4 weeks ago my mom passed away – after a long battle with dementia. Almost 3 years ago my dad passed away right in the middle of Covid. We couldn’t have much of a service for him. So later today – my family and friends will gather to really celebrate the lives of both of them. I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about my parents, my mom and dad, what kind of people they were – what they instilled in me.
Pics of my parents
I’ve thought about what words I could say to truly describe who they were. What things I could share that would honor the legacy that they have left behind. And as I’ve been listening to this whole series and prepping for the message I’m going to give today – I’ve realized that my mom and dad were beautiful examples of the Grace value that this entire sermon series is based on – the value of “put me in, coach.” My parents believed in the local church, they loved their church and they spent much of their lives giving and serving their church – actually they spent the last 30 years of their lives serving this church – Grace Church – serving many of you. My dad had been an elder here, he went to men’s groups, served as a chaplain and led bible studies at Pendleton Prison and in his later years he stood at the doors right out there and greeted everyone who entered to this auditorium – usually with a really bad joke – my mom loved to make things beautiful and helped with events in women’s ministry – my mom also took care of my kids for many years so that I could serve and work at Grace. And they gave of their resources – my dad was the most generous person I have known in my life – always giving more than a tithe and practicing free dentistry for many missionaries and pastors and church staff. My parents gave much of themselves to the church. And not just any church – this church. They truly exemplified the value of put me in coach. And they didn’t do this out of some legalistic obligation or forced ideal – they did it because they loved this community – the loved this body of Christ and out of that deep love came an even deeper desire to see this community flourish and live fully and wholly. They believed their part – their contribution mattered – not just for them – but for the whole – as it says in Ephesians 4:16
16 He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.
They knew that their contribution – their giving of resources, time, energy would build up everyone around them – this whole community – and because they loved this community – this body – Grace church – because they loved you – they joyfully said put me in, coach.
Fun fact: My parents were founding members of 3 different churches in the course of their marriage: Hope Church, Faith Church and Grace Church.
We’ve been in this series for the last several weeks – looking at the value of each of us understanding that we are a masterpiece created to do good works and then knowing what our passions are – knowing what our gifts are and using those to build up the body.
We all – every single one of us has something to contribute – but more than that you have something that is needed. People in this congregation need you to use your unique self and all that you are to help them. Like the Apostle Paul says in 1 Corinthians 12: 14-21
14 Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part. 15 If the foot says, “I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand,” that does not make it any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear says, “I am not part of the body because I am not an eye,” would that make it any less a part of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye, how would you hear? Or if your whole body were an ear, how would you smell anything?
18 But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it. 19 How strange a body would be if it had only one part! 20 Yes, there are many parts, but only one body. 21 The eye can never say to the hand, “I don’t need you.” The head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you.”
We cannot have a church that is healthy, growing and full of love if all we are is a bunch of ears – or mouths or hands – every part is essential – every person is essential.
We all have gifts – we are all masterpieces – we are all needed – we are all essential – we need everyone in the game
But why are we in the game – what is the game built on?
It is built on:
Our genuine love for each other.
Love that is humble and patient and kind and all the things Jesus calls us to be.
To get a better picture of what this looks like…
Let’s look at Romans 12 – starting in verse 9
Page _______________
Good morning to online –
Read this along with me
9 Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. 10 Love each other with genuine affection,[a] and take delight in honoring each other. 11 Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically.[b] 12 Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. 13 When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.
14 Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them. 15 Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!
17 Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. 18 Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.
This is our mandate – this is what it means to live like Christ – this is who we are to be to each other – to the rest of the world – this is what the upside down kingdom of Jesus looks like.
Looks look at what the apostle Paul was telling us in each of these verses.
Verse 9:
9 Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good.
This kind of love here – is love without hypocrisy – it is a sincere love – it isn’t a love that says one thing and does another – as a matter of fact it is a love that is more about doing than saying – more about an action than a feeling. This is the kind of radical love Jesus talks about and then the kind of self sacrificing love Jesus displayed for us on the cross. In Luke 6:31-34 – Jesus talks about this love
31 Do to others as you would like them to do to you.
32 “If you love only those who love you, why should you get credit for that? Even sinners love those who love them! 33 And if you do good only to those who do good to you, why should you get credit? Even sinners do that much! 34 And if you lend money only to those who can repay you, why should you get credit? Even sinners will lend to other sinners for a full return.
Maybe you’re thinking there are people here that I don’t feel that way about - isn’t that hypocritical – again we are talking about love in action – even those that annoy you or actually really tick you off if you treat them with love and give of yourself to them – if you pray for them – that feeling of love will grow – it is really hard to be bitter toward someone you are praying for and serving – it is a humble love – this doesn’t mean that you endure abuse or vicious behavior – sometimes the most loving thing to do for you and the other is to set boundaries but it is approaching all people with a humble genuine love
We are to hate evil and cling to good – God did not intend evil – God is good and the source of goodness – Genesis 1:31
Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good!
It’s not either or – it is both – we as his followers hate what is evil – the brokenness and despair of the world – that’s why we work to repair and restore and reconcile it – and we cling
To stick or hold together and resist separation, to join, unite, or embrace.
To what is good
This starts with our surrender to Jesus and then the allowing of him to transform our lives into the goodness that only comes from him.
