“The Master’s Plan”

A sermon based upon 1 Peter 2.21

Preached by Dr. Charles J. Tomlin, 

Flat Rock-Zion Baptist Partnership

18^th Sunday After Pentecost, October 8th,    (Series:  THE MISSIONARY CHURCH)

We are preaching on being ‘a missionary church’.   Last week we spoke about the kingdom or rule of God and how that relates the church’s mission.   We said that Jesus came preaching that God’s kingdom had come near, but we also know that it will not be fully realized until Jesus rules in the hearts and lives of all people.

Now that we have spoken about ‘what Jesus preached’, today we need to address more directly ‘what Jesus did’.  Jesus did not only preach about the God’s saving mission, but Jesus lived and died in such a way that he caused God’s saving mission to go forward in a most unprecedented way?   Jesus lived and died according to God’s plan to bring salvation to the entire human race, but how?  And how does what Jesus did then, relate to what we should be doing now?  This is what we will be addressing today in this message.

When we think about ‘what Jesus did,’ we should be reminded of a very popular book written at the end of the 19^th century, entitled, “What Would Jesus Do.”  It was a book about how to live the Christian Life, implying that this could be as simple asking ourselves each day, “What Would Jesus Do?”    It’s not a bad approach, but it can get you in trouble.  For you see, you, nor I, are Jesus.  We couldn’t be Jesus, even if we tried.  We can accept Jesus as our savior.  We can follow Jesus in discipleship.  We can also in many ways to love like Jesus did, , but we will never be able to do what Jesus did, nor should we try.  During the late middle ages many people try to copy Jesus’ crucifixion by mutilating themselves with the ‘stigmata’.  This is something we should never do, because only Jesus can be Jesus.

Still, the question of living like Jesus is not to be completely negated or diminished.    Paul said that he ‘bore in his body the marks of the Lord Jesus’ (Gal 6:7).   Paul meant that in trying to take God’s mission into the world required types of suffering.   This is still true.  When we follow Jesus it will always cost us something, but this does not mean we try to hurt ourselves.  To follow Jesus should bring as much joy as it does struggle and pain.  Even Paul considered the pain he endured for Jesus to be a privilege.   When Jesus said ‘take up your cross’ and ‘follow me’, he did not say ‘take up His cross’, but ‘take up YOUR cross’, meaning that we follow Jesus and we try to love, care and live sacrificially for what is ‘good’ and ‘right’,  but Jesus nor Paul ever meant that we should try to ‘be’ Jesus.

The way Jesus preached, lived, and died are unique and unrepeatable, but life can provide a moral and spiritual compass for how we should live rightly and carry out God’s mission in churches today.   As First Peter reads, “For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you should follow in his steps.”  (1 Pet. 2:21 NRS).   In this way Jesus is not only our savior, but he is also an example of should be and do church (1 Thess 1:7, 2 Thess 3:9, James 5:10).  And while there are many different angles from which to look at Jesus, I want to focus on the primary ways show us God’s ‘master plan’ for being an mission-minded, evangelistic, and ministry focused church.  Back in 1962, a fellow named Robert Coleman wrote a ground-breaking book called, “The Master Plan of Evangelism.”  I’m not going to follow that book, since it is too technical for a sermon, but I do want to follow the Spirit of his book to point out three major ways Jesus showed us how to be mission-minded and evangelistic. 

JESUS FORGAVE… 

If you turn in your Bible to the very beginning of the gospel of Mark, you will see a picture of Jesus that focuses upon one of Jesus’ most important agendas for God’s master plan.   It’s the first ‘healing’ story of any of the gospels.  Most of you will remember the vivid images of Jesus teaching in a house, when four friends lower a paralyzed man down through the roof on a mat, hoping that Jesus will heal him.  Jesus does heal him, but before that Jesus says to him, “Son, your sins are forgiven” (Mark 2:5).  This pronouncement of forgiveness made the religious leader very angry.  “Who can forgive sins, but God?” They screamed.  It that day you had to go to a priest and follow all kinds of religious procedures to be forgiven.  Jesus bypassed all that, simply announcing that this man was forgiven, just like that.  It was even before Jesus had died on the cross and the man had not even asked to be forgiven.

