We Do Whatever It Takes to Reach All People, Part 2

Today on Summit life with Jeannie Greer don't make your hearts are blocked from supply God will make it hard for Democrats and Republicans white seekers brown sugar agency will make it hard for public school teachers or policeman, we have a gospel to precious and a mission to urge to let anything stand in our way.

I'm your host Molly minutes and we are so thankful that you been with us for another week of trusted Bible-based teaching before we get started today. Can we stop a minute and marvel at the love of God for lost people's. Jesus wants us to take the good news of the gospel to every tribe and tongue and nation truly pursuing all people in our communities with the love of Jesus. That's what today's core value in our study is grounded in yesterday. He challenges us to see lost people the way that God dies in a message titled, we do whatever it takes to reach all people. It's part of our new study called B the movement pictures stick around to begin to learn more about the Bible study that goes along with a series of first open God's word together your test again value we prioritize the gospel above all, which is what we look at last time for Jesus and the apostles.

We saw the gospel was a message of first importance, which meant that all other agendas right matter how good and worthy and important. They are all take a distant second place to the gospel. The second value number two look at today is we do whatever it takes to reach all people talk about what this means for some church if you think your number one means that our mission to the lost trumps the comfort of our members are mission to the lost will always trump the comfort of our members early on Summit church. We decided to set aside our preferences in order to reach people want you to know some, especially those of you that are newer here that where we are we are we are because of a group of people, a group of saints were willing to make themselves uncomfortable for the sake of reaching others. I'm sadly you know this. The countryside of America is dotted with churches who won't do that, their members.

The members don't want to change because change is uncomfortable. So they said on furniture that was designed in the 1940s. They listen to music that was popular in the 1950s. They listen to a pastor who was dressed like you got stuck in the 1960s. Some of you by the way you might've grown up in a church like this. And so you know how hard it is to get them to change anything.

The sad truth is that many of these churches have prioritized maintaining the traditions of reaching the grandchildren and listen, I know it's easy for us to sit here and feel small because over some modern and contemporary but I am sure by the way, this is an amazing church, but you realize how easy it is for that spirit to creep back in. How willing are you and I to put up with things that we don't like in church for the sake of reaching somebody else how comfortable are you with being uncomfortable.

We believe that we should always be pushing the envelope here with want to get comfortable, like I'm saying with being uncomfortable.

We want to do things innovatively or what it feels risky hello hello pastor friend about getting Craig Rochelle said that he said to reach people that nobody else is reaching you be willing to do what nobody else is doing. This is why by the way, we chose to pursue multisite all those many years ago. I'm just to be clear, multisite is a big headache for everybody but we figured that it was easier for us to reach more people in the Triangle, if lost people had a facility that they could come to within a Fifteen Mile Dr. of their homes. I always say that I'm flattered that you draw 45 minutes to come to our church really and am honored by that, but I can promise you that the person that you just met in Starbucks or in your neighborhood who doesn't know Jesus that will not draw 45 minutes to come. Your message that they don't really understand yet right voice that is rather than build one big gargantuan Six Flags over Jesus, building how we said let's build slightly smaller gospel outpost all the Triangle and some say to people stay where you are sir where you live. Let's be the church in that community. And that's what we did that, even though it wasn't an ideal way to set up a church and there are a lot of challenges to it. I hope you and I will always feel a little bit uncomfortable. Summit church because the mission is not about meeting our needs. The mission is about reaching our neighbors number two being a church that that that's willing to do whatever it takes to reach all people means to we pursue with not just depth. I sometimes hear the criticism that we need to stop focusing on growing and instead focus on taking people date and I get that I got told your third value is that we make disciples not just converts my bike but you can see from Jesus's parable that there is literally nothing that we can do with the 99 that brings Jesus as much joy as reaching the one which means that in all our focus on taking people deep which were going to do.

We can never lose the priority of going after the one is nothing we can teach to the 99 nothing we can do as the 99 brings Jesus as much joy as restore that one lost sheep is reclaiming that one lost prodigal son.

Prodigal daughter Charles Spurgeon who was 1/19 century preacher who was not known for his shallow sermons. It wasn't no light seeker friendly. Here's what he said if my hearers are not converted, as I have wasted my time.

