1 27 September 2015 Title: Narrative Faith

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27 September 2015 Title: Narrative Faith: Becoming Storytellers Text: Deuteronomy 6:4-9, Ephesians 4:4-6; Deut. 6:10-12 Topic: What is our legacy? I.!

INTRODUCTION* * Welcome'to'Glenkirk'Church!!'I’m'Kevin'Gandy,'and'I'serve'as'the'Director'of'Student' Ministries.'I’m'super'excited'to'be'here'with'you,'especially'because'as'of'today,'I'have'only' been'here'two'weeks.'In'case'you'don’t'know'me,'I’ll'tell'you'a'little'about'myself.'' ' I'love'getting'to'work'with'students.'I'think'they’re'the'most'underestimated'population'in' the'entire'church.'Yes,'middle'school'kids'sometimes'smell.'Yes,'they'are'sometimes'loud.' Yes,'they'say'funny'things.'But'they’re'a'lot'of'fun'to'hang'out'with.'I'have'especially' enjoyed'getting'to'know'our'high'school'kids'thus'far.'It'has'been'incredible'hearing'their' stories'and'witnessing'their'dedication'to'the'church.'Last'week'we'were'at'the'All'Sons'&' Daughters'concert;'it'was'in'that'moment,'watching'the'kids'sing'their'hearts'out,'and' watching'them'raise'their'hands'to'the'Lord'that'I'knew'in'my'heart'that'I'belonged'at'this' church,'and'with'this'group'of'kids.'That'was'a'cool'moment.'I'was'literally'bawling.'It’s'a' good'thing'I'was'in'the'back'row'or'else'the'kids'may'have'thought'I'was'super'weird.'Haha.'' ' A'lot'of'people'have'been'asking'about'my'“vision”'for'the'student'ministry.'I'don’t'have'all' the'answers,'but'I'do'believe'the'Lord'is'calling'us'as'a'church'to'embrace'a'sort'of'legacy' that'impacts'the'world'and'others'for'Jesus'Christ.' ' I'was'recently'reading'a'story'in'the'Huffington'Post'about'an'interaction'between'Mother' Teresa'and'Bob'Macauley,'the'founder'of'AmeriCares.'[Slide:*Mother*Teresa*Picture]'In' 1985,'while'sitting'on'a'flight'to'visit'a'new'orphanage'in'South'America,'Mother'Teresa'did' the'unthinkable.'When'the'flight'attendant'began'passing'out'inVflight'meals,'Mother' Teresa'proceeded'to'ask'the'flight'attendant'how'much'the'tray'costs'in'dollars.'The'flight' attendant'replied,'“Probably'about'$3V5,'but'why'do'you'ask?”'To'which,'Mother'Teresa' asks,'“If'I'return'my'tray,'could'I'get'that'amount'in'cash'to'give'to'needy'people'in'South' America?”'The'flight'attendant'checks'with'the'captain,'who'checks'with'the'airline,'and' she'comes'back'with'an'affirmation'answer.'Of'course,'Bob'also'gives'up'his'tray,'and' before'you'know'it,'the'entire'plane'is'handing'over'their'trays'for'Mother'Teresa.'But'upon' exiting'the'plane,'Mother'Teresa'asks'Bob'to'return'to'the'plane'to'collect'the'food'trays.' “They’re'just'going'to'throw'them'away,'so'let’s'ask.”'Bob'reluctantly'returns'to'ask'for'the' trays,'and'the'airline'is'at'first'reluctant'after'giving'Mother'Teresa'money'for'the' orphanage.'But'soon'enough,'they'admit'that'they’ll'be'throwing'out'the'food,'so'why'not?' When'Bob'returns'with'the'good'news,'Mother'Teresa'sends'him'back'with'another' request:'“Get'them'to'donate'a'truck'to'deliver'these'food'trays.”'Sure'enough,'the'airline' complies'with'Bob’s'request'and'he'comes'back'to'tell'Mother'Teresa:'“Ok,'“I’ve'gotten'you' the'trays'and'now'a'truck.'So'don’t'even'think'about'asking'for'the'plane!”'Haha!' ' But'in'all'seriousness,'I'look'at'Mother'Teresa'and'wonder,'“Could'I'ever'leave'a'legacy'like' that?”'I'mean,'even'though'I'usually'complain'about'the'airline'food,'I'don’t'think'I'would' 1

