Working As A Team in Times of Change
Joshua 1:12-18; 7:1-12
We celebrate our new building and our first service there. We’re thankful for God’s provision, and we’re excited about how this will open up opportunities for us.
As mentioned last week, this is a time of transition, change. We have external changes, our new building. But this is also a time for internal change: a time for us to grow up as a church. We can’t just be consumeristic or individualistic. We need to see ourselves as a united body of Christ, take ownership of our joys and challenges, working together to accomplish His purpose.
We want to move from the “this is what I want, these are my preferences,” to “this is how we’re going to work together, this is what’s best for the team, this is how we’ll accomplish something greater than our individual desires.”
Last week we considered what it means to living by faith in times of transition by looking at the book of Joshua, particularly the first half. Today, I’d like to go back and pick up another theme.
Joshua 1:12-18
The tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh were already given land east of the Jordan River. But as they’re about to cross the Jordan and enter Canaan, Joshua reminds them that the men must go with the other tribes to fight with their brothers until they also have their land.
They can’t say, we already got our land so you guys take care of yourselves. Rather, they say, we’re in this together. This isn’t just about our family or tribe, this is about our nation, about all the tribes. We’re going to fight together.
This reminds me of 1 Cor 12. The hand can’t say to the foot, I don’t need you. When one suffers, we suffer together, when one is honored, we all rejoice together.
The Eagles are a great example. When we thought the Eagles weren’t even going to make it to the playoffs, and now they’re going to the NFC championship. When they weren’t doing well in the regular season, we suffered together. When they defeated the Giants, we rejoiced together. When they defeat the Cardinals, we’ll rejoice together.
That’s supposed to be the church: We fight together, we suffer together, we rejoice together.
Joshua 6, 7
God had given the Israelites this miraculous victory at Jericho. They shouted and the walls came down. They were told that this city was wholly devoted to God, meaning, everything was to be destroyed, nothing was to be taken from it.
But the Israelites acted unfaithfully in regard to the devoted things; Achan son of Carmi, the son of Zimri, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of them. So the LORD’s anger burned against Israel. (7:1)
One man, Achan, had taken some gold, silver and a beautiful Babylonian robe. From God’s perspective, “the Israelites acted unfaithfully,” “the Lord’s anger burned against Israel.”
Notice also that isn’t just Achan, it’s Achan, son of Carmi, son of Zimri, son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah. You weren’t just a private individual. You were part of a family, a clan, a tribe, a nation.
After this great victory at Jericho, the Israelites thought they could easily defeat Ai with only 3000 men. They were struck down. Joshua is so disheartened, but God confronts Joshua,
Israel has sinned; they have violated my covenant, which I commanded them to keep. They have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen, they have lied, they have put them with their own possessions. (7:11)
Again, from God’s perspective, this wasn’t just Achan’s problem, this was Israel’s problem. The nation has been unfaithful, and that’s why the Israelites were struck down in their attack at Ai.
Joshua 5, 8
We also see in Joshua God making covenants with Israel. These are not altar calls for individuals to make private decisions. These were corporate acts
Joshua 5, this new generation that was born and raised in the wilderness got circumcised and they celebrated Passover. God was affirming his covenant relationship with the nation—You’re your God, you are my people. Bear my sign, celebrate my faithfulness and deliverance for you, as God’s people. These individuals were not brought out of Egypt, but they celebrate the exodus because these were Israelites, the nation to whom God had committed Himself.
Joshua 8, the entire nation stood on Mt. Gerizim and Mt. Ebal, and Joshua read the entire book of the law, and the nation renewed their covenant with God. They, the people of Israel (individual & corporate) will be faithful to follow YHWH.
We tend to think of our salvation and relationship with God very individualistically. It’s about me & God.
But that isn’t the way the Church is supposed to be. We’re a body, a team.
We were designed to work together.
We weren’t made to be lone rangers, to be private Christians. We were made to be part of a body, and we need each other.
God sees us not just individually but also corporately.
God sees corporate sin, God calls on corporate obedience and faithfulness.
P. Young recently preached from Rev. 2, where Jesus addressed the church of Ephesus, you have lost your first love. That wasn’t written to Mr. Ephesus but to a church, the church in Ephesus (Smyrna, Sardis, Laodicea, Philadelphia, etc.).
3. Living in community in part of our salvation.
We were saved to be united to Christ and in being so, to be united to one another. We are brought into the family, the community of the followers of Jesus, the church. It’s not just “me & Jesus.”
That means we care for one another, we invite people into our lives, we suffer and rejoice together.
Some of us have big financial stresses, some are in the midst of big personal transitions, some have long-awaited prayers answered, some growing stronger in their faith, in their experience of the love, faithfulness of Christ (living in the Gospel).
We’re supposed to let others in, be there for one another, and point each other to Christ through it all.
This happens mostly in our small groups. If you’re not already in a small group, please stop by the welcoming table or email the office/pastor.
If you are in a small group, invite others into your life, open up. Be God’s community for others.
4. It is because we’re part of a community with Jesus that we’re saved.
The Gospel is that is it because we trust in Jesus that we’re included in Jesus. Theologians call this our union with Christ.
For Israel, it wasn’t because they individually were great people, or even that corporately they were great people. For Israel, it is because they were the descendents of Abraham that God committed His love to them. They were part of the Abraham community.
