday’s coming and that he didn’t stay that way [2:11] But rather the Son of God rose again to new life. He rose again for our victory [2:18] He rose again under his own power [2:21] So that we might have life and so that we could live lives and worship of God the Father [2:29] through God the Son under the power of the Holy Ghost and [2:33] So if you want to worship, please come that night because that’s what we’re gonna do. That’s our agenda

[2:39] Is simply worshipping the Lord in the Spirit and truth that Jesus has equipped us through the Holy Spirit to worship under [2:47] So that’s my little advertisement for that [2:49] But also if you are really excited about Easter the next night some of our good friends down at um [2:57] the church at Brook Hills in Alabama are doing a [3:01] simulcast of an event that they have every quarter called Secret Church and what this is is [3:08] Unbeknownst to many of us there are millions of people throughout the world that are our brothers and sisters in Christ who cannot

[3:17] Legally [3:17] Worship Jesus the way that we can so what’s called is the underground church and there are millions of people especially in China [3:24] That worship in homes under the cover of night in the middle of the night many times [3:31] They’re quiet sometimes they whisper in their singing so their neighbors can’t hear them [3:36] And so what the church at Brook Hills does is on a Friday nights [3:40] And they’re especially going to do this on Good Friday

[3:42] Which I know is the day after the Tenebrae service but [3:46] Is they get together to worship in a similar way that the church in China and in India and throughout Asia? [3:55] Oftentimes has to worship in secrecy and what they do. It’s hardcore [3:58] It’s about four hours long and it is just intensive [4:03] Bible study and what they’re doing on Good Friday is something that they’ve never done before and you think only 30 people show [4:09] Up to this down to the church at Brook Hills now

[4:11] If so many people were coming that they had to start giving away reserved tickets and their tickets sell out [4:17] Thousands show up to this church for this they’re doing a simulcast all over the country and Grove Avenue Baptist Church is hosting [4:25] one of the simulcasts and I want to personally invite you to come and [4:32] Experience secret church with me on Good Friday night the night after our Tenebrae service [4:38] the Friday before Easter and [4:41] experience secret church for just a few hours on a Friday night and just worship and

[4:46] Pray and they spend a lot of time in intentional prayer for the underground church [4:53] Because I don’t know if you know this but massive revival is taking place all over China in these underground churches where [5:00] Thousands are coming to faith in Jesus and what we’re gonna do on Good Friday is gonna be a little different [5:05] We’re gonna spend time studying the Word of God and praying for the underground church in China and all over Asia [5:12] So if you want tickets to that they’re not for sale, but you have to reserve a seat go to Grove Ave [5:19] Av e dot net and

[5:22] You’ll be able to come and just spend some time studying the Word of God and praying for the church all over the world [5:30] All right. I think that’s my last commercial [5:34] They’re as uncomfortable for me as they are for you. So let’s get into the book of James [5:39] I hate doing them because I’m always afraid I’m gonna forget something because I don’t write them on note cards [5:43] Which is what you’re supposed to do, but even if I did I would leave it down there [5:47] James chapter 4 verse 13 is where we’re gonna start

[5:50] But what I want to kind of catch you up if you haven’t been here [5:54] We’re going verse by verse through the book of James [5:56] Breaking it apart seeing what God has to teach us through the half brother of Jesus [6:02] The pastor of the church at Jerusalem and so far what he has done is he has taken us on this journey [6:07] And what the book of James is about if you saw the title [6:11] Of the series as a whole it’s called the gospel of works

[6:14] What the whole book is about is what does the gospel do to our lives?

[6:21] Does it change the way we live does believing in Jesus Christ does having faith in? [6:28] Jesus Christ have any impact on your life in the way that you [6:34] Tangibly live day in and day out and if it doesn’t what does that mean? [6:42] And that’s what he’s been talking about for about four chapters now [6:45] But I want to prepare you this morning for what we’re gonna talk about if you’ve read ahead [6:49] You know where we’re going but verses 13 through 17 of chapter 4. It’s not for the faint of heart

[6:56] I’ll be honest [6:59] What James does and it’s easy for you you get 45 minutes. I’ve been been here all week is [7:05] James confronts us in verses 13 through 17 with every excuse and [7:12] every reason [7:14] That we give for not living our lives [7:20] intentionally and obsessively

[7:22] for the gospel

[7:26] Confronts us with that and he confronts us with the reasons and the attitudes behind it [7:33] And so what we’re gonna do today is we’re gonna talk about these few verses and we’re gonna excuse me [7:40] Take a trip through the New Testament to answer a [7:45] question for you because what’s very easy is [7:49] reading through books like this and seeing that wisdom comes from above and that faith without works is [7:56] and that true humility is found in