I've lost the exercise of brain and heart. I feel as if I lost my hope and lost my life unless I find for my Lord. Some of his blood bought once I would sooner bring one center to Jesus Christ and unpack all the mysteries of the divine word for conversion is something that works with a live for you. Known throughout history as one of the deepest preachers it's ever been around. He said the thing that drives me is seen that one lost son or daughter be restored home. So yeah we want to continue to grow deeper in her talk about that the believers that grow deep without also growing wider probably not as is deep in the Gospels, a thing, because growing deep in the gospel always makes you reach wide for the gospel were not supposed to be in a stagnant stagnant pond where you simply receive receive receive were supposed to be a river work gospel water flows through us to others as number two. We are working to pursue not just depth were pursue with also number three number three. It means we go after all peoples in our community, not just one kind you noticed our statement specifically says we do whatever it takes to reach all people all their doesn't just mean as many as possible. It means all kinds of people certainly want to reach as many as possible. That's the whole point of the story of the 99 and the one every lost person matters to God, but all they are means all kinds of people, people from every walk of life from every socioeconomic strata from every ethnic group.

When Jesus gave the great commission in Matthew 28 he told the apostles to go and make disciples from contact ethnic is a great phrase that literally means all the people groups different tribes in different ethnicities and different language groups.

That's why the Summit church we send out so many missionaries from the church, but only currently we have 276 members were living overseas right now on a church planting date. We do that we don't do that because everybody in the triangle is reached.

It is not the mother do here. We do it because Jesus wants people from every tribe and tongue to be a part of his family right that's also why we as a church try to reach all different kinds of people in the triangle itself and by the way the vision for doing that is not is not starting separate churches for each of the different kinds of people. The vision for that is one united church were different kinds of people come together in one united family in Christ. When Paul went to court to plant a church in start up first Jewish Baptist on one side of town members, Gentile bags, on the other side down.

Even though, honestly, that probably would've been easier and everybody what I got along better. You planted one united church with everybody together and he wrote letters like Corinthians that help the people get along with all the culture clash.

They experience when they came the church together. Why would Paul do that wanted to start a Jewish church in the Gentile church while he explains in the book of Ephesians that the mystery and glory of the gospel would be revealed in a special way and a community of family of people who have little in common and Greek culture. But everything in common. In Christ that would reveal God's glory more than a bit and then a church where everybody looked the same.

Like the same things in and approached an approach social questions all the same way. By the way, did you notice that in first Corinthians 9, when Paul goes through all the different ways he's willing to adapt for the sake of the gospel to reach all people.

Did you know that almost every single one of the examples that he used about he was willing to adapt was cultural verse 20 he says to the Jew, the Jew says I became like a Jew I did Jewish things.

I ate Jewish food are resonated with Jewish questions.

I entered in the Jewish struggles. I work Jewish close. I made Timothy get circumcised at the cultural adaptation right to those under the law.

He said I became like like one under the law. I respected lost traditions that followed the law protocol as I adapted to the local community is much as possible. Even though technically I was free in Christ to live outside the Jewish law. Again, that's cultural adaptation to those who are weak. He said Paul by the way is most likely referring when he says those that are weak talking about Jewish converts who are weak in their understanding that the gospel has released them from Jewish Old Testament laws like he discusses in Romans 14 and Paul says I accommodated their weakness. I did make a big deal out of it, but I did my best not to offend them again. That's a cultural adaptation. Quite often, you understand the thing that gets in the way of people in the triangle here in the gospel it's cultural barriers. The gap between us and many of our neighbors Summit church is often a cultural barrier. Jesus didn't just dive for Republicans in just dive for conservatives in just as I'd die for white people or middle-class families with kids. He died for all peoples and all stages of life at all economic strata and to reach them. We have to be willing to lay aside parts of our culture. Sometimes we have to enter into somebody else's world. I'll tell you from experience that hard was it is really easy for Russell figures come not our heads and say oh yes you and we affirm that, but it's hard when the rubber actually it's the right little of them show you what I what I mean.

One of our members of color within a black church for most of his life told me that growing up in times like these. The church was the one place he could go for refuge is confident that everybody there would feel his pain shared his anxieties as perspective is understood, he said in the churches.

That was one place where I could just let down my guard and just be the trauma that had been left by slavery and Jim Crow laws created.

He said the solidarity in the black community that served as a refuge and and and and a time of trial or her fear. He said said so when something tragic would happen in the black community, he could expect that we can be discuss a church because that shared payment that your fear was on everybody's mind is that in choosing the Congo multiethnic church is especially one where the majority of the membership is white is that I've given up that comfort because not everybody in the church understands by some. In fact, he said sing primarily concerned to show me that my warrior my pain is not legitimate is that I've chosen to be a part of of our community here because he believes in the vision of this church.

He said, but it's it's hard. I nothing we can understand that but here's the truth we realize right. He shouldn't have to be the only one who has to adapt. For those of us who are in the white community we pursue have to enter as much as we can in the culture of others to take on their burdens to to listen to them and it mean that that their perspective is infallible and ours is wholly flawed that it does mean that we lay aside cultural preferences and perspectives and try to enter in with each other and remove as many barriers as possible to lay aside whatever we can for the sake of the gospel.