ever'give'it'away!'Would'we'normally'even'think'to'ask'about'such'a'request?'But'this'leads' us'to'the'topic'of'today’s'sermon:'“What'IS'our'legacy?”'In'other'words,'when'people'see' us,'or'perhaps'even'when'they'see'Glenkirk,'what'do'people'notice'first?'Moreover,'what' stories'do'we'tell?'What'truth'do'we'recount?''' ' This'brings'us'to'the'text'at'hand,'Deuteronomy'6:4V9.'Before'we'read,'let'me'set'the'stage.' The'Israelites'have'come'out'of'Egypt,'have'wondered'in'the'desert,'and'now'find' themselves'at'the'foot'of'Mount'Sinai.'Their'leader,'Moses,'has'just'come'down'from'the' mountaintop'where'God'gave'him'a'list'of'rules'for'the'people,'which'we'call'the'Ten' Commandments.'Moses'is'conducting'a'dramatic'speech'in'front'of'his'people,'expressing' what'God'has'told'him'to'say.'After'listing'the'ten'commandments,'Moses'explains'that' there'is'one'commandment'that'will'be'the'greatest…'the'bottom'line,'the'main'idea.'And' that'is'where'we’ll'pick'up'the'text.'' ' Let’s'pray.'' ' [Slides*Deuteronomy*6:4B9]*BB*4*Hear,*O*Israel:*The*Lord*our*God,*the*Lord*is*one.* 5* Love*the*Lord*your*God*with*all*your*heart*and*with*all*your*soul*and*with*all*your* strength.*6*These*commandments*that*I*give*you*today*are*to*be*on*your*hearts.*7*Impress* them*on*your*children.*Talk*about*them*when*you*sit*at*home*and*when*you*walk*along* the*road,*when*you*lie*down*and*when*you*get*up.*8*Tie*them*as*symbols*on*your*hands* and*bind*them*on*your*foreheads.9*Write*them*on*the*doorframes*of*your*houses*and*on* your*gates.* * Today'we’re'going'to'look'at'three'ways'that'I'believe'God'is'teaching'us'about'the' necessity'of'leaving'a'Godly'legacy'in'our'daily'lives.'First,'He'is'teaching'us'to'LISTEN.' Second,'He'is'teaching'us'to'LOVE.'Third,'He'is'teaching'us'to'LIVE.'* II.!

LISTEN* * “Shema,'Y’israel,'adonei,'elohenu,'adonei…”'If'you'had'just'stepped'out'of'a'time'machine' to'hear'Moses'declare'verse'4'to'the'Israelites,'this'is'exactly'what'it'would'sound'like.'I' know'this'because'I'had'to'take'four'Hebrew'classes'at'Dallas'Seminary.'Every'class'would' begin'with'us'reciting'this'passage,'called'the'“Shema,”'in'Hebrew.'I'did'fairly'well'in' Hebrew,'but'there'would'always'be'a'section'where'I’d'get'confused'or'stumble'up,'and'I' would'end'up'mouthing'“watermelon,'watermelon,'watermelon”'really'silently'so'the' professor'would'think'I'was'still'reciting.'And'I'would'hope'my'neighbor'didn’t'hear'me'and' think'I'was'clueless.''But'nonetheless,'“Shema.”'This'first'word'of'the'passage'means'“to' hear,'to'listen.”'Moses'is'calling'out'for'the'people'to'listen'up;'he'is'getting'their'attention;' he'has'something'important'to'say.'“Listen,)O)Israel,)the)Lord)your)God)is)ONE.”'' ' Why'does'Moses'say'this?'In'this'time'period,'it'was'quite'natural'for'people'to'worship' multiple'gods.'This'is'called'polytheism.'This'was'particularly'true'of'the'Canaanites,'who' were'close'neighbors.'Unfortunately,'this'sort'of'religious'setup'caused'people'to'fear'for' their'lives'because'they'never'quite'knew'if'they'were'or'were'not'appeasing'their' particular'god.'So'they'would'often'just'go'to'another'god'and'try'to'appease'that'god.' 2

III.!

