Congratulations, you have made it halfway through our exploration of our values as a people of faith. The first value as you may recall was “Christ Centered Worship” or “Jesus Centered Worship.” In other words, we are people of faith only because of the grace and love of Jesus Christ, and we gather together to worship because of all that Jesus has done. We do not come to church because the pastor is great, or because we offer the best music around. We gather together because Jesus has been so, so good.
The second value we explored together was “Accepting Relationships” or “Real, Caring Relationships.” Jesus said that he came not to help the righteous, but rather the sinner. Therefore, we are a people who offer that same sort of welcome and grace to both those who seem righteous and put together, and also those who are obviously anything but put together. In reality, we all need the grace of Jesus Christ and the healing and forgiveness found in his name. We strive to love others and develop the same sort of “accepting relationships,” or “real, caring relationships” that Jesus developed with us.
I do not know if you have put two and two together yet, but these values are in no way random, and they certainly are not just the whim and demand of the pastor standing in front of you. They are deeply biblical.
Straight from the gospel of Matthew, we hear about how a Pharisee was chosen to test Jesus. He was chose because he was trained well in the law; and this Pharisee asked Jesus a question to test him.
“Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?”
[Jesus] said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets” (Matthew 22:36-40).
Jesus, of course, answered correctly by saying that it all comes down to loving God and neighbor, and he was not caught in their trap. But, more to the point for us is that our first two values are precisely the two most important values that Jesus lays out for us. “Christ Centered Worship” or “Jesus Centered Worship” and “Accepting Relationships” or “Real, Caring Relationships” are just today’s ways of speaking a couple of old, old truths: “love God and love neighbor.”
Now, that sort of amazing, unconditional love cannot stay put and cannot stay pushed down. That sort of love for the world cannot stay hidden under baskets or under beds. It is the sort of love that needs to shine from the top of lamp stands and shine into dark places. It is the sort of love that breaks rocks and pushes its way out of tombs. It is a love whose power comes from being shared. Love only has power within relationships. Love only has power when it is shared with someone else.
Given all that, the sharing of the love of Jesus Christ is an active value in and of itself. And, it is a value that Jesus desires you to make a part of your own life. “Go and make disciples of all nations” Jesus commands his disciples. The sharing of the faith with all people is the final value that Jesus gives to us as he departs this world and goes up to heaven. And, if it is the last value he declares, then it is probably nearly as important as the first two. In fact, “inviting” and “sharing” are just the spreading of the first two values to more people.
Being “Intentionally Invitational” or “Sharing Faith” is what love does.
If you have found a stash of gold coins, more than you could possibly ever need, and you have a friend in desperate need, would you not share the location with that person and the both of you dig it up?
If you and your group are hopelessly lost while driving in a blizzard, and you finally see a sign through the falling snow directing you to safety, would you not call back to the rest of the group and tell them which direction to go? What if you have found the one who can make sense of all the mess of this thing that we call life and by following this one you and others will discover a depth of love and understanding that you have never known before?
“Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth.” Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see” (John 1:43-46).
“Come and see.” This is actually one of my all time favorite three words in all of scripture; “Come and see.” I love it because it is the perfect answer to the question of “Why church?” “Why be a part of the church?” “Why follow Christ?” “Come and see.”
Where some people answer the question of “Why church?” with answers like, “The pastor’s a great preacher!” or “The people are so nice!” or “The coffee is really, really good!” the first biblical invitations to be a part of what Jesus is up to is “Come and see.” As much as I too appreciate really good preaching; as much as I too appreciate connecting with really great people like all of you; and as much as I like a really good, nutty fresh roasted coffee, these have nothing to do with Jesus and his love. These are not an invitation to meet with Jesus. These are not sharing our faith, unless our motto is in coffee we trust! With four kids to get ready in the morning, I think that is my motto some mornings. But, “Come and see” is all about sharing Jesus. “Come and see” is all about inviting people to experience Jesus for themselves. The words “Come and see” promise nothing, but they do draw us in none-the less.
Nathaniel quips, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” the little backwater town that was full of interesting characters at the crossroads of international trade. The assumption is that nothing good can come out of Nazareth, and as tempting as it might have been for Philip to give some sort of explanation about how we should not make assumptions about a whole area based on just a few, or about how Jesus was different from all those other people, Philip merely answers, “Come and see.”
It is so perfect of a response; “Come and see.” It invites us to find out for ourselves. It removes the one inviting from needing to know all the answers. Like, when your kid asks you, “Why did God create mosquitoes?” Um…why don’t you ask the pastor. “Come and see!”
More than about answering mosquito questions, “Come and see” is an invitation to experience Jesus himself. And, is that not what faith is all about? Being “intentionally invitational” is about inviting people to follow Jesus so that they can learn to trust him. “Sharing the faith” is about inviting people to follow Jesus Christ and his ways of love so that Jesus can fill them with the trust that leads to eternal life.
People will ask, “What about someone like me? Jesus will certainly make the ceiling fall if I come into the church.” And, you will answer, “Come and see.”
People will ask, “Do you think Jesus will forgive someone who even does ___ (And, they will fill in the blank.)? And, you will look at them with compassion and answer, “Come and see.”
People will ask, “Do I have to believe in a virgin birth, or the existence of a red guy with a pitchfork, or the damnation of souls?” And, you will answer, “I don’t know, but Jesus does. Come and see.”
After-all, it is not about having the correct belief, or having a spectacularly uplifting moral past, or being perfect before you enter the presence of Jesus. It is about Jesus having the chance to give us a new life and a new birth. It is about Jesus.
“Come and see.” It is the perfect answer. It is a faithful answer. And, it is deeply biblical. And, on the days when you are not certain that you have figured out this whole thing called having faith, someone who is intentionally invitational, someone who desires to share the faith will turn to you and say, “Come and see.” Jesus desires nothing more than draw you close. Jesus desires nothing more than to wrap you with grace and love. “Come and see,” and follow Jesus.
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