The Externally Focused Church

sermon by Pastor David Layman

July 30, 2006

Isaiah 58:1-12
Acts 10:34-43

Isaiah 58 reveals a time when many of the Israelites had the mechanics
of their faith down pat. They could observe religious fasts to
perfection. They could bow down and act very humble during worship, and
dress in penitential clothing (sack cloth and ashes.) They looked the
part of believers. But the problem was, once they left their place of
worship, they exploited laborers, cheated people in business, ignored
the poor and even hid themselves from their kin that were in need. In
response, God had his prophet Isaiah voice frustration in no uncertain
terms. Then, God communicated the way He wanted His people to really live:

Is not this the fast that I choose:
to loose the bonds of injustice,
to undo the thongs of the yoke,
to let the oppressed go free...
Is it not to share your bread with the hungry,
and to bring the homeless poor into your house?

If the children of Israel did these things,

Then your light shall break forth like the dawn,
and your healing shall spring up quickly;
your vindicator shall go before you,
the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.

John Calvin wrote: In vain do men serve God, if they only offer to him
trivial and bare ceremonies. To pour out the soul is to be as much
affected by their own poverty as if we ourselves endured it.

Elaine Hogg tells (Upper Room, Aug. 8, 2004) of walking downtown in a
large city, and seeing a man standing in line at a sidewalk hot-dog
stand. The leftover hot dogs from lunchtime were selling for half price.
A poor man was at the front of the line, fumbling in a plastic bag for
some coins to pay for a hot dog. A man dressed in a business suit
stepped into the line and pushed his way in front of the street person.
Elaine was thinking to herself How rude for the businessman to do
that! But then she saw the businessman wave money in front of the
vendor, point to the homeless man and say Hes mine. Ill pay his
bill. Isaiah 58 speaks of not hiding ourselves from our own kin, but
reaching out to help the needy. Thats a sign of true worship, Isaiah is
saying...not simply looking real devout in a service of worship. This
businessman was doing more than helping his own kin; likely he was
helping a total stranger!

Rick Rusaw and Eric Swanson have written a vitally important book, The
Externally Focused Church. They note that when people and pastors from
different churches get together, they often talk about how many people
attend their worship services, their beautiful stained glass windows,
important people that are members of their churches. But Vaughn
McLaughlin, who started an inner city church in Jacksonville Florida,
suggested some different questions for churches to ask themselves. If
you picked up and left town, how would your city feel? Would anyone
weep? Would anybody notice? Isaiah 58 is saying that genuine faith
makes a difference in your daily life, in your community. Genuine faith
touches the lives of those beyond your home and sanctuary walls!
First Presbyterian has had a concern for the greater community for many
years. When a church starts to just look out for itself, and keeping
the doors open, thats dangerous territory. When the risen Christ
commissioned his disciples, he didnt say Go out into the world, and
keep the church doors open. Granted, a body of believers needs to
maintain its own viability. But Jesus said You will receive power when
the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in
Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.
Jesus sends us forth to be a witness to Him in the world beyond. Jesus
doesnt specify that a church has to own a building. For several hundred
years, the church existed in borrowed synagogue space, in homes, in
fields, in catacombs.

Our reading from Acts 10 tells of how God spoke to Peter, and told him
to go to Caesarea, a bastion of Roman culture. Peter went to the home of
Cornelius, a Roman centurion. Peter acknowledged that his Jewish
background told him it was unlawful for a Jew to associate with or to
visit a Gentile. But Peter said God told me to do it, and Im here!
Peter went on to proclaim the message of Jesus Christ, how God anointed
Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power , how he went
about doing good and healing all who were oppressed. (vs. 38). Peter
went on to declare to Cornelius the Gentile that this Jesus was raised
by God from the dead, and forgiveness is available to those who confess
and believe, to Jew and non-Jew alike. The early church grew, because
early believers like Peter went beyond their comfort level to proclaim
the message of Christ to those beyond. Even to Roman centurions, one of
whom had presided over the crucifixion of Jesus. And Jews were taught to
have no dealings with Romans. But the risen Christ demanded otherwise!

The businessman in our illustration did a good thing by buying a hot dog
for a homeless man. But a better approach yet is to encourage ways to
break out of the cycle of poverty and addiction, in an atmosphere of
Christian love and support. Hope House is such an example. While many
individuals and agencies have played a role in making Hope House
possible, I believe that an argument could be made that if it were not
for support from our church and members, Hope House would not have lived
to the age of 4 1/2, and been able to touch the lives it has. Recovery
from addictions requires more than money and a place to hold meetings.
Spiritual transformation is necessary, and Christian believers have been
vitally involved in helping make such transformation possible. Hope
House has begun an aftercare recovery emphasis, with funding help from
Reid Hospital among others, to strengthen and lengthen the recovery of
those who have gone thru the program. Buying a hot dog for a hungry man
is good. Helping an addicted and hungry person get his life straightened
out and become a contributing member of society is even better. Part of
our worship includes serving God in the world beyond our sanctuaries!

Jesus went about teaching and preaching. He also, as Peter tells us in
Acts 10, went about doing good and healing. It takes two wings to lift
a plane off the ground. Good news and good deeds were the two wings that
lifted Jesus ministry and mission, and they can do the same for ours
today. Theres no church so small or poor that cant be used to serve
God in the world beyond. There's no believer too old or frail to serve
the Lord. Mr. Newman is 91 years old and lives in a nursing home. Many
persons in similar situations think of themselves as useless. But, as
Robert Countiss notes, Mr. Newman says, I like to get out and walk up
and down the halls every day. I see people and talk to them. One time as
I was walking, I passed a woman standing in her doorway. When I asked
the nurses about her they said that she never came out because she was
afraid of people. Imagine that! Every day as I passed her, I smiled at
her and nodded. That's all. Eventually she began to return my smile. And
after a while she asked if she could walk with me. Maybe that's why God
put me here. (Upper Room, 9/16/97)

Mr. Newman is on to something! He's a servant of the Lord, and he's
going to reach beyond himself with good news, wherever he might be. The
kind of religion God desires from us is more than showing up and showing
off. James 1:27 declares Religion that is pure and undefiled before
God, the Father, is this: to care for orphans and widows in their
distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world. To do this will
satisfy God, and change the world!

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