There'was'a'god'for'everything—the'earth,'wind,'rain,'sky,'etc.'The'Israelites'were'often' tempted'to'follow'the'surrounding'culture'into'this'very'practice,'and'sometimes'forgot' that'they'worshiped'one'God—Yahweh.'Hence,'Moses'is'telling'the'people,'“Listen'up,' REMEMBER'that'we'worship'one'true'God.'Remember'that'God'brought'you'out'of'Egypt.' Remember'that'God'is'going'to'take'you'to'the'promised'land.”'' ' I'wonder,'however,'if'our'world'today'is'that'much'different.'Yes,'we'may'say'that'we' worship'one'God,'but'our'lives'often'indicate'the'presence'of'many'other'idols'and'gods.' For'some'of'us,'it'may'be'our'Xbox,'our'technology,'our'careers,'our'sports'teams,'our' hobbies,'our'civic'clubs,'our'volunteer'duties,'or'perhaps'even'our'own'spouses'and' families.'Many'of'us'may'not'even'realize'that'these'things'have'become'idols'in'our'lives.' However,'if'there'are'things'in'your'life'that'you'would'say,'“I'could'not'live'without,'then' there’s'a'chance'it'may'be'becoming'an'idol.”'In'our'Western'society,'we'have'to'be'everV mindful'of'the'things'we'possess'and'the'privileges'we'are'afforded.'Because'it'is'very'easy' for'these'things'to'overshadow'the'Lord.' ' Today'He'is'calling'out'to'us:'“Shema.”'LISTEN.'Be'still.'Be'quiet.'The'Lord'is'the'one'God' whom'we'follow'just'like'our'ancestors'and'those'who'have'journeyed'the'path'before'us.' Paul'understood'this'very'well.'In*[Slide*Ephesians*4:4B6],'he'tells'the'church'in'Ephesus'to' remember'that'they'are'united'in'“one)body)and)Spirit,”'connected'by'“one)Lord,)one)faith,) one)baptism,)one)God)and)Father)of)all…”)All'of'us'today'who'claim'to'be'followers'of'Jesus' Christ'are'united'together'as'one'family'who'share'the'essence'of'our'baptisms,'our'faith,' and'our'Lord.'You’re'not'supposed'to'be'doing'it'alone.'We'are'united'as'one'people'under' one'God.'' ' Listen,'O'Glenkirk,'the'Lord'your'God'is'ONE.'And'He'is'calling'us'to'be'unified'under'His' banner'of'love.'This'brings'us'to'the'second'point.'' * LOVE* * Love.'As'Moses'continues'to'proclaim,'“You)shall)love)the)Lord)your)God)with)all)of)your) heart,)with)all)of)your)soul,)and)with)all)of)your)might.)And)these)words)that)I)command)you) today)shall)be)on)your)heart.”)) ) You'know,'I'find'this'command'to'be'quite'difficult.'Do'you?'I'mean,'I'love'Texas.'I'love' sweet'tea.'I'love'BBQ'brisket.'I'love'my'family'and'friends.'Those'are'things'that'I'know'and' feel'because'they'are'tangible'to'me.'I'can'participate'in'that'love.'But'when'it'comes'to' loving'God,'many'of'us'probably'find'this'incredibly'difficult'to'grasp.'How'can'we'truly'love' God'with'all'of'our'hearts,'soul,'and'might'when'we'can’t'seemingly'see,'feel,'or'experience' God'with'our'senses?'' ' I'believe'the'only'thing'that'will'get'us'remotely'close'to'loving'God'in'this'manner'is'by' understanding'how'God'first'loved'us.'It’s'the'closest'thing'our'mind'can'grasp.'One'of'my' favorite'authors'is'John'Stott,'who'was'a'British'pastor'and'theologian.'He'wrote'a'book' entitled,'“Why'I'am'a'Christian.”'[Slide:*John*Stott,*“Why*I*am*a*Christian”*book*image]'' 3