[8:00] Submission to God and in loving one another and in facing [8:06] suffering with our hope firmly in the gospel and [8:11] Looking in every place in our lives where we can put the gospel into action [8:16] And what’s easy to do is when we do that is make that very subjective [8:21] Is we make it subjective and say well that means something different for everyone [8:26] And what that means for you does not necessarily mean the same thing for me because each and every one of us live different

[8:35] lives [8:36] And so what I wanted to do today, I didn’t just want to look at you and say stop making excuses [8:40] Which I’m going to do by the way, but I didn’t just want to do that [8:44] What I want to do is I want to say that and then tell you specifically how to live your life because [8:51] That’s what everybody likes to hear from preachers [8:53] Isn’t it you like when we say this is specifically how you should live

[8:58] No, that’s what everyone hates and if I didn’t love you [9:02] I wouldn’t tell you how to live your life this morning [9:04] But I’m gonna break the the ice with you and I’m just gonna fill you in that [9:09] Some of you are not gonna like what I’m gonna say today [9:12] But if you don’t like what I have to say today understand that I don’t like it either

[9:19] Because God is confronting me [9:22] With just as much if not more sin through this text [9:29] As he’s confronting you [9:31] What I want you is I don’t want you to be here this morning and take a verbal bashing from me and [9:38] Think that you’re alone [9:41] Because I’ll be honest with you’re not I’m right there with you and

[9:45] Everyone around you is right there with you this morning because that’s why the church exists [9:49] As we exist to come together in our sin [9:53] the hope of the gospel [9:55] To live for the gospel to be confronted by the gospel to go from a place where we’re not [10:03] living for God [10:04] to living for God

[10:06] And the only way we can do that [10:10] Understand this the only way we can do that is if we are confronted with the truth about ourselves

[10:19] Let’s do it James chapter 4 verse 13

[10:26] Come now [10:27] Stop right there

[10:31] Made it a long way folks [10:33] In the Greek what I want you to understand is what James is saying right there is the most adamant and [10:42] Harsh words he can use to say you better pay attention

[10:49] That’s what he does there when he says come now it’s an immediate call to attention [10:54] It’s an immediate call to let you understand that what he’s about to say is [11:01] significant

[11:04] Come now you excuse me come now you who say

[11:09] Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and [11:14] Spend a year there and trade and make a profit [11:18] Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring what is your life? [11:25] For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes [11:30] Instead you ought to say if the Lord wills [11:34] We will live and do this or that as it is you boast in your arrogance

[11:41] All such boasting is evil [11:44] so whoever [11:46] knows [11:48] the right thing to do and [11:51] fails to do it

[11:55] For him it is a sin [12:00] It’s really interesting text if you really step back [12:02] And I know each and everyone you every morning you got your Greek New Testaments out [12:06] And you’re like that’s an interesting grammar. They’re just what he uses there. That’s interesting. I know you don’t do that, but um [12:13] neither do I but uh [12:15] I do and I’m studying but not at 6 a.m. I can only get one eye open at 6 a.m. So I can’t read

[12:22] Here’s what’s going on. He starts out by giving us a business analogy [12:28] about the life of a businessman and [12:32] the planning that goes in to running a business and if you’re in here this morning, and you have any type of [12:41] managerial job [12:42] whatsoever you know [12:45] What type of planning goes into business this is connecting right home for you now if you’re a bum this doesn’t connect with you at all

[12:52] But if you are any type of manager [12:55] Or you have any type of job that requires you to use your brain at all you’re like so is he telling me? [13:01] I shouldn’t be doing that [13:02] But what’s interesting is where he goes after that analogy is he goes directly into what he was just talking about [13:10] boasting [13:12] Humility and doing the will of God

[13:15] So let’s break this apart. What exactly is James talking about well the first thing that he talks about and this is gonna [13:22] Be really hard for you to connect the dots [13:23] So this is why we’re gonna have to take a trip to the New Testament is that life must be lived for the gospel [13:32] As a number one thing you need to know about the entire book of James [13:36] So what I want to do in that phrase is sum up the book of James in its entirety and then put it together in [13:44] These verses life must be lived for the gospel life is far too

[13:52] short [13:52] To be lived for anything less [13:58] Than the gospel of Jesus Christ [14:01] You might be asking this morning. Well. What exactly is less than that [14:08] Anything other than the gospel is less than that

[14:13] Anything [14:14] So here’s what he does [14:16] Is he uses an analogy that would have connected to? [14:19] Everyone that he was writing to because understand Paul in his brilliant [14:24] Strategy went around the known world that he could get to at that time without air travel and he planted [14:32] churches in

[14:33] every seaport and [14:36] Trading route across the world well who lived in those seaports and trading routes

[14:44] Business people [14:47] And he did that because he knew that if he did it there [14:50] Then those people that were coming in with those ships and leaving the docks with those ships [14:54] Guess what they would be hearing and then taking back to places like Africa the gospel [15:00] And so he gives an analogy that connects right home for these people and I’ll tell you we live in Midlothian [15:05] this hits right home with all you men and on most of you women and

