You, Me, Us and God

Introduction

Have you ever taken a cruise? Anybody been on a cruise? I hear they’re nice. Deedra and I have never been on one. We almost went on a cruise. The year was 1997. We were looking at the brochures and really interested in that adventure. You may remember that’s the year Titanic came out. We changed our minds. But one of these days we want to do that. I hear they’re very nice. I hear that the compelling thing about the cruise, the compelling things about the cruise are all the amenities. That you get to pick your room. And depending upon your budget, it can be very nice. You get virtually unlimited food. Everybody ever talked to says they gain weight on a cruise. I might be the one exception.

I might, by my eating patterns, I may lose weight on a cruise.

But I said to you, don’t get to pick your room. I’ll decide where you stay. In fact, where you’ll stay, there’s not even a bed. There’s a place to sit, but it’s hard and uncomfortable. Oh, and food, there aren’t going to be any food. If you have to have some food in your pocket, or the person next to you has some food in their pocket, you’re welcome to share that, but no food will be provided. No entertainment will be provided. No linens are comfort at all. In fact, you won’t get to pick your nice stateroom that you get to share with who you decide to take with you on this cruise. You’ll be sharing these accommodations with absolute strangers that you’ll have no choice over. Those people may not be pleasant people.

They may be rude.

Anyone want to sign up for my cruise?

It’s a lifeboat.

Sure you would.

Though no illustration is perfect and cannot be pushed to its limits, but if we’re talking about the New Testament church, the local church, is it more like a cruise ship? Or is it more like a lifeboat? I would argue it’s probably more like a lifeboat. It’s not here for our luxury. It’s here for our salvation. We don’t necessarily get to choose our accommodations. We accept the accommodations as they are thrust upon us. And if our attitude and our desire for our life and the life with whom we share that lifeboat is what it ought to be, we willingly accept those accommodation. I want to talk to you this morning about my three favorite people. You, me, us, and God.

And it being kind of like a lifeboat rather than a cruise ship.

1. Take Full Advantage of God’s Plan for Your Spiritual Growth

And ultimately the purpose of those relationships, and that is our relationship, our connection to our Savior, God. The first thing we should know about this relationship between you, me, us, and God, is that you should take full advantage of God’s plan for your spiritual growth, your edification and encouragement in the local church. I want to encourage you to get in the lifeboat this morning. I want to encourage you to be a full and active part of not just the body of Christ, yes, ultimately and primarily that, but I want to encourage you to be a full and active part of a local church. Because God has designed the local church for you. The designers of these ships build the lifeboats for a purpose. God designed his body, he designed the local churches for a purpose.

Turn with me if you will. Do you have your New Testament? Go with me to the book of 1 Peter, chapter 5. God so designed the local church to number one, glorify him, but in so doing to encourage, to uplift, and to help saints in a local particular area to help saints to encourage you this morning, I really ask you this morning, why wouldn’t you want to be a part of that? 1 Peter chapter 5, in verse 2, speaking to the elders that he addressed in verse 1, he gives them this instruction, 1 Peter 5, verse 2, shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion, but willingly, not for dishonest gain, but eagerly, not as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.

And when the chief shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away. To these local shepherds, because he says to shepherd the flock which is among you, he gives them the instructions of the care for the souls that have been entrusted to their care.

You see, God’s design. God said, come together. I think I’ve made this point before, but God could have so designed it that he says, when you obey the gospel, when you become a Christian, don’t tell anybody. Keep it to yourself. And you just worship me in your home, one corner of your home, devote that to me and don’t involve anybody. God could have so ordered it. But God who designed us and knew our needs, said to seek out those. To be with others. God never designed us to be secret and hidden. And singular Christian. He said, Seek out others with whom you can worship. And you encourage one another. And in fact, some of you, shepherds, some of you watch this flock. Because they need watching.

Guard them, tend them, feed them, care for them. And he goes further. Look over in 2 Timothy chapter 4. There’s were the instructions to the shepherds. Notice the instruction to an evangelist, to a teacher or a preacher of the word. 2 Timothy 4. Paul to his young protege, Timothy says, 2 Timothy 4, verse 1, I charge you therefore before God, who will judge, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at his appearing in his kingdom, preach the word. Be ready in season and out of season, convince, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers, and they’ll be turned away, turn their ears away from the truth and be turned aside to fable.

But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist and fulfill your ministry. God said, You teachers, you evangelists, you preach the word.

