Cy-fair Christian Church

“Sent” with whom? “Sent” by whom. “Sent” to do what? “Sent” where? “Sent” for how long? For the next several months, each Sunday, we are going to take a journey. You might even say we are going on a mission trip. This “trip” is not going to last for days, or even weeks, we are going on a long journey. During that time, we will get to experience over 30 years of history come to life. We get to witness the birth of the early Church. We get to witness her take some spills as a toddler. We get to witness her struggle as an adolescent. We even get to witness early signs of her adulthood. We will be taking this journey with the early Apostles who personally witnessed the of life of Jesus. Over the course of our journey, we will answer all of the “sent” questions I raised earlier. The answers to these questions are critically important to each of our lives. Now remember, we will be joining the early Apostles. Their journey becomes our journey. Their sending authority becomes our sending authority. Their purpose

The local church was created by Jesus to be His physical presence on earth until He returns. And if we believe Jesus is the hope of the world, then the church, by extension, is the hope of the world. That kind of claim is anything but benign. There is true planet-shaking power that exists within the people of God! This sermon closes out our series on community entitled, “This Is Us” and discuss who the church is, her untapped potential and what she will look like when Christ returns.

As we continue the “This Is Us” mini-series, we will step into an environment that has just been impacted by a rushing, mighty wind. As a direct result of this wind, we witness commitments made, lives changed forever, new relationships formed and a great deal of sacrifice all in a very short period of time. A rushing, mighty wind always results in commitment, lives. changed, new relationships formed and sacrifice!

The gospel story is a story of relationships from the beginning of the Book of Genesis to the end of the Book of Revelation. Each of us has within us a yearning to belong. Even the shyest person has a desire to know others and to be known. The scriptures teach us that it was not God’s intent for us to live in isolation. In fact, relationships are the primary way in which He imparts his grace. Without relationships, we cannot fully live out the gospel! This Sunday we are going to enter “Season 2” of this series. Just like the family in the story, being a part of a church family isn’t always easy. The church is precious, but it’s definitely not perfect. We struggle. We stiff arm. We make poor decisions. But at the end of the day, we are still a gospel community, a family—a means by which God reveals Himself.

Teens live in a world of pressure and mixed messages that can often be overwhelming. They feel immense pressure at school. They feel pressure in all of the extracurricular activities that fill their schedules. For some students, they even feel pressure at home. They are bombarded with images and messages telling them that they need to look and act like someone else. Life is confusing. It is not easy. In addition, students are at a critical age spiritually. They are beginning to wrestle with questions about their faith. What does it look like to follow Jesus in broken, cynical world? What does Jesus have to do with what I am doing in my life right now? Do I really even believe? This is where our student ministry, Engage, attempts to meet students and partner with parents.

In the final chapter of “Unlikely Heroes,” we will complete our journey by looking at the life of Elijah. He was a man who experienced the ups and downs of everyday life yet God used him in incredible ways for His glory.

What makes a hero? What are their qualifications? When we think of heroes, we typically think of people without any physical limitations. They stand out head and shoulders above the rest. Heroes also possess a strong moral constitution. So, when placed in extremely difficult circumstances, they always make the right decision. But if that were the case, the great King David of the Bible would’ve failed miserably by those standards. And yet God says of David that he is “a man after His own heart.” David was overlooked for his size, yet God used him to conquer a giant. He sins were numerous and had severe consequences, but God chose him to lead the kingdom of Israel. Do you believe God can use you? Or do you think your physical limitations and your failures have disqualified you? Take heart! You have exactly what it takes to accomplish great things for the Lord. Your past does not define you, Jesus does.

Every good hero story needs a dark setting. In other words, there needs to be something or someone from which the people need to be saved. Think Gotham City under the tyranny of the Joker or Thanos rule over the universe in the new Avengers film. This is the kind of dark setting where Israel found itself around 1100 B.C. Only they didn’t know it. Enter Samson. But Samson, with his holy purpose and super-human strength, was deeply flawed—an anti-hero. Samson’s sin would almost completely undermine God’s mission for him, but eventually even he would be redeemed.

What do Tim Drake, Kamala Khan, Steve Rogers, Jennifer Walters, Barry Allen, Barbara Gordon and Luke Cage all have in common? They are all extremely unlikely individuals who become super heroes! Steve Rogers was rejected by the army numerous times. He was frail and weak yet he possessed unparalleled character. This same man is who we know as Captain America. Barry Allen is a forensic scientist most known for always being late and very slow to complete his work. Lighting strikes a rack of chemicals and he becomes The Flash, the fastest man on the face of the earth. Barbara Gordon has absolutely no special powers or abilities yet she is compelled to do her part. She becomes Batgirl and stands alongside Batman to fight crime. Too often we view biblical characters as super heroes we have nothing in common with. As a young Christian I heard people tell stories about Moses, Samson, David and Elijah. It was rather hard to relate to them. When we pull back the curtain we actually realize how much we do have in commo

The problem with the standard approach to managing our finances is that it essentially puts God and others last. Essentially God and others get the left overs. If I have not spent it all, if I do not owe it all, if the government does not get it all, and if I don’t save it all, then I will give to God and/or give to others.

In the old days people replaced things – you replaced it when it broke. You replaced things when they were worn out. You replaced things when you lost them. Now days we do not replace things – we upgrade them! Discontentment is dangerous! It will get me unbalanced. If you do not get a handle on your discontentment it not only can wreck your relationship with those you love but it can wreck your relationship with God. A constant correction is required along with an intentional move in a different direction. When generosity becomes front and center for you it impacts every single arena of your finances. We turn our focus away from the things that are often so important to us, to the things that are important to God.

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:21 (ESV) What we do with the extra in your life is an indication of who we belong to. What we do with the extra is an indication of what we believe. Jesus said the way you handle your extra money says something about what is in our heart. We must stop measuring our life by the abundance of our possessions. Father may your generosity break us free from selfishness, greed or trust in the things on this earth.

Your Heavenly Father says get out of debt! He is not harsh about it…but broken-hearted. He is concerned about you. When we are enslaved to debt it impacts our ability, not our desire, our ability not our conscience, our ability not our willingness. Our ability to help someone in need, help some ministry, to go on a mission trip. You have the want to but not the ability. God says to give, give, give but your lenders say pay, pay, pay. Guess who wins?

There is a freedom and a peace and a relief when we can say– I want to honor you, God, with everything. When we say Mine, mine, mine, mine…it presents a problem. The more you have the less peace you have. If you are hanging on with both hands, the more distracted you are by your stuff. You know why? It is yours, yours, yours, yours. It is not a matter of what you have or do not have that drives your misery factor. It is how you answer the question…Is it yours or mine? Will I honor you? Prayer – God show me how to honor you with everything I have.

Our personal finances matter to God. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:21 (ESV) No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” Luke 16:13 (ESV) The struggle is not between serving God or serving the Devil. Jesus says no – conflict is between God and money. The struggle is between serving God and getting sucked into materialism, getting sucked into serving stuff. He has invited us into a relationship where we make our love of money, our love of our stuff subservient to our love and devotion to Him. “I don’t want your stuff, I want you! I want to be your treasure and when I am that which you treasure the most I have your heart!”

In his letter, Peter is writing to people who were experiencing severe challenges and points them to an unshakable foundation upon which they can stand in the midst of trials. In chapter 1 Peter 1, he speaks about Christian hope--a hope anchored in God's mercy, in Christ's salvation, and in a future spiritual inheritance which awaits these believers.