If'you’d'like'a'really'good'synopsis'of'the'basics'of'“why”'someone'should'follow'Christ,'this' is'it.'I'highly'recommend'it'and'it’s'a'short'read.'In'his'first'chapter,'however,'Stott' highlights'the'main'reasons'that'he'decided'to'follow'Christ.'In'short,'Stott'declares'that'he' became'a'Christian'because'God'first'reached'out'to'him.'He'cites'the'brilliant'analogies'in' [Slide*C.S.*Lewis’*“Surprised*by*Joy.”]'Lewis'describes'God'in'four'different'ways.'First,'he' describes'God'as'the'fisherman'out'on'the'water.'We’re'like'the'fish,'but'without'any'idea' of'what’s'going'on'until'the'hook'is'in'our'mouth.'Second,'Lewis'describes'God'as'a'cat' chasing'a'mouse.'Third,'he'describes'God'as'a'pack'of'hound'dogs.'No'matter'how'far'the' fox'runs,'or'how'tired'he'gets,'the'hound'dogs'will'indeed'catch'the'fox.'Finally,'Lewis' acclaims'God'as'the'divine'chess'player.'In'the'game'of'life,'even'as'we'are'disillusioned'into' thinking'that'we’re'winning'the'game'on'our'own'merit,'the'Lord'is'graciously'maneuvering' pieces'until'He'declares,'“checkmate.”'In'other'words,'there'is'no'way'on'Earth'that'we'can' every'reach'God'on'our'own.'His'love'first'came'down'to'us.'And'today'He'is'extending'that' love'to'you.'If'you'have'never'accepted'the'Lord'of'Christ,'or'don’t'know'Him'as'your'Savior,' it'is'as'simple'as'saying,'“Lord,'I’m'in'need'of'you.'I'want'to'follow'you.”' ' Students,'I'have'a'message'for'you,'so'listen'up.'Before'God'created'the'earth,'trees,' planets,'skies,'birds,'water,'everything….'He'thought'of'you.'He'thought'of'you.'He'thought' of'you.'(pointing)'God'has'a'plan'for'you,'even'if'you'don’t'know'it.'You'may'be'thinking,' “I’m'just'in'sixth'grade.”'God'has'a'purpose'for'your'life.'And'he'knew'about'you'before' time'even'existed.'That’s'good'stuff.'Love'the'Lord'your'God'with'all'of'your'heart,'soul,'and' might.'Hopefully'seeing'God'in'this'way'helps'us'to'do'that'better.''' IV.!

LIVE* * Finally,'this'passage'is'teaching'us'how'to'live.'After'Moses'gives'the'Lord’s'commandment,' he'instructs'the'people'to'“teach)them)diligently)to)your)children,)and)talk)of)them)when) you)sit)in)your)house,)and)when)you)walk)down)the)way,)and)when)you)lie)down,)and)when) you)rise.)You)shall)bind)them)as)a)sign)on)your)hand,)and)they)shall)be)as)frontlets)on)your) eyes.)You)shall)write)them)on)the)doorposts)of)your)house)and)on)your)gates.”'' ' For'the'past'five'years,'I'have'been'involved'with'a'summer'camp'for'teenagers'in'a'tiny' part'of'Southwest'England'called'Somerset.'This'camp'runs'for'two'weeks'each'summer,' and'exists'for'kids'aged'7V13.'This'past'summer'I'had'the'opportunity'of'working'with'some' older'middle'school'and'high'school'kids'who'are'too'old'for'camp'but'too'young'to'be' leaders.'[Slide:*Kevin*w/*students*at*camp]'The'camp'asked'if'I'would'help'train'them'to'be' leaders,'so'I'created'a'work'crew'program'where'we'served'the'camp,'cooked'meals,' cleaned,'ran'activities,'etc.'As'we'were'sitting'in'Bible'study'one'evening,'a'guy'named' Lucas'said'something'that'I'will'never'forget'for'as'long'as'I'shall'live.'(I'asked'him'if'I'could' share'this,'and'he'said'yes.)'He'said,'“Camp'is'really'special'to'me'because'when'I'come' here'I'feel'Jesus.'I'get'this'spiritual'high,'and'want'to'follow'Him.'But'then'when'I'go'home' everything'is'different.'A'lot'of'my'friends'are'not'Christian.'There'are'not'many'churches' that'reach'out'to'people'my'age.'So'in'England'we’re'forced'to'remember'the'memory'of' what'we'experience'with'God'each'summer.”'' '

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V.!

