"Changing Efforts, Unchanging God" Romans 8:37-39

 

“Changing Efforts, Unchanging God”  Romans 8:37-39  Ben Sloan at Foundation Pres Ch at the lake
[Heard much below from Thom Rainer and Jason Tucker at the Fellowship Community Conference]

We live in a super rapidly changing world. This has been accelerated by COVID.   It is easy to see and even focus on the negative.  We can focus on the devastation in the Ukraine and inflation, but I would like to focus on how we are relating to God in our culture.  In my mind that is the major issue of our day and of our lives.  It could be that God uses things like the Ukraine and inflation, the crisis in mental health, violence and addiction to get our attention to the deeper call to listen to God.   While things change around us- nothing changes about God's love for us.  Nor does our status as "more than conquerors" change.  In God's eyes we are more valuable than a conquering Roman general or a conquering Roman emperor, as we keep the faith in changing times.  
I just got back from the Fellowship Community Conference in D.C.  and we heard some pretty astonishing statistics- some of which you know or maybe feel. 
One out of every five  Christian churches closed their doors forever during Covid.  While ¾ of those over 55 identify as Christian when asked,  Only ½ of those under 30 identify as Christian.  The church has specifically lost people who came to church as cultural Christians- namely for networking, profit, or political/monetary gain (that may not be a bad thing- except when people come to church they are at least exposed to the Gospel).  Attendance in person compared to pre-Covid is only at 20- 50% of what it was.  Frankly, FPC and LMPC are exceptions to this- ours is about 80% pre-covid attendance.  This makes our calling to speak for Christ not less important, but more important.  Many have quit telling the good news, and some have quit listening.  But we are, like Jeremiah and Ezekiel, called to speak whether people listen or not.  We do this because we know nothing can separate us from the love of God.  
     1) WE NEED TO KEEP THE SAME GOSPEL- BUT TRANSLATE IT WELL-  The first gift of the Holy Spirit was to let people hear the gospel in their own language.  At Pentecost it says (Acts 2) “How is it that each of us hears them speaking in our own language?  Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea, Capodocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia, Pamphylia and Egypt and Parts of Lybia near Cyrene?  Visitors from Rome, Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues?  What does this mean?  It means the Gospel is for everyone.  It means we need to see this- and make sure that we tell others this.   Nothing can separate us from Gods love.  But we have to hear it.  Part of that is people who will tell others about their faith- this is NOT just the preacher.  How can they hear unless someone tells them. 
    HOW DO WE HEAR?  I want to ask you in what medium did you use to buy your first song?  How many bought from a vinyl record?  How many from an 8 tract?  How many from a cassette?  How about CDs?  Now, how do you listen to music today?  Most commonly from a digital version in our phone.  I think I have every one of those old songs I listened to when I was about 13 on my phone today- James Taylor, Cat Stevens, Hall and Oats, and more.  I couldn’t think of carrying around all those records/cassettes with me wherever I go.  So today we need to make sure that the original song doesn’t lose its clarity and original quality. So we want to make sure though the mediums change, the song of salvation gets out.  
      2) WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE SAY WE ARE SAVED BY GRACE-  What about our new member class?  Some say we should make it hard to join so people will be more committed when they actually do join.  This was the strategy of some of the group they call “Judaizers.”   They wanted everyone to be circumcised to join the church.  That is a tough new members class.  James stood up and said, “We should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God.”  Many people are glad for James’ instruction!  Nothing should separate us from God’s love- not legalism- not false requirements. 
    Some of you may remember a time when churches didn’t have a nursery.  People had to bring babies into church- and out of church when they cried.  Someone got the idea of providing a nursery- one church did it and then many.  If you don’t have a nursery, young parents will go somewhere else.  We should do all we can to reach the next generation for Christ.  They may speak almost a different language, but we are called to reach them.  It is by God's grace that we are more than conquerors- not anything we did.  It is by God's grace that nothing can separate us from God's love.  We did nothing to deserve God's gracious, wonderful, freely-given love that began for us before we were ever born.  
3) WE NEED TO HOLD THE TRUTH IN HUMILITY-
Never stop holding the truth, but know that truth should always be held humbly and with love. 
Jesus did that- and though he was humbly crucified, He was raised. 
I know Joshua was told by God- “Moses my servant is dead- but you be strong and courageous.” 
All those great leaders- Abraham, David, Elijah, Isaiah, all the disciples, Peter, Paul, Barnabas- even Lazarus are dead.  But they trusted in God in their lives, in their death- and He will raise them up. Leaders go- God does not.  Have courage, move forward. 
All those great churches are gone- It is said that Paul started 14-20 churches.  But every church Paul founded is gone today.  Yet, here we are- despite the death or retirement of these leaders and despite the death of these churches.  What is important is the God that the faith points to and linking to that God and each other in faith, hope, and love.  I do not know the future of Foundation Presbyterian Church.  It could die.  It could live again and grow to be bigger than LMPC.  But in the end, it doesn’t matter.  What matters is that we answer God’s call in faithfulness t Him.
       What matters is what is in our passage we read today.  We are more than conquerors.  Paul wrote that when the church was starting to be persecuted by both the Jews and the Romans.  The faithfulness of God does not depend on the faithfulness of people.  We must hold firmly to the faith. 
       Nothing can separate us from God’s love.   I invite you to believe that, hold fast to it, do not give up though the mountains fall into the heart of the sea; though the Ukrainian War roars and foams; though inflation raises its ugly head;  though leadership changes; though Foundation Church moves about- none of that changes the fact that we are more than conquerors and unseparated from the love of God!