What we see in the powerful story is that right from the start of his ministry Jesus had forgiveness as primary on God’s agenda.  And it was not just any kind of forgiveness, it was unconditional forgiveness freely given so that it could be freely received.  God’s forgiveness was being announced without any hidden agenda and without any requirement.   This forgiveness was coming straight from the heart of God.  (Every time I read this, I’m reminded of another paralytic, Reynolds Price, who was stricken with cancer of the spine, and in a dream received God’s forgiveness.  When Jesus found floating in the ocean and said his ‘sins are forgiven, Dr. Price asked, “What about my healing?”  Jesus answered, “Yes, and that too.”)

If we are going to be a church on mission for God, then our primary agenda must include the ‘forgiveness of sins’.   There is nothing more basic that being God’s church and doing God’s work in the world.   What this means is that we must offer forgiveness to people freely and unconditionally, no strings attached.   This does not mean that people can be fully forgiven without confessing their sins or without repentance of sins.  These are not ‘requirements’ for forgiveness, but they are how God’s forgiveness is received and acknowledged.   As the Letter of John writes,  “If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 Jn. 1:9 NRS).

Perhaps one of the greatest examples of how Jesus offers God’s unconditional forgiveness is shown in the story told in the gospel of John, where religious leaders catch a woman in the act of adultery.  They are all ready to ‘stone’ the woman, as it was commanded in the law of Moses.  Now, most Bible scholars will tell you that hardly ever did anybody really carry out Moses’ law in this way, but this woman was caught to set a trap for Jesus.   In response, after writing “God knows what” on the ground, Jesus stands and says, “Let anyone without sin throw the first stone at her” (Jn. 8:2).   Most of you know this story, but it is what comes next that shows us how God’s unconditional forgiveness is supposed to work in us, as we receive it.  As all the woman’s accusers walk away,  Jesus turns to the woman and says, “Where are your accusers.  Neither do I condemn you.  Now, go and don’t sin anymore! (Jn. 8: 11).  

What is most important to understand is this word to the woman is not a requirement for God’s forgiveness.  Jesus already says,  “Neither do I condemn you.”  But this is how God’s forgiveness is appropriated and received into our lives.   Only when we  turn from our sin and move our lives in a different direction, is God’s forgiveness having God’s intended affect in our life.   Another case in point is those 10 lepers in Luke whom Jesus healed.  Jesus sent them away to show the priests that they were healed and acceptable again into the community.  Only one of the lepers came back to Jesus, thanking and praising God.  Only to this one, a Samaritan leper, did Jesus give the full and final announcement:   “Get up and go your way, you are made fully healed, that is ‘your faith has made you well” (Luke 17:12).   Again, this is not a ‘catch’ with forgiveness, but this simply how God’s forgiveness always works.  As Jesus taught us to pray in the Lord’s prayer, “Forgive us our sins, AS WE FORGIVE THOSE WHO SIN AGAINST US.”

What these stories and many others in the gospel remind us, is that ‘forgiveness’ is primary on God’s agenda for being and doing church.   If a church doesn’t find ways to continue to give and receive God’s forgiveness, to each other, and to those who need it most, the church fails to fulfill its responsibility and calling as a church and as a Christian too.   And nothing destroys a church’s witness and work any faster, than a people who hold grudges against each other, or who will not confess their sins to each other, just as they are supposed to confess their sins daily to God. 

In the same way, just as Jesus forgave, even those who crucified him, when we forgive each other, even those who don’t deserve our forgiveness.  There is nothing that builds, establishes, or continues God’s mission in the world any more than daily and continual acts of forgiveness.   Hardly anything else the church or a Christian does matters, without having and showing a ‘forgiving heart.’  Can you think of any grudge you have against someone?   Can you think of any division that has happened in the past that might be holding this church back?  Why don’t you start praying for that person?   Why don’t you then go to that person?  Why don’t you deal with the matter and really put it behind you, so that God can use you and so this church might be allowed to accomplish God’s mission of forgiveness.

JESUS SERVED… 

Along with ‘forgiveness’, Jesus had another agenda, another part of God’s master plan for mission and ministry pointing to one of the most important functions of a mission-minded, evangelistic church.   If you turn in your Bible a little further over in the gospel of Mark, to chapter 10., verse 45, you will find one of the most important sayings of Jesus anywhere in any of the gospels:  “For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). 

