MPC, 1st February 2004.Romans 12 - "Family Matters"
Phil Campbell MPC, 1st February 2004.
Sunday, according to a study by the Church of England, should be abandoned as the day for church. Because, they said, nobody wants to go.
During the 20th Century, says the report, Sunday School attendance dropped from 55 percent to 4 percent of children. Stating the obvious, the study concludes that Sunday is no longer a church day in our society. And that most people would rather spend Sunday with family, or renovating, or watching sport.
So as we make something of a new start in the life of our own church here this morning, can I say congratulations... for just being here.
With all the other things on offer, apparently turning up for church is a big ask. So well done.
Although in a broader sense I guess we know there's something very true that's been identified in the report. And the way we see it expressed is in the fact that more and more of us find it harder and harder to be regular. In turning up at church.
And so on average, in the last quarter of last year - and you'll know this already if you were here for our congregational meeting in December - on average in the 11 weeks we surveyed, if you were an average attender at MPC then you missed 4 weeks... of the 11.
And it's probably the case today. That almost a third of our regular attenders aren't around. Because of other things that press in on our Sundays.
Most people, said the British report, would rather spend their Sundays... with family. Or renovating. Or involved with sport.
Well, as we begin our year in earnest, as we adjust to some pretty dramatic changes, I want to urge you to recommit to church. And I say that knowing it's a big ask.
But the funny thing is, I want you to notice that in doing that, if church is being what church is meant to be, this is one of those rare occasions when you can actually have your cake and eat it. The British report says people want to spend their Sunday with family. And I want to say do that with your church family. The British report says people want to spend their Sunday renovating. I want to say, church is all about renovating. We're here to renovate lives. The British report says people want to spend their Sunday at sport. And we're going to see in the next few minutes that there's plenty of sport involved in church as well. Not just watching. But being involved. Team sport. As we urge one another on to the finish line.
And all three of those things are highlighted in our passage. Romans chapter 12.
So first of all, spending time with family.
If that's the big ambition of 21st century culture, I guess it's fair enough. There's career pressure that can be totally consuming most of the rest of the week. So Sunday comes, and you just want to kick back and spend family time.
Can I point out that when you're at church you are! Because time after time, the New Testament wants to remind us that church is the tangible expression of being part of the family of God.
Paul uses the word brothers... over and over again in his letters. In fact, 129 times. 1 Timothy 5 verse 1 and 2, Paul says to Timothy, "Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity."
Church... is in a very real sense supposed to be family.
Over the years it's been turned into institution. Maybe some churches you've experienced, it's a bit more like being brought up in a strict regimented orphanage than a loving family. Which it's meant to be.
Here in Romans 12, right from the start, it's there again. Brothers.
Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship.
Which apart from giving us that very helpful definition of worship as sacrificial living, highlights the fact that Paul's always thinking of his fellow Christians as family members. "I urge you, brothers."
Again in verses 9 and 10. Take a look.
Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.
Now can I ask you, and I know it's a big ask, but as we launch a new era in the life of our MPC church family, will you be devoted to one another... in brotherly love?
Because if you're not prepared to do that, we're not really going to function as a church at all.
Ian Powell who spoke at last weekend's youth convention, was saying one morning in the Sydney peak hour he got onto a train. One of the lucky ones, he found there was a seat. Next to a guy in a suit reading a newspaper. Who he didn't really give a second glance.
This being Sydney, you do your very best not to talk to strangers. Or even look at them.
So Ian's there reading his book with the train lurching along; the guy beside him buried in a newspaper. When somehow after trundling along for five or ten minutes side by side there's a disruption. As someone else brushes by. And Ian and the stranger traveling beside him both look up. And Ian suddenly realizes it's his brother Ross. And Ross realizes it's his brother Ian.
Side by side on the train as strangers, without a second glance. When they could have spent the time enjoying one another as brothers.
They laughed about it afterwards. But what if that's church? Every week?
So again, will you take the leap and actually be devoted to brotherly love? Consider one another as genuine family. And make it a point to be here week by week for the family reunion, to be part of a growth group where you can really get serious about caring for one another. And make it a priority that you arrange your life around. Instead of letting anything else that comes along squeeze it out.
Besides which , can I say on a practical level we're actually a church that wants to do our best to be family friendly anyway. And I reckon there's nothing better than you can do with your kids and nothing better you can do for your kids than come along to church week by week as a family unit.
If you're someone used to the old 8 o'clock service, it's something that might take some getting used to, I know. But that's part of the challenge. To welcome children into what we're doing... as part of the family.
