Osceola Sermon / The Five Practices of a Fruitful Congregation Radical Hospitality August 2 nd, 2009 / Pastor Bob Vale Biblical Focus: Deut. 10:19 And you are to love those who are aliens, for you yourselves were aliens in Egypt. Scripture Lesson: Matthew 25:31-40 "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. MT 25:34 "Then the King will say to those on his right, `Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.' MT 25:37 "Then the righteous will answer him, `Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' MT 25:40 "The King will reply, `I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' Opening Hymn: Go Tell It on The Mountain (#251) Prayer Chorus: The bond of Love (Wildwood page 135) Hymn of Discipleship: Hymn of Promise (#707) What is Radical Hospitality? These are two words that don t typically go together very often. Radical is a word used to denote: very different; out of the ordinary or over the top. Hospitality in our culture is a word that means to welcome people and be friendly to them. Make them feel at home. My earliest recollection of the word hospitality was the phrase Hosier Hospitality. We are a state known for being hospitable to each other and especially new-comers. Throughout our history we have acquired that name. Perhaps from the new settlers that came on wagons from the east and made their homes in our small towns and cities. Perhaps it was our underground railroads and homes that secretly hid runaway slaves in the middle of the 1800 s. Maybe it is just the simple way we are welcoming to people as mid-western farmers and city folks. John Wesley, who was the founder of the United Methodist Church, was known for offering Radical Hospitality for his day. So much so that the traditional church did not like his methods. Basically John Wesley went to the streets to preach to the masses. He went to the coal miners and preached to thousands, not waiting for them to come into the ivory tower churches, but rather brought the gospel to the masses. When churches talk about being a friendly hospitable church they say things like, we re friendly and they list all the programs and ministries they support like Sunday school classes, choirs, and
children s church. But unfortunately their greatest asset can become their greatest weakness in having an open door to newcomers. Unless there is an ongoing effort to reach out to new people, the programs and classes become offerings for the faithful members rather than open doors for the sinful lost in our communities. One of the fastest and largest growing churches in the world is the United Methodist Church in Korea. They have a radical hospitality philosophy in their churches. It is called, the empty chair ministry. At every classroom meeting, every choir practice, every youth event, they purposely set up one empty chair. They open and close their meetings with prayer for the person who will sit in that chair the following week. They anticipate offering hospitality to the new family or individual. Churches practicing Radical Hospitality offer a surprising and unexpected quality of depth and authenticity in their caring of the stranger. Newcomers quickly sense: 1. These people really care for me here. 2. They really want the best for me. 3. I m not just a number, customer or outsider here. 4. I m being invited to be part of their family. I want in. That is radical hospitality. Illustration: There was a church that had changed the time of its worship services more than two years before and had moved the pastors office to where the youth room met. Two years after this change the front sign still had the old worship schedule and the sign above the classrooms had not been changed. In fact when you walked into the church it was very unclear where any of the Sunday school classes met. The incident sounds amusing and quaint. In fact many in the church chuckled at the delay of getting things right. It became somewhat of a church family joke. But they might as well had a sign in the front of the church that said, For Insiders Only. And if newcomers were brave enough to enter the church, they should have had another sign that said, your on your own, good luck. Nothing about the facility said, welcome, were glad you re here, what can we do to make you feel at home? How are we doing as a church in this area? Does our facility say, welcome, we want you here! It is easy to find Sunday school rooms, restrooms, are there parking spots for visitors, easy to find brochures about the ministries of the church and how to connect with those ministries? In the scope of reaching our community for Jesus Christ, there are three questions we need to ask ourselves. 1. Why do people need Christ? 2. Why do people need the church? 3. Why do people in our community need the Osceola United Methodist Church? 1. Why do people need Christ? The Bible Says in the great commission: Matthew 28:19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. a. This is a one sided conversation. Only the believer understands why the soul needs Jesus.