Now before you even start to think that Jesus is only talking about his own death on the cross, you need think again.  The whole reason Jesus made this statement was to clarify what kind of followers his disciples were supposed to be.  This saying of Jesus came a couple of his own disciples, James and John, and incited all the rest of the disciples, by asking ‘to sit’ at the ‘right’ and ‘left’ of Jesus when Jesus is to sit on his throne in his glory.  Jesus answers that they have no idea what they are talking about and the other disciples are outraged.   Jesus turns to all this disciples and clarifies what it means to be a disciple of Jesus:  “You know that among the Gentiles those whom they recognize as their rulers lord over them, and their great ones are tyrants….BUT IT IS NOT SO AMONG YOU; but whoever wishes to be great among you MUST BE YOUR SERVANT, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all” (Mark. 10: 35-44).

While it is clear to most people that Jesus ‘came to serve’ and called his disciples be ‘great’ by becoming ‘servants’ to others and to each other, what is often left unsaid is where Jesus got this idea of servanthood.   It wasn’t just that God was telling Jesus and the disciples to be nice to each other or to do something good for others.   That sells the truth in this gospel way too short.   No, the whole idea of ‘servanthood’ come directly out of the Old Testament from a unique part of the prophecy of Isaiah, which scholars call ‘The Servant Songs’.  

There are Four of these ‘Servant Songs’ located in Isaiah, chapter 42, 49, 50, and 52-53.   They originally pointed to the people of Israel as God’s chosen ‘servant’ in the world for the world.  Most of us remember the one about the servant who suffers and bears ‘our transgressions’ and by his ‘punishment’ the people are made whole.   Of course, points directly to what Jesus did as the ‘suffering servant’ to bear sin on the cross (Isa. 53: 2-7), but Isaiah also meant that all of those who serve God, humble themselves, and bear the weight of the world’s sin, so that they can ‘bring good news’ and God’s kingdom (52:7).   As Jesus says,  ‘whoever wishes to be great must…be a SERVANT.

Loving service to others has always been an important part of what it means to be a Christian, and what it means to be church, but this is more important now, than ever before.   WE all know that service is a ‘hot topic’ to authenticate or verifies any ministry or mission in our world today.   If a church does not have an active ‘service’ ministry in the community, it’s message will not be heard by most people.  Today’s churches, if they are going to bear the truth of Jesus in our skeptical world, must be ‘JAMES CHURCHES’.   In the letter of James,  it says,  ‘a person is justified by works and not by faith alone’ (2:24).  “…Someone will say, “You have faith and I have works or ‘show me your faith apart from your works.’   But then James adds, every emphatically, “BY MY (Good) WORKS I WILL SHOW YOU MY FAITH (2:18). 

If you recall, during Hurricane Harvey,  TV Preacher Joel Osteen, took a lot of heat, because his large church did not immediately open its doors to receive refugees and flood victims.  Osteen later explained that they were going to, but where planning to when the city’s planned shelter overflowed.  What we see in a story like that is that no church has any voice or mission left in the world, unless it is unashamedly a ‘serving’ and servant church.  Whereas we used to sing, ‘they will know we are Christians by our love’, today we must sing, ‘they will only know we are Christians by our acts and deeds of love.’   What kind of ‘servant’ role are you playing in this church?  How are you helping this church ‘engage’ its community and prove God’s love with deeds of service in Jesus’ name?

JESUS SAVED…  

The final picture of Jesus’ example for us, as a church on mission, is perhaps the most misunderstood.   Turn finally to another gospel, the gospel of Luke, and consider one final example of the priority of Jesus, which points to the primary mission and ‘master plan’ for the church of Jesus Christ today.  You will remember this story from Sunday School.   It’s the story Zacchaeus, that ‘wee little man’ (Luke 19: 1-10), who went climb a sycamore tree, so he could get a glimpse of Jesus.   Zacchaeus was a chief tax collector that nobody liked, but when Jesus saw him up in the tree, he invited him to ‘hurry down’ so that he, Jesus could be his ‘guest’ for the day.   Jesus had gone to ‘be the guest of a sinner’ (19:7).  This is one of the few stories where Jesus directly says that he, ‘the Son of Man’, came to ‘seek and to save the lost.’   Jesus also announces to Zacchaeus very dramatically, “Today, salvation has come to this house….”

Today we use that word ‘salvation’ very freely; almost too freely.   We say easily, all you have to do is A,B, C., Admit you are a sinner, Believe in him, and confess your sins, and wallah!  You’re saved!   It sounds good, but as my daddy used to say,  “If it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is.”

While I think we all agree that faith in Jesus saves us,  we don’t always understand rightly what saving faith means.   Again, this is why the book of James was written, to correct some of the false notions, that all you got to do is believe, and you are saved, just like that.  No, as Paul said, when we are ‘saved by grace’ good works follow, not out of coercion, but out of joy and true faith.   Again, James says,  “You show me your faith apart from works, and I’ll show you my faith by my works.”  Saving Faith in Jesus is a faith that follows and serves Jesus. 

But what is also important to see in this story of Zacchaeus, is what how Zacchaeus ‘proves’ that he really does indeed have ‘saving faith’ in Jesus.   Do you see it?  What motivates Jesus to say ‘Today, salvation has come to this house….’ Is because of what Zacchaeus has just said, not only to prove his faith, but to make his faith work:  “Look, half of my possessions, Lord, I will give to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will pay back for times as much” (Luke 19:8).  What makes Zacchaeus a true believer is simply that he saw Jesus and believed, but that when he believed in Jesus, he contributed to Jesus’ saving mission and ministry.  Jesus had come to ‘preach good news to the poor’, and here, Zacchaeus joins to become part of this ministry.

Now, listen closely, for I want to ask you something.   Have you ever thought of your contribution to the saving ministry and mission of Jesus?   Going back to what I said earlier, you, nor I,  can literally be Jesus.   We can’t ‘save’ people.  We are God’s son’s and daughters, but we are not ‘THE SON OR THE DAUGHTER OF GOD’.  In this way Jesus was unique, as it was noted at his baptism, ‘he was (God’s) beloved’, and ‘only begotten son’.  

But I want you to consider something else.  Think about the common language when people speak about ‘Saving the planet’ or ‘Saving the environment’.   Constantly, in our world, when it comes to doing good, the world uses the language of the Bible about what people can and should do to save the world, and even to help or rescue others.   Recall that fellow in Houston, who said, “We are going to keep saving people until this thing blows over.”    While we in the church can’t save people in that we can get them into heaven, we can save people in a way that we can keep them out of Hell.”  

What I’m mean is the most important mission and ministry we have, as a church, is to take part in God’s ‘saving’ mission in the world.   We are not ‘serving’ ministry.   We should serve and help people in need.   This legitimizes our saving work, just as Jesus’ own healing ministry legitimized His God’s saving work.   But what we all know is that Jesus did not come simply to forgive or serve, but Jesus came to release God’s healing and spiritual power into people’s lives.   As Jesus said,  “The Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost.”  If we follow Jesus in our true mission calling, we will not just work in a serving capacity doing good deeds of social ministry, but we will also take part in God’s ‘soul’ ‘saving’ ministry.   The question is: What does this really mean?  How do we participate in God’s ‘soul’ saving work in the world?

Here again, we need to let Jesus be our example.   Think about it in this very strange, but interesting way.  Prepare yourself for a shock, and hear me out when I say:  “Jesus really didn’t save anybody either.”  Jesus invited people.   Jesus called disciples.  Jesus shared the truth of God’s love with people.   Jesus showed people how they could be better people and even how they could find eternal life.   But in reality, Jesus didn’t save anyone.   This is why Jesus was always saying to people he healed,  “Go, your way, YOUR FAITH HAS MADE YOU WELL.  Unless people wanted to be saved, they couldn’t be saved, even by Jesus.   Jesus pointed people to God’s saving grace.  Jesus was an example of God’s love.   But Jesus could only point people to God’s salvation by forgiving them, serving them, and by sharing God’s saving love.

So, now, when you hear the word “Jesus saves”, it really doesn’t mean that the human Jesus actually saved anybody.  The world rejected Jesus.   It still does.   What it does mean to say that Jesus saves, is that Jesus did what we can also do:  Jesus shared God’s love, Jesus showed us God’s love, and Jesus sacrificed himself to make that love real.  Now, of course, Jesus did these things uniquely, because he was uniquely God’s Son.   You, nor I, need to die on a cross to show people what God’s love means.  Jesus already did that.  But you do and I do have to do, is to die to ourselves, and become a living sacrifice for what God calls us to do and be.  We are to forgive others freely.  We are to serve others faithfully.  And we are to point people to the only kind of love that can save anybody and everybody.  God’s great love.   When we do these things, in ways that we are called to do, we take part in the Master’s plan.  AMEN.