But their primary work was to teach and preach to the local church, to encourage and to uplift, because God knew we needed that. And so he put us together and he put people in different positions. Those who would shepherd and watch the flock, those who would teach and preach and encourage and edify and step on our toes when we need it. Because he knew we needed this. And he put us together with brothers and sisters who would encourage us and pick us up when we fall. And kick us in the seat of the pants when we need it. So that we might all get to heaven. So my plea to you this morning is become a member. Become a full member of a local church. Why is that important?

Because that’s the way God designed it. And these shepherds are to know their sheep. How are they to know? Can you imagine a literal shepherd who are watching the flock and he has no idea which sheep are his and which aren’t. Some just wander kind of in and out. Are those your sheep? Well, I’m not really sure. Are you watching over them? Well, I’m not really sure. The shepherd is to know his sheep. And although, kind of like our singing, God has left some of it up to us, whether we use a song book or a PowerPoint or whether we just memorize the songs. As long as we do the parameters of singing and making melodies in our heart. And so it is with membership in the local church.

Maybe has been left up to us. But whatever that local church does, however, they recognize those who are a part of them who have come under the oversight of those shepherds, who want to be instructed by those evangelists, who want to be edified and in turn edify others, I need to become a part and a full part of that group. In other words, I need to get in the lifeboat. Secondly, I encourage you to become an active part of that local church. Becoming a member in every sense in which that is recognized, and then become an active part. Because you see, setting on the sidelines is not the same as being in the fray.

It’s not the same. Do we see that? Where I went to school in rural Alabama. Football was keen. I know that probably surprises you.

I don’t mean to brag, but when I was just a freshman, just a freshman, mind you, in high school. Do you know the record books at my high school record that between me and Billy in a 10-game season, we combined to score 26 touchdowns my freshman year of high school. Now, upon further examination, Billy scored 26 by himself. But it’s still true that he and I combined scored 26. Do you see my point? It’s not the same, is it? Standing on the sidelines is not the same as really being immersed in the fray. You know, when the scriptures speak of the structure, the function and the purpose of a local church, it assumes active participation in its members. Turn over to Revelation chapter 3. When the New Testament speaks of the local church in its structure, its function and its purpose, it assumes active membership in the local church.

With a few exceptions. Here’s one of those exceptions. Revelation 3, verse 14, that the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write. These things says the Amen, the faithful and the true witness the beginning of the creation of God. I know your works, that you’re neither cold nor hot. I wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you’re lukewarm and are neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of my mouth. Because you say I’m rich and become wealthy and have need of nothing and do not know that you’re wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked. Do you see that here was a congregation of people full of sideliners? And he says, do something. I wish that you were cold or hot, but you’re just lukewarm.

Scholars help us, I think, to understand maybe what that illustration means. City of Laodicea was supposedly scholars, historians tell us, that set betwixt two sources of water. One source of water, the water would come in, this natural spring would come in, and it would be ice cold. And you know, living in Florida, there’s nothing better on a hot day than just ice cold, clear water. The good water, not the one that comes out of your tap. The other side of the city, there was a spring that actually gave hot water. And you know hot water’s good sometimes too, isn’t it? On a cold day, those happen some places, there’s nothing better than a good hot cup of coffee or hot tea or hot chocolate. And so both hot and cold water have their benefits and their blessings, don’t they?

But then there’s that lukewarm. It’s neither cold, it’s not refreshing on a hot day, and it’s not comforting on a cold day. It’s pretty much just worthless. And so that’s why he says, I’ll spit you out of my mouth. You’re not doing anything. And so, what is Jesus who’s counseling and encouraging and condemning these churches, these local churches, what would he have us to do? He would have us to become a part and a full active part of a local church. What if you’re not? See the need, see the urgency, take the initiative. Become a part of something, become an active part of something, something that’s intended to help your soul and to help the souls of others. And so take full advantage of God’s plan.

And get in the lifeboat and grab an oar or a stick or a board, whatever you can find, and help us start rowing.

Well, but you get in that lifeboat. Since it’s not like a cruise ship, you didn’t get to pick who you got in the lifeboat with necessarily, did you? In fact, if it was a cruise ship and you saw those people in the boat, you might say, eh, no. But you don’t get to be that picky when it’s a lifeboat, do you? So what do we do? If some of the people in the lifeboat with us aren’t what they ought to be. That brings us to our second point. But when it goes wrong, even in the local church, when this local church is not what you want it to be, and maybe not even necessarily fully what God wants it to be, what do we do then?