[15:10] especially mothers [15:12] I had to try to get my son to take a nap Friday [15:15] Excuse me Thursday morning because my wife had to leave for a little while [15:18] Anybody that says full-time motherhood is not a full-time job. You’re crazy. I [15:24] was exhausted for [15:27] You now I was pandering to the crowd right there, but I do that sometimes. I don’t I’m crazy

[15:33] But here’s the thing [15:35] He says look at the time [15:38] That you spend in planning for your job to make money [15:44] Look at the time that you spend into planning your children’s education [15:52] or little league [15:54] Look at the time that you spend in

[15:58] Planning this and that saying this is where I’ll be a year from now [16:03] This is my five-year plan and he says you do that with [16:08] Absolutely, no certainty that you’ll even live that long [16:13] You do that with no certainty that the company you work for will even be in business five years from now [16:21] You do that with no [16:23] Certainty that anything that you want to do will even come to fruition

[16:30] Your life is but a mist [16:34] Life is short [16:37] Solomon called it a vapor [16:39] Paul said the days are evil. They’re so short [16:44] It is you spend all of your time working and toiling and striving, but the one thing [16:52] The one thing

[16:55] That you know for certain and that you claim to believe with your very life [17:00] The one God that you say that you trust with your soul [17:04] The one good news of the gospel of Jesus that you claim to be banking your entire [17:10] Afterlife on then you claim to be banking your entire [17:14] Redemption on that you claim to be saving you from the wrath of God [17:18] You spend no time planning for that

[17:27] You spend no time even thinking

[17:34] How can I best serve the God that saved me

[17:49] I [17:50] Had some heavy stuff 10 a.m. Sunday morning

[17:57] James confronts us right where we are

[18:03] He says you’re spending hours and hours and hours [18:11] On things that won’t even be around in a hundred years

[18:19] You’re just spending hours and hours

[18:21] Strettigizing

[18:24] Planning thinking considering and this starts at childhood. What do you want to be when you grow up?

[18:36] We’re conditioned for that [18:39] It’s not wrong. Tell we’re wired. We’re wired to plan we’re wired to strategize [18:45] But James says, what effect is the gospel having on that strategizing?

[18:54] How much time do you spend strategizing for how you are going to reach people with the [18:58] gospel of Jesus? [18:59] How much time are you spending planning as to how you can best build the church of Jesus [19:04] Christ?

[19:09] And the sobering truth is that compared to how much time we spend planning our weekend [19:16] dates, we are not spending any time planning. [19:23] Because here is what we do.

[19:26] Here is one of my favorite phrases. [19:28] Because in one area of life it is true, alright. [19:32] But what we have done is we have taken it and said, every area of my life, alright, [19:37] let go and let God. [19:40] Just let go and let God.

[19:44] In some scenarios, you are absolutely right. [19:47] Trust God. [19:48] He is sovereign. [19:51] If we couldn’t trust Him, then why should we believe the gospel?

[19:56] But here is what we do. [19:58] That turns from a thing of comfort and worship. [20:01] I moved to the carpet and I am about to trip. [20:04] We turn that from a thing of comfort and worship to an excuse to do nothing.

[20:14] To an excuse as to why we sit around all week and just show up on Sunday morning and expect [20:21] God to do something amazing in that hour.

[20:25] I believe we have 168 hours in a week and you expect God to just use one to change you.

[20:34] What are you doing with the other 167? [20:37] Now if you are 18, sleeping.

[20:42] Get out of bed. [20:44] Do something.

[20:50] Life must be lived for the gospel.

[20:59] What do you think Jesus said when He said true worshipers will worship Me in spirit [21:03] and in truth?

[21:05] First off, He is prophesying about the future redemption that we will have where He will [21:09] die and then He will raise again and He will redeem His people and He will give us, literally [21:15] now, His Spirit so that we can worship completely unchained, completely free. [21:23] In Hebrews it says we are to come boldly before the throne of the Father to worship Him. [21:28] But here is the key. [21:30] He is not simply talking about a couple of songs on Sunday.

[21:35] Worshipping in spirit and in truth is about a lifestyle.

[21:41] When He says, when James starts talking about this, when He says you rich people who spend [21:46] all of your time toiling, He is bringing us back to chapter 1. [21:50] This is what He said in chapter 1 starting in verse 9. [21:53] He says, let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation. [21:56] Remember He just talked about being humble and mourning in our sin? [21:59] Well the lowly brother is to boast in the exaltation because He just says that if you

[22:03] humble yourself unto the hand of the mighty God, He will, at the proper time, lift you [22:07] up. [22:07] That is what He is talking about with the lowly brothers. [22:09] To boast in the exaltation that the gospel gives you. [22:11] But look at what He says to the rich man. [22:13] And the rich in his humiliation, why would the rich man be humbled?