So today I don't want to introduce you to a whole lot of changes and inconveniences. But especially here in the 9am service... to a whole lot of new grandchildren. And brothers and sisters. And mums and dads. Welcome to the family.
Now according to the UK report I mentioned before, renovating is the other big thing people want to do on a Sunday. Handyman stuff.
And if you've watched any TV lately, you've got to say they might be right.
Renovation Rescue. The Block. Australia's most popular TV show ever. Where they renovated a block of units at Bondi Beach, then auctioned them off.
Doing the home renovation thing is big. So no wonder week by week it's tempting for all of us to be home hammering and pouring concrete. Again, with work during the week for most people, it's the only chance.
But let me ask the question, what's the good of a renovated home... without a renovated life? As new people.
Let's put first things first.
Take a look again at verse 2. Here's what we're on about. Nothing short of being renovated people. Very different to the world around us. So easy to just conform to the world around us. So easy to have the same set of values as the people we work with, the people next door; God says, get a makeover. Be renovated. And start with your mind. Verse 2.
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
If you want to do renovations on a Sunday, start with renovating your mind. Which you do by hearing God's word. By being shaped by God's spirit. And by being encouraged by God's people.
Let me ask you, are you committed to that? Are you committed to changing your mind?
Most of us hate it, don't we? Any sort of change. And there's a sense in which we see changing our minds as a real sign of weakness. Which it's not.
Stuart and Cathy Atkinson have been studying at Moore Theological College in Sydney. Which is a great institution. I was talking to a former Moore College Student the other day; he said one of the defining moments for him was when he was in first year, debating a fourth year guy over lunch. As you do. When in the middle of the argument, the fourth year guy said, "you're absolutely right. I'm wrong! Thanks very much for pointing it out!"
Now I wonder when was the last time words like that came out of your mouth? When you've been prepared to change your mind on something? When you've been prepared to re-think the way things have always been done? When you've been prepared to realize your thinking about something has maybe been molded by the world rather than by God's word?
Paul says, renovate your head. And a great way to be doing that is to be meeting with your family week by week and working at understanding God's word together. Both here on a Sunday. And in a Growth Group through the week. Thought by thought. Issue by issue. Being open to being challenged and shaped. And renewed. So that your thoughts are shaped by God's thoughts. And your will is shaped by God's will. Sundays are a great day for renovating.
Reason number three the Church of England in Britain says we ought to dump Sunday church is that people would rather be watching sport. Or I guess dragging their kids around and playing sport.
So finally, and briefly, what can church offer to compete with that?
Interesting that Paul in his letters often takes us to the stadium. Talks about running a race. 1 Corinthians 9. Galatians 2. Galatians 5.
But here in Romans 12 he's talking more about team sport.
I'm a bit of a slow thinker when it comes to sport, but it occurred to me watching Andrew Poyser play soccer one day, that the goal keeper actually plays a whole different game to everyone else on the soccer field. With a whole different set of skills. And the way a team works is with everyone doing their different bit for the sake of everyone else.
Paul's analogy is a body. With heads. And hands. And feet. And you'll notice in verse 5 that each member... belongs to all the others. Which again is a challenging thought to chew on as we look at the year ahead. And our new beginning.
Ao in Christ, we who are many form one body... and each member... belongs to all the others.
He says we each have different gifts, verse 6, according to the grace given us. So use them.
If a man's gift is prophesying [which means speaking the mind of God], let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it's serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.
Each member of the team. Doing what each member of the team does best. Not doing it for yourself. But doing it because you know as part of the body of Christ, you and your gifts and abilities actually belong not to you. But to the body. To the team.
Want some team sport on your Sunday? Keep your eye on the goal of putting your gifts to work. Whether it's serving somehow. Or speaking God's word. Or teaching or encouraging. Not for the sake of self satisfaction. But because we belong... to one another.
You know, in the end, I don't much care if the Church of England stops having church on a Sunday. Any day will do.
And the same for us.
The main thing is that whatever day it is, we meet. Week by week. To express the fact we're a family. The family of God. Meeting to be renewed in your mind. Having your thoughts shaped by God's thoughts. By the teaching of God's word. And playing as A team. Each of us using the gifts we've got, for the good of the rest of the family.
So as we make a fresh start this morning, will you recommit to your church family. To do the hard yards of actually getting to know your brothers and sisters and mums and dads and children and grandchildren in the Lord.
You'll look around and see people you've never met. Make sure you meet them. Break the ice.
Recommit to be here week by week. To be renewed in our minds. To grow as a team that's more than a team. That's a body. Growing to be more and more like the church family Paul's describing from verse 10.
He says,
Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality.