Are You Sure?

Are You Sure?

We ask that question a lot. We ask it about what we are going to eat, in church in reference to our salvation, when someone says they are having a baby.  When your friend tells you they want to get married to THATguy – are you sure?  When you tell your pastor you are leaving your church and going to that new plant across town. When you tell your husband you feel called to kid’s ministry – Are you reallysure about that?  Pretty much any and every decision in life, we ask the question “Are You Sure?”

In his blog from February 7, 2011, my friend, Pastor Mark Johnston from The Journey Church in Newark, DE wrote this about this question in relationship to a growing church:

“Everybody wants their church to grow.  Until it does. Suddenly not all of us are so sure anymore.  Think about it: if you’re a member of a church and it starts to grow, you’ll probably have to: Sit somewhere new. Park further away. Interact with someone you don’t know. Let someone new talk to the pastor. Give more so growth can continue. Realize your personal preferences may not weigh as much as they once did. Trust the people who are leading you. These are hard adjustments for some people to make.

If you’re a leader in a church and it starts to grow, it gets even worse.  You’ll probably have to: Increase your character. Bite your tongue. Grow your team by developing others. Micro-manage less and macro-manage more. Be willing to be held accountable for your performance. Decide if it’s really worth it to you. Trust the people who are leading you. Not everyone’s up to that.

If you’re a pastor of a church and it starts to grow, things can reach a fever pitch.  You’ll probably have to: Take your spirituality seriously. Work harder. Keep office hours. Face your demons. Abandon the comfort of control. Say “no” to people who seem powerful. Trust the One who is leading you? Some of us may not want the burden of that.

So, are you sure?  When you pray for God to grow your church – whether you’re a member of it, a leader in it, or a pastor of it – do you really mean it?

Because chances are, when God answers your prayers, you’ll have to figure out what your life is really all about.  What matters most.  How much a lot of other people finding Jesus and following him fully is truly worth to you.

Before you go and put yourself in that uncomfortable position, or waste a lot of time praying for something you don’t really want and aren’t really prepared for, you should stop for a minute and ask yourself this simple question: ‘Am I Sure?’”

Am I sure?  Do I really want this for my life, my church, my ministry, my carreer.  Peter says this on the topic: “But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.  The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.  But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.  Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives.”     - 2 Peter 3:8-11(NIV)

Two points from this text: Number 1- God does not want to see anyone perish.  It is His desire to see every person on the planet saved. Luke 22:42-43 (TMSG) says,“’Father, remove this cup from me. But please, not what I want. What do youwant?’At once an angel from heaven was at his side, strengthening him.”Jesus was more concerned with his Father’s desire, saving lost people, than with his own comfort. And when he focused on God’s desire, what God wants, God sent him help immediately.  Here’s a great aside to this verse.  God is only obligated to assist us in what He has told us to do.  When we obey him, when we are doing our Father’s business, God will bring the help – supernaturally.  Whether that means stopping the storm for the disciples, parting the Red Sea for the children of Israel or Stopping the mouths of the lions for Daniel.  Whenever you are fulfilling His purpose He is obligated to respond.

Stop doing your own thing, asking God to bless it. Pastor Clint Brown, at Judah Church in Orlando, Florida says, “We must put a demand on the anointing – step out in obedience to God’s will for your life.”  When you step out in obedience it causes God to respond.  What does this obedience look like, in response to being sure about reaching lost people? It means we must Prayfor, Believe, and Invite Peopleto be a part of His family. 

Second point from our text in 2 Peter, “…everything is getting ready to be destroyed.”  If we do still believe in the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, we must act on it.  We are racing against the clock to save as many people as we can before the trumpet sounds.  John 9:4(TMSG) says,  “We need to be energetically at work for the One who sent me here, working while the sun shines. When night falls, the workday is over.”  It MUST be done today!  So I ask again, Are you sure?

Back to Pastor Mark’s blog: 

“Am I sure? If it means changing my seat, sacrificing my preferences, and giving more of my life… am I sure?  If it means going the second mile, living for something that doesn’t always directly benefit me, and dealing with the messiness of increase… am I sure?

If you’re sure, then I pray God will bless you and your church will explode with transformed lives.  If you’re notsure, then I pray everyone you could have reached if you would have been willing to make those sacrifices will find somewhere else to meet Jesus.”

Who knows, maybe it’ll be (here).  Because although we’re not perfect, I’m pretty sure - we’re sure.  We may not be the prefect church, with the perfect leaders, in a perfect location, doing everything perfectly, but we are sure! We are sure that we are going to do whatever it takes to reach one more person with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We will add more seats, more services, more buildings, more campuses, more staff, more coffee, and more parking. We will never be satisfied with status-que.  We will never allow the church to become about us.  The church does not exist just for me anyway, it exists for the one more person that does not know who he is.  Of this I am sure!