[22:21] Because He no longer bases His life on His possessions.

[22:26] Because like a flower of the grass, He will pass away. [22:31] For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass. [22:34] Its flower falls and its beauty perishes. [22:37] So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits. [22:42] Connect that to what we just talked about. [22:44] You who spend all your time planning next year, I will do this or I will do that.

[22:51] He is talking right where we are. [22:55] Because we read verses like that and we are like, I should not base my life on my material [23:00] possessions. [23:02] Which is hard to do in this culture. [23:03] Very hard to do. [23:04] Because we have so many.

[23:08] But then He says, you don’t just make that a general thing. [23:14] Where it is like, I am not going to boast in that television. [23:17] I have it, but I will not boast in it. [23:19] No. [23:20] Take it further. [23:22] Connect it to your life.

[23:24] This is not just some subjective generalization. [23:27] In chapter 4, He says, now this is how you actually live that out. [23:32] It is not about just looking at your possession and not liking it. [23:36] Enjoy the blessings God has given you. [23:38] But spend your lifestyle in planning for the gospel.

[23:47] 1 John chapter 2. [23:50] Do not love the world or the things of the world. [23:53] If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. [23:56] For all that is in the world, the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, the pride in possessions, is not from the Father, but is from the world. [24:07] And the world is passing away along with its desires. [24:11] But whoever does the will of God abides forever.

[24:16] To completely understand what it looks like to not have pride in possessions, you must understand. [24:24] What did you do to get those possessions? [24:27] You worked. [24:29] So what does it look like to not have pride in possessions? [24:32] Stop spending all of your time working for more possessions.

[24:39] So what should you do? [24:41] Work for the gospel.

[24:46] But I won’t have any money. [24:48] I’m not saying quit your job, guys. [24:51] And neither is James. [24:53] I’m talking about leveraging what God has given you and the places that he has put you in life. [25:02] And the influence that many of you have in the areas that you have it in. [25:06] And using that life and living for the gospel.

[25:11] Use that brilliant mind for business, for motherhood, for sports, for building things, for whatever. [25:19] Use it and plan for the gospel.

[25:25] Use it and strategize for how we can reach Midlothian and Richmond with the good news of Jesus Christ. [25:34] James has just said, don’t just be a hearer of the word, be a doer of the word. [25:38] Well, how do you do that? [25:39] Well, what are you good at? [25:41] Nothing. [25:41] That’s a lie.

[25:46] Satan wants you to believe that lie. [25:49] And James has just said, resist the devil and he will flee from you.

[26:00] We must understand that the shortness of life demands that it be spent on the matter of utmost importance.

[26:15] And whatever you spend the majority of your time, effort and finances on reveals what you believe to be of the utmost importance.

[26:36] James wants us to understand that the work of the gospel is urgent. [26:43] Many of you may use the thought, when I have more time, I’ll start volunteering. [26:52] When I have more time, I’ll start going to a community group. [26:56] When I have more time, I’ll seek discipleship. [27:00] When I have more time, when I have more time. [27:03] Here’s the thing I want you guys to understand.

[27:06] It never happens. [27:08] I’ve been waiting for about a decade now for more time to show up.

[27:14] And it is not. [27:15] Less time keeps coming instead.

[27:19] When you’re single, I’ll have more time when I’m married.

[27:24] Nope. [27:26] You definitely won’t have more money.

[27:31] Well, once I get my family together.

[27:35] You got 15 months old? [27:39] Yeah, I knew it. [27:40] 15 months old. [27:43] I definitely don’t have more time or money.

[27:47] It never happens.

[27:50] It’s a foolish lie of the devil that at some point you will have more time. [27:54] Because there’s always something new coming. [27:58] Always. [28:00] So you will just continue to go into the abyss of worldly passions. [28:09] Worldly pleasures. [28:11] Worldly consumption by your own possessions.

[28:17] Continuing to say, when I have more time.

[28:22] A few weeks ago, I read an article that said, [28:24] If you want your children to grow up believing church is irrelevant and a waste of time.

[28:32] Spend your life saying, I’ll get into community when I don’t have anything better to do.

[28:39] I’ll spend my time on church when I don’t have anything better to do. [28:43] Do you understand what you are preaching to your children by the way you live your life? [28:49] What’s more important than the gospel to you? [28:52] Because it’s going to be your children’s God.

[29:05] The gospel is urgent. [29:10] In Ephesians chapter 5, I want us to get the mentality of the scripture on this. [29:15] I want us to understand what the Bible says we are to do as children of the Most High God. [29:20] Paul writes in Ephesians chapter 5, he says, Therefore, be imitators of God as beloved children. [29:26] And then in verse 14, he jumps right off of that thought. [29:29] He says, For anything that becomes visible is light.