b. They need Christ to have sins forgiven and peace in our hearts. c. They need Christ to have the abundant life on earth. d. They need Christ to have eternal salvation in heaven. All three of these reasons are burdens shared by us and not by our unbelieving neighbors. 2. Why do People need the Church? I Corinthians 1:23 but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24 but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 1. I suppose the theological answer would be, they need Jesus Christ in their life. Which is true, but our theological answer does not make sense to our neighbor as much as it does to us. 2. I feel the best we can offer is to be a community of grace when life s difficulties hit us. Our neighbors need to know they are not alone in this world. Both God and the people of the church are here to help them. We surround our church family with love and support when needed. 3. To teach the Christian faith to new generations and support parents as they raise their family with children s programs, youth group activities. 4. A place to find God. Not only find God, but the ability to worship the Lord in a safe place. A place to lay your burden down, to share in Holy Communion, to dig deep in the contents of the scriptures to find meaning in life. 5. A place to worship the Lord in Marriage and a place to worship the Lord when we say good-bye to our loved ones as they are ushered into the presence of God. A place to bring our children in Baptism, leading them to confirmation and the open altar on Sunday morning to give your life to Christ. 6. The Christian church is a place you can invest your personal time, talents and treasures to God. 7. Simply put, the church is a place of spiritual community of Love. There is really nothing else like it in our culture. 3. The next question is a bit more difficult: Why do people need to go to the Osceola United Methodist Church? Hebrews 10:25 Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching. Video by Leann and her family. 1. The answer to that question is very personal. Each and every one of you have a reason or reasons why you are attending weekly worship here rather than one of the the many other churches in our neighborhood. 2. For some of you, worshiping at the Osceola UMC is a testament to family and the desire to be connected with a family of faith that you have known all your life. 3. For others, there is just something here about the people and the feeling of love that is a unique part of this fellowship. 4. For others it is part of the many programs that fit a spiritual hunger and void in your life. Perhaps it is the worship service that touches your soul, the evening Bible study choices, a Sunday school class, maybe it is a children s or youth program that excites you to see
your child or teen involved. Perhaps the Parents night out excites you. Maybe it is the grief support ministry that our church sponsors. 5. Maybe you have been a part of one of our wonderful United Methodist Women s circle groups or a part of the men s ministry team and activities. Perhaps you enjoy one of the men s canoe trips, or played on the men s softball team. Maybe you were a part of the Fireproof Marriage retreat where we strengthen marriages. 6. Maybe you enjoy being a part of the prayer ministry here at the church or tying a knot in a prayer quilt for someone in need. Perhaps you enjoy listening or singing in the adult choir, play in the hand bell choir, men s ensemble, sing the hymns and praise songs of the church. Or enjoy listening to our children as they perform a Christmas musical each Christmas season. 7. Maybe you enjoy the Osceola UMC outreach programs we offer several times a year such as, Trunk or Treat, Easter Egg Hunt, or one of the many fund raisers we offer to provide needed funding for an unfounded ministry, or my personal favorite outreach activity; euchre night and the variety show. Maybe you enjoyed participating in a creative outreach worship service on a baseball diamond on the back 40 of our church? 8. Maybe you have a heart for missions to serve the community through Hope Rescue Mission, Opening our property for a community garden, offer a health fair for the students of the Moran Elementary school, and open our church facility for a wonderful day care for the families in our neighborhood. Perhaps you enjoy being a part of putting together loving and needed Christmas baskets for our needy neighbors, serving a day at World Missionary Press, Serving Disaster Relief in Mississippi or around the country or even going on an international mission trip. Maybe it s serving concessions at the Osceola little league ball field every Saturday this summer as a witness in the community. Or being a part of the Memorial Day parade or the Osceola Bluegrass festival each year. a. Or my personal favorite as your pastor; Helping a family in need with food, rent money or supplementing an unpaid utility bill through our emergency fund. For me to help that family is to represent the voices of 400 members of the Osceola United Methodist church who are shouting out through their gifts and offerings, we love you and want you to be whole in your life. 9. Maybe you enjoy teaching or participating in a Sunday school class, children s church or Vacation Bible School to bring Christian Education to our children and their families. 10. Maybe the goodness of being a part of the Osceola United Methodist Church is a simple hello, handshake or hug on Sunday morning by a long time Christian brother or sister. 11. The list could really go on and on with all we do here at the Osceola church and I know that I have left out a bunch of ministries and activities that are unique to us. But most importantly, perhaps you desire to a small part of something much larger than yourself in building the Kingdom of God in your Community! I think that is really it. To be a part of something much bigger than ourselves that we cannot do alone. Of all the things that I have listed in the last five minutes; could these have been done by the lone Christian out of their home? The answer to that question is absolutely not. Too often I hear some folks say, I like Jesus, but I don t like the organized church. I ll just serve Christ out of my house by myself. Folks, it is the organized church working together that makes a huge difference for Jesus in the Osceola community. We are the Salt and Light of our community. Will you join me? Will You Join me in being Jesus Christ to the Osceola and surrounding community. I love being a part of the Osceola United Methodist Church, don t you!!! Amen! In closing let me say this. We need to tell our story to our neighbors. We need to let them know that we love our church and want them to also be a part of the movement to make a
difference in our community. Don t give up on your neighbor, remembering that 57% of our neighbors don t have a home church they go to regularly. Let s watch this video together in closing: An Unspoken Plea: Folks we need to be radical in our hospitality to our neighbors. Let s use the church as a means to make disciples. Let s be proud of who we are and what we have to offer the rest of the world. Let s radically offer love and support to our neighbors. Let s Pray: What is Radical Hospitality? Biblical Focus: Deut. 10:19 And you are to love those who are aliens, for you yourselves were aliens in Egypt. Scripture Lesson: Matthew 25:31-40 Churches practicing Radical Hospitality offer a surprising and unexpected quality of depth and authenticity in their caring of the stranger. Newcomers quickly sense: 1. These people really care for me here. 2. They really want the best for me. 3. I m not just a number, customer or outsider here. 4. I m being invited to be part of their family. I want in. In the scope of reaching our community for Jesus Christ, there are three questions we need to ask ourselves. 1. Why do people need Christ? 2. Why do people need the church? 3. Why do people in our community need the Osceola United Methodist Church? Why do people need Christ? The Bible Says in the great commission: Matthew 28:19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. a. This is a one sided conversation. Only the believer understands why the soul needs Jesus. b. They need Christ to have sins forgiven and peace in our hearts. c. They need Christ to have the abundant life on earth. d. They need Christ to have eternal salvation in heaven. 3. Why do People need the Church?
I Corinthians 1:23 but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24 but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. I feel the best we can offer is to be a community of grace when life s difficulties hit us. The next question is a bit more difficult: Why do people need to go to the Osceola United Methodist Church? Hebrews 10:25 Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching. The answer to that question is very personal I think that is really it. To be a part of something much bigger than ourselves that we cannot do alone.