Ephesians 2 talks about how we (Gentiles) were separate from Christ, outside Israel, outside the covenant of promise. But now in Christ we’ve been brought near, we’ve been included in the covenant community.
Our salvation is not based on our individual merit/accomplishments/morality. Our salvation is based on being connected to Jesus.
I’m sure a lot of us were greatly dismayed when we heard that US Airways flight 1549 crashed into the Hudson River last Thursday. And then we were greatly relieved to hear that everyone survived. We now celebrate the pilate, Sullenberger, as a hero for safely steering the plane into the Hudson River.
Why did all these passengers survive? Was it because these people were more wealthy or powerful, more moral or kind? Suppose you interviewed one of the passengers, Mr. Smith. How was it that you survived? Was it because you were such a good person, a quick thinking person, a strong person? How was it that you survived?
Mr. Smith would say, it’s because our pilate Sullenberger did a great job in landing the plane safely. It wasn’t about my individual merits or accomplishments. It was about being on the plane where Sullenberger pilated us safely.
Our salvation has nothing to do with whether we were a good person, a quick thinking person, a strong person. It has everything to do with the pilate. It has everything to do with whether we are joined to the right pilate. That’s why we’re saved, because we were in the plane where Jesus was the pilate.
If you’re not a Christian, Christian’s aren’t better people, more moral or religious. Christians are simply people who say, I want to be on Jesus’ plane. I trust Him.
So let me put down my teaching hat and put on my leading hat and say, Church, this is a time for us to come together as a body, to work together as a team.
Let me give some concrete suggestions for how we can work together.
1. Attend the noon service in the new building
We’ve had around 275 in our 10 am service, but now in this 3rd floor chapel, we can only fit 175-200. It would be great if 100 people from our 10 am service could worship at noon in the new building.
In particular, our children’s ministry has to be here in this building, at our 10 am service. So team, we’re asking for non-parents to considering giving up their seats and going to the noon service until the new building is renovated and we can both services there.
2. Carpool
For those who will go to the new building, parking is a concern. We’re asking you to consider carpooling.
This will serve your other brothers and sisters who will also be looking for parking
This will serve our new neighbors but not flooding the parking situation more than we need to
This will give us opportunities to connect with one another, serve one another.
This will serve the earth as we cut down on pollution and green house gases =)
Also, please park a few blocks away from the church.
3. Serve
A. 12 pm Worship Committee & Welcome Committee
Set up, more greeters inside and outside the sanctuary
B. 12 pm Small Group clean up
Vacuum, sweep, pick up trash, bathrooms—we don’t have a janitor
C. Trash
Put out trash on Tuesday night, collect cans on Wednesday
D. Multimedia
Preparing powerpoint slides, presenting slides; video overflow room
4. Give financially
I mentioned that we’re looking at a shortfall in our budget and we’re anticipating our repair and renovation costs to be more than what we have in our building fund. As we get more specific information, I’ll let you know.
I’d like to ask you to consider partnering with us financially as well. Renewal has been blessed for its entire history in that we’ve never lacked for funds. These upcoming months will be our first time when we foresee some significant shortfalls, and I’m asking us to work together for this need.
5. Renew lives in Christ to transform our city and the world
Finally, let me remind us what why we’re doing what we’re doing.
We have a vision to renew lives in Christ to transform our city and the world.
In particular, we have a vision to see people transformed by the Gospel.
We want Renewal to be a place where we can invite classmates, co-workers, neighbors and friends. With our new building, we have the sanctuary space that we’ve been lacking. We want to see people hear the Gospel and meet Christ and find a new life in Him.
Please do invite your friends, and be a part of welcoming our newcomers.
We also want to see Christians not just start in the Gospel but also live in the Gospel. This isn’t the ABC’s but the A-to-Z. We don’t start by grace and live by effort. We’re saved by grace through faith and we live by grace through faith. We have a Gospel that frees us from the inside out, that gives us peace and courage, that produces love and grace. And we want to learn how to preach that Gospel to ourselves, to one another, and to those outside our walls as well.
Please register for our retreat next weekend as we consider how we can Live in the Gospel, Monday to Saturday.
We also have a vision to see the Church unleashed. The church isn’t the building or the staff or programs. The Church is the people. And God has put together a team of members with a diversity of gifts, passions, strengths and abilities. We want to see people find and nurture those gifts and passions, to see how we can work together, indeed we need each other. And then to recognize the power of what could happen if we worked together as a team instead of as a collection of individuals trying to do our own thing.
I don’t think we’re going to change the world by getting our pastors to work a little harder, getting our small group leaders to reach out to a few more people.
We’re going to change our city and the world when the people of God all stand, get off the pews and on the playing field, when we learn how each of us has a real part to play, that we are God’s workmanship created for ministry, ministry in a team.
Let me pause to thank so many committees, leaders, members who’ve really worked hard to help make our transition to this building as smooth as possible. Some have made numerous trips to the new building to get things ready. Cleaning, planning, setting up, sound check, etc.
There’s a lot of work to be done, but I want to say, it’s as we work together as a team that we’re going to flourish.
We’re going to change our city and the world when the Gospel becomes so real that it has and continues to change our lives, change our relationships and culture. It’s when the power of God and the glory of Christ as so magnificently displayed in and through our lives.
We believe if we get the Gospel piece and the Church piece right, these are the means through which God wants to transform our city and the world and bring glory to Himself.
Let’s work together to see that happen here at Renewal.