One Generation Away
A SERMON BY
GRANT LOBB
About 20 minutes away from Asbury Theological Seminary is a very unique place called the “Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill.” Most of the people in that part of central Kentucky simply call it “Shakertown.” It is a living history museum that depicts the activities of a communal religious group called the Shakers.
Today, they are known for a style of furniture, but 200 years ago they were known for their devout Christian faith, their belief in peace and simplicity, and a unique dance they would incorporate into their worship.
Their dance resembled a square dance. During worship, the people would walk around a room with their arms extended, shaking both of their hands with palms down to symbolize the shaking off of their sins. They would then turn their palms up to symbolize the receiving of forgiveness and blessing from the Lord. So, the name “Shakers” came from the hand and arm shaking they did during worship.
Oh yes, the Shakers were know for one other thing – celibacy.
Even in the homes of married couples, celibacy was an accepted rule practiced by the Shakers. As a result, the Shaker congregations never experienced what we would call “biological growth.” No babies were ever born, because no one ever had…“relations.”
As we might imagine, the Shakers were not very successful in winning converts to their brand of Christianity. As a result, the Shakers, who once numbered in the thousands, ultimately died off and ceased to exist. Today, the Christians known as Shakers are just a memory in a museum, with costumed people giving tours, wonderful meals, and offering a bed & breakfast to visitors.
They became extinct because they failed to bring people to Christ, and into their group.
I sometimes fear that what happened to the Shakers in the past is happening to the United Methodists in the present!
For the last 40 years, our worship and membership numbers have been taking a dive as an entire denomination! Something needs to happen! And, of course, I have a few ideas to share today.
I want us to look at the example of a couple of the disciples of Jesus.
If you would ask most Christians to name some of the 12 disciples of Jesus, they would probably say: Peter, Matthew, John, or even Paul!
They are easily remembered because:
1) many things were written about them in the bible;
2) they did many outstanding things;
3) they preached, taught, wrote and healed the sick thru the power of the Holy Spirit!
But today, I want to us focus on two of the less famous disciples. We first read about them in the gospel of John, chapter 1, verses 35-51:
“The next day John (the Baptist) was there again with two of his disciples. When he saw Jesus passing by, he said: Look, the Lamb of God. When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. Turning around, Jesus saw them and asked: What do you want? They said: Rabbi (which means Teacher), where are you staying? Come, he said, and you will see. So they went and saw where he was staying, and spent that day with him. It was about the tenth hour.
Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him: We have found the Messiah (that is, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said: You are Simon, son of John. You will be called Cephas (which when translated, is Peter).
The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him: Follow me. Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. Philip found Nathanael and told him: We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote – Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.
Nazareth! Can anything good come from there? Nathanael asked. Come and see, said Philip.
When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said to him: Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false. How do you know me? Nathanael asked. Jesus answered: I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.
Then Nathanael declared: Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel.”
Philip & Andrew met Jesus... and they immediately went to find friends and loved ones who also needed to meet Jesus!
Did you notice:
> verse 41 says that the first thing Andrew did was find his brother, Peter;
> verse 45 points out that Philip found Nathanael and said: “come & see!”
We can read more information about these two disciples in John chapter 12, verses 20-22:
“Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the Feast. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. Sir, they said, we would like to see Jesus. Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus.”
Three years later, Philip & Andrew are at it again – they were bringing more people to meet Jesus Christ!
Philip and Andrew are not as famous as some of the other disciples. There is not a great deal of information written about them in the bible, nor are there any biblical books named after them;
Yet:
> they met Jesus personally…
> they believed in Who He was…
> they introduced others to Jesus, so that they could also meet Jesus!
My friends, it really bothers me when I hear Christians say that their faith is a private thing. That statement is neither biblical, nor practical.
If everyone felt that same way, there would have never been a second generation of Christians! None of us would be in this Sanctuary today. In fact, this sanctuary would not even exist, because there would have been no Christians to build it!
Christian faith is personal, but not private.
In Matthew chapter 28, Jesus told his followers to “Go and make disciples of all nations.”
In Acts chapter 1, Jesus told his followers that they would receive the power of the Holy Spirit, and they would be His witnesses to the ends of the earth!
In Matthew chapter 10, Jesus said: “whoever acknowledges me before men & women, I will also acknowledge before my Father in Heaven. But whoever disowns me before men & women, I will disown before my Father in Heaven.”
Do any of those statements sound private to you?
My friends – Our belief in Jesus as our Savior should be common knowledge to our relatives, friends, and co-workers.
My friends – we are always just one generation away from Christian extinction!
On the other hand, we are potentially just one generation away from world conversion!
The question is this:
1) are we “contributing” to the extinction of the faith because of our silence, OR….
2) are we “contributing” to the growth and expansion of Christ’s Kingdom?
What are we doing, as individuals and entire congregations, to make disciples for Jesus?
That is, are we:
> bringing people to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ?
> helping people grow in their Christian faith?
> showing people how they can serve?
There are basically 2 main reasons why we should share our faith with others:
1) Jesus tells us to do it!
2) we would have never become a Christian if someone would not have shared their faith and story with us!!
Surveys indicate that 80% of the Christians living in the U.S. first attended worship because a friend or relative invited (or dragged) them!
60% of the people living in most counties in Michigan have no Church home, nor do they attend worship anywhere!
Surveys also indicate that 1 out of 4 of the un-churched people would likely attend worship if someone would just ask them!
We are not all called to preach, or teach, or be a musician, or lead a committee….
BUT ALL OF US CAN BE BRINGERS!
ANY OF US CAN INVITE!
ENTIRE CHURCHES CAN PRAY ABOUT WAYS TO INTRODUCE OTHERS TO JESUS CHRIST!!!
Jesus came to give us life….
And once we experience that life….
We are to find ways to share that life….
So that others can experience life!!
We don’t have to do any of it alone! We have one another. But more importantly, we have the power of the Holy Spirit ready to work in us!!!
Philip & Andrew did not have all of the answers;
Philip & Andrew could not save anyone;
But they directed people to the one person who could: Jesus.
Let us do the same.