Verse 10
10 Love each other with genuine affection,[a] and take delight in honoring each other.
Again – genuine affection – unhypocritical – and we delight in putting others above us – allowing others to shine – back to 1 Corinthians 12 where Paul is talking about the parts of the body - he says in verse 26
26 If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad.
Honoring each other is good for the whole.
11 Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically.[b]
We work hard for and with each other. Not because we have to but because of our love for each other and the community as a whole.
Music Man.
12 Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying.
We rejoice with each other – we are patient with each other – and we pray for each other.
13 When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.
We welcome people into our lives – into our homes – when one in our midst is hurting or in need we show up – the Christmas store – every part of the care center
14 Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them.
Again Jesus addresses this in Matthew 5 just as we read earlier in Luke 6
In Matthew 5 verses 43-48
43 “You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’[b] and hate your enemy. 44 But I say, love your enemies![c] Pray for those who persecute you! 45 In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. 46 If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. 47 If you are kind only to your friends,[d] how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. 48 But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.
That’s super easy – so we’ve got that covered
This past 3 years
Fun Fact: I think this concept is so difficult. Here are a few verses to contemplate as you struggle to love your enemies.
Genesis 50:20
1 Timothy 2:1-2
Luke 23:34
Luke 6:27-28
Job 31:29-30
Proverbs 24:17
1 Peter 3:9
Romans 12:14,17-19
Proverbs 25:21-22
Proverbs 16:7
Proverbs 20:22
Romans 5:8
Romans 8:28
Matthew 5:43-45
Ephesians 4:32
15 Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep.
Be of one mind and heart with each other
Philippians 2:2
2 Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose.
Consider the other first – don’t wait for them to consider you first
16 Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!
It’s the humble Christ like attitude Barry talked about
Sophroneo – humble, sober-minded thinking
Let our self-image be humble and right sized – living in harmony and putting others above ourselves – don’t think you know it all – everyone thinks they know it all – can you imagine how disconcerting it would be to the world if you listened and spoke kindly and humbly approached each other
17 Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable.
Revenge – vengeance – that is what the world wants – revenge has been masquerading as justice – and there is nothing restorative in that – for anyone – we cannot mistake vengeance for restorative justice – it is our natural inclination – but it is wrong
Zechariah 7:9
9 “This is what the LORD Almighty said: ‘Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another.
Amos 5:24
24 But let justice roll on like a river,
righteousness like a never-failing stream!
We are to be honorable – that is so hard.
18 Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.
We are to be a people of peace – a peace that surpasses all understanding.
This is our mandate – this is how we are to live with each other – and the rest of this broken world – this is our posture. This is the how of our service is to one another. This is the why of our service to one another. This isn’t a suggestion by Paul it is an expectation – this is how the body of Christ loves and serves each other.
We say put me in, coach because of our self sacrificing, humble, generous love for each other.
We serve each other, we show up for each other because, like Jesus, we have a deep, abiding, self-giving love for each other.
Do you want to see people grow closer to God do you want to see people become more like Jesus do you want to see people move forward in their discipleship - that is going to take sacrifice on your part. It is going to take you serving the body of Christ in order for people to grow - in order for families to grow - in order for you to grow. Being part of a whole, being part of a church is being part of a body that works together that sacrifices for each other when you serve – when you contribute you are helping move people closer to Jesus. And isn’t that what we’re all about?
I want to be part of the legacy my parents started so many years ago. I want to be part of a loving, giving, humble, serving community.
I think of what the people of Grace have given to me – the many that served in GK when my kids were babies so that Jeff and I could grow and deepen our faith – the merge and fuse leaders that invested in my kids and helped them in their faith journey – the community that has come around us and celebrated us and mourned with us – and lifted us up
I want to do that for someone else – you can do that for someone else.
Church is not a place – it’s a people.
And we need to show up for each other.
So that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.
So today is my last day. Tomorrow I start my sabbatical – I will be back the end of Feb. and my prayer is that over the next many weeks I can connect more deeply with God – that I can use this gift of time and space to abide and deepen – making room in my life for more transformation – so that I can come back healthier and mor passionate and that the fruits of the spirit are more evident in my life – that I am poised and ready to serve you all better and that my giving to you is coming from a place of deep love – great humility and genuine kindness.
Fun Fact: I am so incredibly grateful for this sabbatical gift. I will be spending much time connecting with my family and connecting deeper with God. Thank you all for making this possible for me.
To quote the music man – I want to come back more interested in us than in me
Can we all commit to that? That we will work to deepen our relationship with God – that we will allow the HS to continue to transform our hearts
That idea of sanctification that Barry talked about in the first week of the series
Sanctification – the process of becoming more like Jesus.
so that we can do good kingdom work together?
It is only thru that sanctification that we can be the kind of community that Paul talks about
I want to read the passage again and I want you to listen to it with us in mind:
9 Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. 10 Love each other with genuine affection,[a] and take delight in honoring each other. 11 Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically.[b] 12 Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. 13 When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.
14 Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them. 15 Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!
17 Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. 18 Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.
If we live like that – if we serve each other like that – if we invest in one another and our community like that – the impact will be far reaching – people will be drawn to Jesus thru us
We serve each other, we show up for each other because, like Jesus, we have a deep, abiding, self-giving love for each other.
Get in the game – not for you – for us – for the community – so that our light will shine for the world to see
Matthew 5:14-16
New Living Translation
14 “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. 15 No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.