[29:32] Therefore, it says, Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead and Christ will shine on you. [29:39] Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise, but as wise, making the best use of the time. [29:46] Because the days are evil. [29:48] Therefore, do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

[29:56] He says, If you are a believer in Jesus, imitate God. [30:03] But do not walk around pretending you don’t know what that means. [30:09] Don’t walk as unwise, walk as wise. [30:11] Redeem the time. Don’t waste the time. [30:14] Wake up, because you’re going to die.

[30:21] Don’t waste your life. [30:24] Live for the will of God. [30:27] And then what is the will of God? [30:28] Very later on, excuse me, just a few verses later, he spells out for us what the will of God is by an analogy of marriage. [30:38] That the wife loves and serves her husband, and the husband dies serving his wife. [30:47] And then what does he say at the end? He says, What I write about is a mystery, but I tell you it has nothing to do with marriage.

[30:53] Because I’m talking about the relationship between Jesus Christ and His church. [30:57] Look in verse 25 of Ephesians chapter 5. [30:59] He says, Husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her. [31:08] The attitude that husbands in the scripture, in the gospel, are to have towards their wives is the attitude that every one of us is to have towards the mission of Jesus in the gospel. [31:22] We are to give our very lives to build God’s church. [31:28] Because the urgency of the gospel is revealed in the mission of Jesus.

[31:34] Look at what Paul had to say about how he saw his life where the gospel was concerned. [31:40] Acts chapter 20 verse 24, he says, But I do not account my life of any value, nor as precious to myself. [31:47] If only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. [31:58] Paul had the attitude. He said, My life is of no value apart from the gospel.

[32:06] The same gospel that saved me is the gospel that gives me a reason for living.

[32:12] And we read that and we say, Super Christian. [32:18] He had something I don’t. Well, that’s for the pastors.

[32:28] That doesn’t exist.

[32:32] There is no separation. [32:34] There’s no super Christian.

[32:37] There’s just the Holy Spirit. And if he’s in you, that’s what you want. [32:43] That’s what you crave. [32:45] That’s what you delight in.

[32:48] That’s why Paul says, Wake up.

[32:53] If you’re not living for the gospel, what are you living for? [32:59] Because it’s going to fade away.

[33:04] You can build a kingdom on this earth.

[33:09] Or you can build a kingdom that will last for an eternity through the gospel.

[33:16] What are you going to build? [33:19] Paul said in Philippians chapter one, [33:22] He said, Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, [33:27] so that whether I come and see you or am absent, [33:30] I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit with one mind, [33:35] striving side by side for the faith of the gospel.

[33:42] So what does that look like? [33:45] Can we get more specific or do we all just get to define what that looks like? [33:49] I’m glad you asked. [33:51] It gets more specific. [33:54] The mission is building God’s church.

[34:00] The gospel is urgent, but what the gospel says is build the church. [34:06] Here’s how we look at that. [34:07] Go over to Ephesians chapter two. [34:10] A couple of chapters before this. [34:13] Verse 14, Paul writes, [34:16] For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one,

[34:19] and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility. [34:24] There’s reconciliation. [34:26] There’s the thing we’ve been talking about for weeks. [34:29] That Jesus, through his sacrifice, [34:32] has broken down the wall of hostility that existed between us and God. [34:38] He’s broken it down.

[34:39] He’s joined us with God. [34:42] We have a relationship with God the Father. [34:45] But how does that work itself out? [34:46] Look just a few verses later in verse 19. [34:48] So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, [34:51] but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,

[34:56] built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, [34:58] Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, [35:01] in whom the whole structure being joined together grows into a holy temple in the Lord. [35:06] In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Holy Spirit. [35:14] And then over in verse 5, chapter 25, we see Jesus gave his life for what? [35:20] The church!

[35:21] What is verse chapter 2 talking about? [35:23] The church!

[35:28] A lot of us have so much baggage from a lot of bad churches, we don’t like to hear that.

[35:35] But understand that the mission is clear. [35:40] And the mission is not from some thieving, adulterating pastor. [35:45] The mission is from Jesus Christ himself, the Son of God, perfect in every way, [35:50] holy, eternal, omniscient, omnipresent, completely humble, [35:54] completely submissive to the will of the Father. [35:55] He said, not my will, but the will of you be done.

[35:58] I’m going headlong into that cross. [36:00] I’m going to suffer for the church. [36:01] I’m going to die for the church. [36:02] I’m going to raise up the church. [36:03] And then I’m going to build it through the hands and feet of those who have been redeemed. [36:07] That is our mission.

[36:09] And our place is to forget all that is behind and strive forward to the goal, towards the prize. [36:16] As Paul said, not that I have already obtained or that I have already made it, [36:21] but I strive forward for the glory of God the Father through the truth of the gospel [36:26] to build the church of Jesus Christ.