I'd say it's a race were trying to win. It also means by the way that that all of us are to be muted on some of our perspectives to keep from crook to keep from causing unnecessary division of the body, but Romans 14 lesson lesson. Paul is willing to be quiet or muted on secondary convictions.

He was fully commensurate right in him that he thought were important because he thought the unity of the church and its evangelistic mission more important than maintaining a uniformity of perspective in these other secondary things. Even though he thought like a said they were important. Hear me listen everything everything to Paul was secondary behind bringing people to Jesus being willing to do whatever it takes to reach all people means removing any obstacle we can that gets in the way of gospel proclamation, we see a great example of this philosophy at work in the early church at 15 Jewish and Gentile believers were so divided over a cultural issue and accepting that they can even worship together anymore when they commanded the Jews to the Gentiles.

They can get all bowed up generals and the Jews mega bowed up and so Gentile churches and a Gentile leaders were experiencing up a Jewish flight and vice versa by the apostles knew that that this undermine Jesus's prayer for unity in the church unity to Jesus that would demonstrate the that that the truth of his message to the church leaders come together to try to work something out there solution. However, when we did a natural team. The solution actually seems confusing because they basically say 3.15 they said a Gentile should do two things they should pay they should avoid sexual immorality and be they should avoid anything that died by strangulation, both of which were regular part of Gentile culture.

Now, the reason for the prohibition on sexual immorality. I think that's pretty. That's clear enough right, but that but but but but the other reason I don't eat something that's not by strangulation of zinc in a random right of all the things in the law and because that was part of the rule. That's the one you want to take as being something really really important. Don't eat something that God by Jody was not really like that important. Let James the leader of the Jewish segment of the church, let him explain the reason he said his wife for from ancient generations Moses has had in every city, those who proclaim him.

Acts 1521. In other words, there were a lot of Jews in every major city lost juice Jews who needed to be reached for Jesus and the apostles knew that these unsaved Jews came into the church of people they were eating strangled animals and the Jews wouldn't be able to stomach being there, no pun intended.

Right.

Because of that they wouldn't hear the gospel because they couldn't be there so he asked the Gentiles to refrain from doing things they had a right to do because it would keep unsaved Jews from hearing the gospel. James explains their overarching rationale right in the and and ask 15 verse 19 your ears all explains it.

We should not make it difficult for the Gentiles or the Jews who were turning to God.

He asked both Jews and Gentiles to behave in ways to surrender things so that he would not make it difficult for unsaved members of the other group to find their way back to God.

Both are going to be a little bit uncomfortable. Both would have to be willing to have their their firm rubbed the wrong way.

Sometimes the gospel he said was worth it. What ever it takes to reach more people for Jesus on the family. I wish I could plaster James's phrase on every single one of our hearts and making the headline of every sale. One of our Facebook pages, do all you can to not make it hard for the Gentiles who are turning to God. Don't make it hard for our black friends to find God. Don't make it hard for Democrats don't make it hard for Republicans will make it hard for white seekers, brown seekers or Asian seekers will make it hard for public school teachers or policeman, we have a gospel to precious and a mission to urgent to let anything stand in our way.

For some of you are your all in the politics and social solutions and we should care about justice and righteousness in our society, but you let the particulars of your perspective.

Create an obstacle for others to be here. Of course we should be united in speaking out against injustice and united in speaking out for life. But our perspectives on the best solutions for these things or convictions on which candidate would best get the job done should never get in the way of the one essential thing that we have to do now is preaching the gospel. Hear me. I know I sound like a broken record in this is not that these things is not that these political these social things are unimportant. They are I they are importance of the gospel we preach is that important. I say that for many of us that the ones of us say constantly offended here on the verge of leaving rats.

The problem is not that the issues tempting you to leave her so important is that the greater mission of the gospel is not important enough to you I that's why we do what we do number 44 last one I be in a church does whatever it takes to reach all people means or before our members take responsibility for the mission.

I was in here is maybe the most important truth that you're in here this weekend doing whatever it takes to reach all people means that you you each of you takes responsibility for reaching people at the summit church with you; Hoosier one and it's a challenge for every person to have a least one person, the life, one for New Year's is one person that you're praying for and asking God to help you reach out to to bring somebody to Jesus and what you tells you that is so we can pray with you on not talk like this. People always say well I don't know evangelism is not my gift. I get nervous talking to people and you look like you could sell vacuum cleaners in a door-to-door astrologer, but that unity like this is not my gift.