2. Don’t Let Anyone Get Between You and God

In talking about you, me, us, and God, please hear this. Don’t let anyone get between you and God and the salvation that He offers sometimes we become a part of a local church. We understand the importance and the need of that of our brothers and sisters, but let’s keep it in perspective. All of this was designed in part to help you get to heaven. And so, what do we do when there’s disagreements? What do we do when there’s differences? What do we do when there’s disappointments? Do you jump out of the lifeboat?

Or do you not allow those things to separate you from Christ and the salvation that he offers? Are there hypocrites in the local church? Are there those who are just too judgmental and not compassionate in the local church?

Are there clicks in local churches? And others who make it maybe otherwise difficult for you to fit in and feel like an active part? The answer to all of the above is a resounding yes. The question is, what am I going to do to that? Two questions, really. Question number one is, where should those people be? Those people that we just described, who are admittingly less than what they ought to be, it’s my standards, your standards, and even God’s standards. Where should they be? Those flawed, broken people who need the grace of God and the mercy of their fellow men, where should they be? They should be right in the lifeboat beside me and my flaws and my brokenness who needs the grace of God and the mercy of my fellow man.

Second question. Am I going to let those less than desirable, less than encouraging attitudes keep me away from my salvation? That’s a real question. What am I going to do when someone who’s a part of the local church that I’m a part of is less than what they ought to be spiritually? When they hurt my feelings, when they’re not as warm and welcoming and hospitable as they ought to be, what am I going to do? Well, I’ll show them. I’ll just jump out of the boat and drown. Or do I grab an oar or a stick or a board and roll with them. Encouraging them to be better. As I seek to be better myself. I need to add a disclaimer to this next paragraph. In my judgment, that’s all it is.

In my judgment, what I’m about to say in no way describes the local church here.

What I’m about to say does not necessarily describe the South Bumbee Church of Christ. But when it comes to your soul, don’t let boring preaching stay with me. Don’t let boring preaching, poor Bible classes, ineffective leadership, rude, unwelcoming members. Keep you from your salvation. Don’t it’s about you, me, us, but it’s really about God. I want you to think of an old testament character. Think of Moses. This was a Bible class. Turn with me, if you will, in your Old Testament, the book of Numbers, chapter 20. If this was a Bible class, I would ask you to answer out loud, but I won’t. I would ask you this question. Did Moses make it into the promised land? And you’d all say, no, he didn’t. And then that question, why didn’t he?

Look in Numbers chapter 20, the stated reason why Moses did not make it to his promised land. You remember the story, don’t you? The people would murmur for water, and God would give them water through the hand of Moses. One time God said, speak to the rock, and Moses took his staff. He was so mad at those people, and he struck that rock instead of speaking to it. And although the water came out, it was that incident that kept him out of the promised land. Numbers chapter 20, verse 12 says this. Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, because you did not believe me, to hallow me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them.

Here’s why you’re not going, Moses. You didn’t respect me. You didn’t give me the glory in that moment. And so you’ll not make it. Now go to the Psalms. Psalm 106. So God says, Moses, you’re not going. Because you didn’t hallow my name.

The psalmist adds something to this, Psalm 106. Look at verses 32 and 33. Speaking of this situation that kept Moses out of the promised land when he did not hallow or reverence God. Look what the psalmist says. Psalm 106, verse 32. They angered him. The people angered Moses. They angered him also at the waters of strife, so that it went ill with Moses on account of them. But they rebelled against his spirit so that he spoke rashly with his lips.

Do you see the point? Moses got so put out with those people that he let it get between him and the promised land.

Moses, I know these people are frustrating. Oh, I know. But don’t let them get to you. Don’t let them get between you and God.

Conclusion

Help them, Moses. Help them. Encourage them. That’s my advice to you. Become an active, full part of a local church. In every sense of the way. Immerse yourself. Become active in it. Recognizing there’s going to be flawed people in that boat with you. Flawed people who need the forgiveness of their sins, who need the grace of God and the mercy of man. But if you look in the mirror, so do you.

And pardon the pun. But you’re in the same boat with them. May God help us to help one another to make it safely home to Him. Would you get in the boat this morning? Did you become a child of God? Repenting of your sins based upon your faith. Confess that faith to this good audience this morning and be baptized for the remission of your sins. And then seek out others who have done the same. And encourage and help and edify. And yes, admonish. But help each other get to God. If you’re a child of God and you shirked your responsibilities and your duties in that regard, then decide today that you’re going to become an active part. No more standing on the sidelines. Be a part of the work.

Be a part of the fight. And help us help each other and you get to the prize. If you’re subject to the gospel calling any way this morning, let it be known right now, as together we stand and as we sing.