[36:29] We say, that sounds good, the universal church, the invisible church, we’re all part. [36:33] We can do that from our bedroom. [36:36] No, you can’t.

[36:38] That’s like saying I can eat at McDonald’s without going and buying a cheeseburger. [36:42] You can’t do it.

[36:46] You cannot build the universal church until you begin to build the local church.

[36:54] You’re doing the universal church no good if you’re not serving the local church. [36:58] You don’t even love the universal church until you love the local church. [37:03] I don’t love marriage if I’m not loving my wife.

[37:09] St. Augustine of Hippo, and he’s a long time ago, so I can quote him.

[37:16] He said, the church is a whore, but she’s also my mother.

[37:21] Talk about conflicted.

[37:24] This is a holy mess, folks. [37:27] You’re going to get hurt, but that doesn’t change the mission.

[37:34] Some of you think your hurt feelings give you a reason to avoid the mission of Jesus. [37:39] Jesus didn’t change his mind.

[37:43] I’ve been hurt.

[37:47] More than some of you can even imagine. [37:51] By numerous pastors.

[37:54] That didn’t change the mission.

[37:59] So what is that going to look like?

[38:04] Look over in 1 Peter. [38:05] Let’s get some identity, because I think a lot of this is an identity issue for us. [38:09] If we can find our identity in the church, we can serve it. [38:15] As you come to him, Jesus, a living stone rejected by men, but in the sight of God, chosen and precious. [38:22] You yourselves, like living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, [38:29] to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

[38:33] For it stands in scripture, behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone, chosen and precious. [38:39] And whoever believes in him will not be put to shame. [38:42] So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, [38:47] the stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone, [38:50] and a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense. [38:52] They stumble because they disobey the word as they were destined to do.

[38:58] But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession. [39:06] Listen, that you may what? [39:09] Proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. [39:14] Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people. [39:17] Once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

[39:24] Understand, you alone are not the church. [39:28] You alone are not a people. [39:30] You alone are a person. [39:32] God says, I’m not making you a person. [39:34] I’m making you a people. [39:36] I’m joining you together so that you as a people, as my people,

[39:41] can go and proclaim my glory through the hope that’s only found in Jesus Christ. [39:46] And how are we going to do that if we will not commit to anything?

[39:58] Oftentimes, we expect a church to be everything that we want, [40:11] everything that we need, everything that we could possibly have. [40:15] I mean, like sliding boards in the kids section. [40:18] I mean, popcorn and drinks. [40:20] I don’t like that flavor coffee. [40:22] I don’t like this flavor coffee.

[40:23] These chairs are uncomfortable. [40:24] Those lights are too bright. [40:26] The music was too loud. [40:28] And we do that the entire time, trying to build our dream for a church on the backs of others. [40:36] And then if those others who are serving and toiling and working, [40:41] if they don’t do it exactly how I want it, then I won’t come and sit for an hour.

[40:49] I’m sorry if your opinion isn’t that big of a deal to me, [40:52] if all you do is show up for an hour a week.

[41:01] And I promise you, I’m not trying to be mean on that, [41:03] but what I’m trying to say is you can’t love the church if you ain’t serving in the church.

[41:10] I watched a good crew of guys. [41:12] I was 20. [41:13] 7 a.m. I cannot believe I just said 20. [41:16] 7 a.m. this morning. [41:18] If you’re from Virginia, you’re with me on that one. [41:21] If you’re not, you’re like, what does that even mean?

[41:24] I don’t know. [41:24] I’ve just been saying it my whole life. [41:27] I said it from the stage. [41:28] Man, I can’t believe I did that. [41:30] I showed up at 7 a.m. this morning to a group of guys that love the church.

[41:37] I did. [41:39] And then I watched a group of other people show up about 7 a.m. [41:43] that love the church. [41:45] Then at 8 o’clock, a few more showed up. [41:48] And they love the church. [41:51] You want to know how I know?

[41:53] Because they didn’t sleep in this morning.

[41:56] You want to know how I know? [41:58] Because they were up here breaking their backs, putting those screens up. [42:02] Because they were out on Charter Colony Parkway, risking their lives, putting signs up. [42:09] Because people showed up to serve refreshments to my workers, God’s workers. [42:16] Because people showed up at 8.30 to pray for the power of the Holy Spirit on this sermon. [42:22] Because people showed up to put foam flooring all over the cafeteria

[42:27] so that your children won’t hurt themselves. [42:30] Because people showed up to put these curtains up, and put these lights up, [42:35] and play these instruments, because they love the church. [42:38] And how do I know they love the church? [42:40] Because faith with works is life.

[42:45] And faith without works is dead.

[42:53] Unfortunately, those people that show up, [42:56] before I show up, people show up.

