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To
Know Christ & To Make Christ Known
by Reverend Murray Spackman, Vicar.
Sunday 8 June, 2003
Acts 2: 1-21. Romans 8:22-27. John 15:26-27. 16:4b-15.
For each of the past three weeks we have been
looking at some different aspect of what it means for the church to be a
community. You may think
that we have been overdoing this a bit, but really, it is fundamental to
what the church is called to be. And unless we get a good grasp of this
, we easily drift into the idea that Christianity is something which we
do on our own, believe on our own, and generally keep to ourselves and
mind our own business. In
fact, nothing could be further from the truth. I would go so far as to
say that it is a major heresy – because it is contrary to the clear
teaching of scripture – that you can be a Christian in isolation from
others. We may have
solo circumnavigators of the world, we may have solo conquerors of the
worlds highest peaks, or even solo explorers in space – but we can not
have solo-Christians. To
be a Christian is to be a member of a community – a community of
people who share a common faith together, who share in a common mission
together! Our baptism brought us into that community of faith. Our
sharing in the Holy Communion sustains us in our community life.
For the past three weeks our worship, our readings and our
teaching have all been about Community, and I would just like to recap a
little, in case you missed one of those.
On May 18th – our Parish
Founding birthday – Charmaine looked at the theme of our church life
together from the 1st Letter of Peter – where Peter writes
of us being Living Stones, built together into a Holy Temple –in order
that we might, together, declare the wonderful and mighty deeds of God.
We can only do that effectively when we are a community working
together.
On May 25th I spoke about
the principles of Community, - the “Let us’s” from Hebrews chapter
10. Firstly – Let us draw near to God.
Secondly – Let us persevere
together in the hope we profess.. Thirdly – Let us be concerned
for one another, and Fourthly – Let us NOT give up the habit
of meeting together.
Last week , in our Family Service
we saw Jesus the Good Shepherd caring for the lost – and how
our Church – as a community of faith - has that same commission to
reach out to those in our district who are separated from God.
We also had the illustration of the Church as a bee hive – and
the picture Charmaine had of each of us taking pots of honey out into
the community and offering the sweet honey
to all who would taste it – and then inviting then to come back
into the church fellowship - where they can each find their own honey
– the sweet gospel of God’s love and grace – and then share it
with others.
None of these things happen when we live isolated, individual
lives, as Christians, separated from one another. There can be no
building if each stone refuses to be brought together and be placed in
order and in relationship with others. The lost sheep are not found if
we don’t care as a community. – and the honey only accumulates as a
hive works together in cooperation.
So today, I again want to follow on this theme of the Church as a
Community. And it’s a very appropriate Sunday to do so –
because as you may know – or would have guessed from the front of the
pew sheet – it is Pentecost Sunday. Today is the anniversary of that
50th day after the first Easter when God bestowed, poured
out, His own Spirit upon the early disciples. And ever since then, true
to His promise – God has made available and is keen to bestow upon
each of us – His same Holy Spirit – His supernatural power and grace
– that we might be more effective in our mission.
So today I want to look
again at our Parish Mission Statement and connect that up with Pentecost
and the working of God’s Holy Spirit.
What I want to share with you today is summed up in this
statement: “To Know Christ and to Make Christ Known” requires
both our dependence on the Holy Spirit and our working together to
pursue this goal.” There are two aspects to our Mission
statement – one is personal, the other is corporate. “To
know Christ” is
something I personally must pursue – it’s the life- long endeavour
of every Christian who wants to grow closer to God. And only we
ourselves, as individuals, can pursue that. That’s the personal
aspect of our Mission statement.
The corporate
aspect is “To make Christ known”.
This is what we do in response to, and in obedience
to, Christ’s word and command. If
we aren’t concerned and committed to Make Christ Known then we fail in
our calling to share the love and new life for which Jesus came into the
world.
So how might I “Know Christ” ?
- well for me and you to know Christ requires that we a) depend
on the Holy Spirit , and b) that I receive your help.