I listen Jesus said Matthew 419. Follow me and I will make you a fishermen that means is when you accepted the call to follow Jesus.

You also accepted the commission to reach people right that command to reach people called the great commission. That's not a special gifting for some it's a mandate for all Jesus promised that when he brought you to himself, whatever your personality was extrovert introvert with your one or nine, or three or 748.21 in a grand scale. He was going to use you in reaching people you say why don't know how though I do not assure Christ okay will come of it will save you first, you should learn that I don't think I can if you can learn to order drinks at Starbucks will always complex and you will learn to share the gospel right so first you learn. Second, I would also say how hard actually. Is it you are trapped on the top of a burning building and just when you're about to give up hope and it is burning building.

Some of the door flies open and there's a firefighter breaks up the door put you over his shoulder and carried you 10 flights of stairs down the safety put you down on the sidewalk goes back in for somebody else.

Somebody walks by and says hey what just happened. You men of the guys name, you may not be able to explain how it happened but you could say I was going to die that got saved I in the meantime while you're learning all your Bible verses in your letter the right questions and all the right terms to use.

You can still point people to Jesus, you get a bite them to join you on the weekend for service or how about this. Tell them your story were a church.

It does whatever it takes to reach all people pleasing to questions when asked all of the number one. Have you met Jesus say this is Jesus's heart for you. Jesus let the 99 for you. It could be happy without you.

He stands at the gate of heaven. Every day looking out after you. I can't be happy until you are restored. Are you ready to come by if so them right now. Could you just bow your head if you need to trust Christ. You can right now saving a more Jesus and ready to come, I surrender to you. I receive your offer to save me.

Thank you Jesus for saving a man. Jesus is she left the 99 you he stands at the gate of heaven.

Every day looking out you he is desperate for you to be restored.

Are you ready to come home. We'd like to answer any questions you have or pray with you. Just give us a call at 866-335-5220 or you can send us an email right to request@jdgreer.com that's requests@jdgreear.com you're listening to Senate life.

The Bible teaching ministry of Pastor JD Greer.

Today's message is part of our teaching series called Beta movement, JDR latest resource this month aligned exactly with the teaching series that were currently sharing on the program. So what exactly do you mean by movement that seems like a big idea for us to achieve honor get Molly from the very beginning, God intended for his church to move it's not can we often say that it's not supposed to be a large audience basking in the anointing of one or two great teachers or leaders or worship leaders. It's supposed to be a movement where all people see the same thing. One of the reasons people burn out in Christianity is the doing listening an activity, and they're not sensing and seen on their own. Remember God told Mr. one time about the grandfather sitting on the porch with his grandson, country like 10 dogs on the porch and all of a sudden one of the dogs, perks up and he lets out a single bark and he tears off across the field.

What that rouses all the other non-dogs they'll start barking and yapping and tear off process dog and in the grandson is not watching what's happening and that the grandfather said he said some limited what's about to happen. He said in just a moment, every single one of those dogs is going to come back one by one their tongues going to be, you know, out there, there had to be down in the take the place back here under the board.

She said I'll take no more than Bob did 10 minutes. He said in about 30 minutes that first dog is, come back and he's gonna have the rabbit in his mouth that he solved that started this whole thing. He said the reason that he got the rabbit is not because he's the best rabbit, dog. The reason is because he's the only one that actually saw the rabbit you know and everybody else you all the other dogs what is yapping and barking because the other dogs were excited. I kind of like that's a metaphor for the church is you got somebody a handful of people that are up there because they've seen the mission and they see Jesus in their pursuing him and everybody else starts Barbie analogy barking, yapping because that's going to be a group barking and yapping well what we want to do with a study like this is to help you see the rabbit because one of the reasons that you fatigue and you fall off in the Christian life is your trying to live off somebody else's vision of Jesus. The best thing to do is to see it for yourself.

We want you to not just be an audience member want you to be a mover in the movement somebody who owns it and somebody who propels it as much as we do here at Summit like I think this is definitely a resource in a topic that's bigger than anyone of us think is one of the best things we've offered. So to help you do your part that Beta movement study guide comes with our thanks when you donate today to support this ministry so that more people can die into the message of the gospel with all think we 35 5221 more time that they think six 335-5220 or you can request this resource when you donate online. Clear.com JD are our.com if you prefer to mail your can't be sure to include a note for the study guide and send it to JD Greer ministry, PO Box 12293, Durham, NC 27709 Molly benefits thank you so much for joining us this week and on Monday when the central mission. Enjoy your weekend worshiping shirts and join us again Monday on Senate Greer ministry