[43:01] Before I show up, people are hooking trucks up to trailers.

[43:08] They have set an unbelievable standard.

[43:13] And they never get an applause. [43:16] Give the volunteers at the Village Church an applause for me, right now.

[43:26] But here’s what I want to see happen.

[43:31] Easter Sunday’s coming.

[43:34] It’s the biggest day of the year our culture, for some reason, shows up. [43:38] They don’t know why, but they come to church anyway. [43:42] I need more volunteers.

[43:46] I’ve had the same group of people breaking their backs for almost two years now. [43:50] They need help.

[43:53] Do you want to live the mission?

[43:58] Well, well, maybe next year. [44:04] I can’t get to bed on Saturday nights.

[44:10] Life is too short to be lived on anything less than the Gospel.

[44:15] Do you think the people that show up and serve regret what they do? [44:21] Oh man, I wish I’d gotten another hour of sleep. [44:25] No, because they know that they are taking part in the building of the Church of Jesus Christ. [44:31] Because a lot of you wouldn’t have stayed if they don’t do what they do.

[44:36] A lot of the very reasons that some of you stayed here [44:40] is because of the work that the volunteers here do week in and week out. [44:47] And that’s just a little way. [44:49] I’m not saying you got to show up at 7 a.m. [44:53] You can help tear down. [44:55] Because right now, the same people that showed up at 6.30,

[44:59] which is really when the first person shows up. [45:01] You know when they leave? 12.30. [45:04] Because they’re the same people that tear down. [45:07] I wish I could just send them home after the service, [45:09] and a whole other crew could stay after the service.

[45:15] What reason are you giving though for not being able to do it? [45:20] I’ll stop judging me. That reason doesn’t say a lot about me. [45:23] Yeah, it does. It said a lot to James.

[45:28] How much time do you spend at your job?

[45:32] Is that more important than the Gospel?

[45:38] See? Faith demands urgency.

[45:47] It does. [45:49] When James confronts us and says, [45:51] Faithful that works is dead. [45:52] Does that sound urgent to you? [45:54] It sounds urgent to me. [45:55] Because what he’s doing is he’s looking at my very life,

[45:58] and he’s saying, [45:59] Understand that what you do with your belief is going to be helpful. [46:03] It’s going to be shown by how you live. [46:06] And it is something for you to take very seriously.

[46:10] Some of you are living with false hope.

[46:16] Some of you are living with a hope that is not based on the Gospel. [46:19] It’s based on some academic belief that Jesus existed at some point in time.

[46:26] That’s not transforming faith.

[46:30] Faith literally transforms your life, literally, in how you live. [46:35] It is a tangible transformation. [46:38] It is something that you can point to and say, [46:41] I’m transformed right there. [46:43] Look at John chapter 15. [46:44] Look at what the words of our Savior.

[46:46] In John chapter 15, he says, [46:48] I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. [46:50] Every branch in me that does not bear fruit, he takes away. [46:54] And every branch that does bear fruit, he prunes. [46:56] That it may bear more fruit. [46:59] Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you.

[47:01] See what we have in the Gospel? [47:03] We’ve been cleansed. [47:05] But look at what the Gospel does. [47:08] Abide in me and I in you, as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, [47:12] unless it abides in the vine. [47:14] Neither can you, unless you abide in me.

[47:18] I am the vine, you are the branches. [47:19] Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit. [47:24] For apart from me you can do nothing. [47:27] Jesus says, if you are really in me, if you really believe the Gospel, [47:34] if you really are connected to me, guess what will happen? [47:37] You will bear fruit of the Gospel and it will be obvious to you.

[47:44] Are you bearing fruit?

[47:48] Some of you may quickly say, yes.

[47:52] And I must slow down and say, can you point to it?

[48:00] Can you describe it? [48:02] Well, I’ll come to a community group when my work slows down. [48:09] It’s never going to slow down.

[48:13] I’ll get in a relationship of discipleship through community groups [48:17] when I have a little more time. [48:19] When my kids don’t have this going on and that going on, it’s not going to happen. [48:25] It’s not going to happen. [48:28] If you want it to happen, you must intentionally begin to make decisions [48:36] and look at your life and saying, this is where it’s going to happen.

[48:41] This is how it’s going to happen. [48:43] You do not go to work in the morning and say, whatever happens is going to happen. [48:50] How it pans out is how it’s going to pan out. [48:53] You do not wake up in the morning with a two-year-old and say, [48:58] okay, go take a bath, read a few stories to yourself. [49:01] Whatever you do is what you’re going to do.

[49:04] Whatever happens is how it’s going to happen. [49:07] And if you do do that, please stop. [49:09] Your kid needs for you to raise him. [49:11] And if you do go to work with that attitude, please change. [49:14] You’re going to get fired.

[49:18] Every other area of our life is planned meticulously. [49:22] Yet we look at the gospel and say, I just want it to happen organically.