Jesus said that when the Holy Spirit would come, He would reveal
the truth about God. He would take what Jesus had said and reveal it to
us. The Holy Spirit would make Jesus known to us.
Paul teaches that the Holy Spirit would come to our help. We
cannot truly know God unless we know Jesus – and the Holy Spirit will
make Jesus known to us. If we want to know Jesus Christ – and know Him more - then we simply need to ask the Holy
Spirit, sincerely, to make Jesus known to us – and he will answer that
request –because that is His chief mission.
The Holy Spirit will always answer the prayer to make
Jesus known to us. Do you
want to know Jesus more? Then ask the Holy Spirit to make Jesus known to
you. You will not be disappointed!
But as well as depending on the Holy Spirit to make Jesus
Christ known to us – we also need the help of one another. Jesus becomes real and almost tangible when I see Him
shining through your life! Jesus
becomes real to me when I see your kindness, experience your care and
compassion, encounter your encouragement and see the fruits of Jesus –
love ,joy, peace, patience, gentleness, kindness, goodness and
self-control – all there in your life.
I will come to know Jesus more when you encourage me by
your Bible reading and study and your knowledge of Him, by your prayers,
your devotion, and by your worship together, as part of a community of
faith, with me.
So firstly, I cannot come “to
know Christ”, for myself, fully,
without both a dependence upon the Holy Spirit, and without your help.
And Secondly, I cannot “make Christ known”, either –
without the Holy Spirit at work in my life –or without your help.
Jesus said “the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, will
speak of me”. The supreme ministry of the Holy Spirit today is to
glorify Jesus, to speak of Jesus, to exalt His name, and to make Him
known. (Jn 15:26b) When the
first disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost
– what primarily did they do? – they spoke in other languages – or
tongues. And what they had
to say was clearly spelt out by some of the bystanders who said
- “we hear them speaking , each in our own languages, the great
things God has done!” (Acts
2:11) What was it God had done?
-- It was the
events of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ for the
salvation of the world. We
cannot tell others – or make Christ known – without the ministry of
the Holy Spirit at work in us and through us. We need to pray
continually that God’s Holy Spirit would speak and act through us –
to bring life and love to the world.
But we also need others in order “to make
Christ Known.”
If I try to be a witness to Jesus Christ on my own – I am
showing to others just a very small and imperfect picture of the glory
of Jesus. That picture I present to others will be flawed by my own
human frailties and sin, it will be flawed by my inconsistencies and
lack of maturity. It will be like a picture of Jesus hardly even
painted, in which just the most barest and broadest strokes have
been applied to the canvas. I need each of you to add your own unique
and individual touches to that painting to bring it alive and to
complete the picture. Some of you will add the broad strokes, some will
add the background, some will add the fine and detailed lines of that
portrait of Jesus which when it is completed by us all will present the
most perfect image of Jesus Christ – an image of love and grace and
invitation to the world to come to Him. And as you paint your portrait of Jesus before
the world – “to make Him known” – you also need my input
– my contribution – my gifts - and those of everyone else here –
to complete the perfect portrait that will draw others to Him.
In order “To
Know Christ and to make Christ Known” we must, firstly, depend
upon the Holy Spirit and secondly – we must work together as a
community who look to Him.
Why should we do that?
Well the story is told of the captain of a Mississippi riverboat
who, as his ship passed another certain vessel, grabbed the first
passengers he saw and said, “Look, look over there on the other boat.
Look at its captain!” The
man was somewhat bewildered and asked, “Why do you want me to look at
that captain? What makes him so special?”
Then the captain told him the story of how he had collided one
night with another boat. His own vessel was foundering and in the
process he was thrown overboard. The captain of the other vessel saw his
desperate plight and manoeuvered close enough that he was able to dive
into the water and save his life.
After telling the story, the once-saved captain then turned to
the bystander and said, “Ever since that day, I want to point out my
rescuer to others.”
Likewise, as those who
have been saved, secured and loved by Jesus, we should want to tell
others of him.
We can only do so effectively when we act together,
cooperatively, as a Community – and dependent upon the Holy Spirit.
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