Memory'is'important.'It'reminds'us'where'we’ve'been.'In'this'passage,'Moses'instructs'the' Hebrew'people'on'how'to'remember'the'goodness'of'God.'Teach'it'to'your'children.'Talk' about'it'when'you’re'walking'down'the'road.'Talk'about'it'when'you’re'at'home,'when'you' get'up,'and'when'you'lie'down.'He'utilizes'a'certain'style'of'antithetical'statements'in'an' effort'to'remind'Israel'that'they'should'ALWAYS'remember'to'love'God,'and'talk'about'the' things'that'He'has'instructed'them.'After'all,'Moses'goes'on'in'verses'10V12,'[Slides:* Deuteronomy**6:10B12]*saying'to'remember'God'when'you'“have)cities)that)you)did)not) build,)houses)that)you)did)not)build,)cisterns)that)you)did)not)dig,)and)vineyards)that)you)did) not)plant.”)For'God'is'the'one'who'brought'His'people'out'of'Egypt.'And'it'is'this'same'God' at'work'in'the'world'today.'' ' Memory'is'good.'We'should'always'be'mindful'of'the'rich'history'of'the'church'through'the' centuries.'But'we'also'must'be'mindful'to'live'in'the'moment'of'right'now,'and'also'be' looking'to'the'future.' '' A lot of people ask me about my vision for student ministry at Glenkirk. I don’t have all the answers, but I’ll say this. I desire for Glenkirk to teach students, families, and everyone who walks onto this campus about the love of Christ that permeates our every experience. It changes us so radically that we become new creations. We don’t have to be “Christian people” who attend a service on Sunday or our weekly Bible study but then forget Christianity until the next time we come back. We don’t have to rely on the memory of what we experience, or the memory of our faith. We should be going outside of these church walls and living that out every day. And when we do that, our faith becomes not just something we believe, but also who we are. It weaves into our narrative. It changes how we live. And we cannot help but go out and tell others the story of from where the Lord has brought us, where we’re at now, and where we’re going as a body of believers. ' CONCLUSION** ' This'is'how'we’ll'wrap'up.'I’d'like'you'to'imagine'the'places'you'go'throughout'your'week.' Think'about'the'places'you'go'when'you'are'not'here.'Your'home.'Your'work.'Your'car.'Your' favorite'café.'Wherever.'Now'think'how'you'can'stop'to'listen,'learn'to'love,'and'ultimately' live'your'life'in'such'a'way'that'leaves'a'lasting'legacy'on'those'who'encounter'your' presence'each'day.'' ' Perhaps'we'should'translate'the'end'of'our'text'for'our'modern'context.'Perhaps'it'would' go'something'like'this:' ' [Band*Returns]* As'followers'of'Christ'who'go'out'from'Glenkirk,'we…' ' 1.! Teach'our'children'what'it'means'to'follow'the'Lord'instead'of'themselves'or'us.' 2.! Talk'about'our'faith'with'friends'at'school,'and'we’re'not'scared'of'what'they'think'of' us.' 3.! Think'about'the'things'we'say'before'we'say'them'because'God'guides'our'words.' 4.! Show'grace'and'mercy'to'the'guy'who'cuts'us'off'on'the'210.'' 5.! Pray'to'God'when'we’re'training'for'that'halfVmarathon'by'running'down'Glendora'Ave.' 5

6.! Don’t'bully'the'kids'we'dislike,'or'we’re'nice'to'kids'who'are'not'“like”'us.'Because'that' is'how'God'treats'us.' 7.! Put'passages'of'Scripture'on'our'mirrors,'on'our'car'dashboards,'or'in'places'where'we' will'see'them.'Not'because'it'makes'us'look'good,'but'because'we'want'to'be'reminded' about'the'necessity'of'prayer'and'reliance'on'God’s'Word.' 8.! Pray'with'our'friends'on'the'football'field'before'a'game,'or'when'something'bad' happens'in'their'life.'It'may'be'the'only'exposure'they'have'to'Christianity.'' 9.! Go'serve'at'the'local'homeless'shelter'or'soup'kitchen.' 10.!Remember'that'the'things'we'post'on'Instagram,'Facebook,'or'Twitter'or'reflections'of' who'we'are'in'Christ.'' 11.!We'talk'about'our'relationship'with'God'when'we'go'to'Donut'Man'at'midnight,'or'4am,' or'2pm.''' 12.!In'all'things,'and'in'all'that'we'do'and'say,'that'we'give'God'glory.'For'that'is'our'chief' purpose'in'life.'' Are we the kind of the church that goes out and lives so radically that people can’t help to notice a difference? Are we the kind of church that proclaims Christ to the world? Are we the kind of church that equips our children to forge the path of faith with us? God’s calling us to listen, to love Him with everything that we have to offer, and to live our lives every single day in proclamation of His truth. In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

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