[49:30] No intentionality needed. [49:32] Let go and let God.

[49:35] That doesn’t make any sense. [49:38] Let me just confront you with that right now. [49:40] You’re not making any sense.

[49:44] It’s not going to happen that way.

[49:49] If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail. [49:53] And you may be saying, that’s some cool catchphrase. [49:56] It changed my life because I had never thought about it that way.

[50:04] Do something.

[50:08] Live differently.

[50:12] Be on mission.

[50:17] Faith does not wait until tomorrow to begin the work that God wants you to do today.

[50:26] Faith doesn’t do that.

[50:29] Faith sees the revelation of scripture and sees what God has to say. [50:34] And rearranges his entire life so that he can live for the gospel of Jesus Christ. [50:39] That’s what faith does. [50:42] Faith doesn’t spend time picking fights and getting selfish about his own ambition. [50:47] And about what he wants and what he wants to see people doing. [50:50] And how he wants it to happen.

[50:52] Faith doesn’t do that. [50:53] You know what faith does? [50:54] Faith submits to God in humility and then defines what that looks like. [51:00] Because you know what it looks like? [51:01] It looks like a person that is intentionally striving to live the mission of Jesus as spelled out in scripture. [51:08] Through the life of the local church.

[51:10] For the benefit of the universal church. [51:13] So that in Revelation chapter 7 we can be gathered around the throne of God. [51:17] With people from all tribes, all tongues, all nations worshiping God and saying, [51:21] Salvation belongs to our Lord. [51:26] That’s what faith does.

[51:30] Some of you are more worried about whether or not the Jersey Shore in Italy is going to happen. [51:36] Than you are about what’s going to happen in the lives of the people of this church. [51:42] And then you have the audacity to say that my faith has fruit.

[51:52] Rotten fruit maybe.

[52:01] Faith without works is dead.

[52:08] Don’t wait until tomorrow.

[52:12] Because you know what you need to do.

[52:23] And he who knows the right thing to do and does not do it immediately.

[52:32] To him it is a sin.

[52:40] For some of you.

[52:43] That means.

[52:47] You need to come to faith in Jesus.

[52:53] To some of you that means.

[52:57] You need to join a community group. [53:00] And be faithful to it.

[53:04] To some of you that means. [53:06] You need to start volunteering.

[53:09] To some of you that means. [53:12] You need to start looking at your job. [53:14] Less as a way to get possessions. [53:16] And more as a way to serve God through the local church. [53:20] By bringing people from work and also leveraging your job for the gospel. [53:26] And you say how do I do that?

[53:28] I don’t know what you do so I have no idea.

[53:32] But maybe, just maybe.

[53:36] James is giving us a simple clue. [53:42] That if we just spent time thinking about it. [53:46] We might be able to come up with something.

[53:51] Because after all. [53:54] If you didn’t spend time planning. [53:56] For your job. [53:58] It might not go so well. [54:01] Maybe the problem in your spiritual life.

[54:04] Is because you are not planning. [54:06] You are just accepting whatever comes your way.

[54:11] Father. [54:12] We love you.

[54:18] God that we might repent of our sins and begin to serve you. [54:26] May we flee.

[54:29] From the temptation.

[54:32] To put off until tomorrow what you have for us today. [54:36] May we embrace the gospel right now. [54:39] And begin right now. [54:41] To plan and strategize. [54:43] [54:43] And work for this great gospel that you have given us.

[54:48] That reconciles us to you.

[54:51] God from young to old. [54:54] May we live for the gospel. [54:56] It’s never too early. [54:58] And it’s never too late.

[55:01] Right now what we are going to do. [55:03] Is reflect.

[55:06] On the death of our Lord Jesus Christ through communion. [55:08] We do this every week here at the Village. [55:11] It is a way for us to preach the gospel to each other. [55:17] To preach what we believe to each other. [55:20] Through the bread and the cup. [55:22] But it’s also a way to remind ourselves.

[55:25] Of what a great savior we have in Jesus. [55:30] If you are not a believer. [55:33] Become one this morning. [55:35] Instead of partaking in communion. [55:38] Spend time right there. [55:39] And trusting in Jesus.

[55:41] For the repentance of your sins. [55:43] And the reconciliation that you need with God the Father. [55:45] To save you from his wrath.

[55:49] Come right up here and I’ll talk to you. [55:52] And I’ll tell you. [55:53] How you. [55:55] Can partake of communion.

[55:58] But maybe you need to spend just a minute. [56:00] Before you come up here and partake of the Lord’s Supper.

[56:05] And take some inventory of your life.

[56:09] Where are you living for the gospel?

[56:13] What are you doing for the gospel?

[56:18] Do you even think about it?

[56:23] Maybe you should pray about it. [56:26] And then just do it.