Still Point

Our nation’s Independence Day celebration is just a few days away. I love this holiday. The main reason is that I love our nation: our religious, political and economic freedoms should be celebrated. Even in a time of financial struggles like we’re going through now, we have more to be thankful for than any other people on earth. But I also love the holiday because it’s so, well, fun.  Fireworks and parades (I plan on getting me some of that peach ice cream in Gilbert). Concerts and banners. At the end of the Fourth of July, we’ll all be tired and happy. 

As followers of Jesus, though, our patriotism is always experienced against the higher calling of faith. We love Jesus more than anything else. In Sunday’s sermon, I talked about how that works out, as we looked at the famous passage of Scripture where Jesus says we are to give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and give to God the things that are God’s. I listed eight principles that Jesus’ words lead us to. These are good things to keep in mind as we celebrate Independence Day: 

• Our nation’s existence is temporary—God is eternal. 
• Our nation’s authority is limited in its scope—God’s authority is absolute.  
• Our nation rightfully claims some of our allegiance—God rightfully claims all of our allegiance. 
• Our nation is the source of some blessings —God is the source of infinite blessing. 
• Our nation offers political, economic, and religious freedoms—God brings us a spiritual freedom that is greater. 
• We are compelled through conscience to question and change unjust laws in our nation—God’s laws are all righteous and we are bound by faith to obey them.
• Prayer and repentance are the Christians responses to our nation’s present problems—faith and obedience are the Christian’s responses to God.
• Patriotism is the proper response to our nation—worship is the proper response to God.

It’s a big deal for all groups and organizations and even churches to recognize and celebrate when good things happen. Things that show us and the people around us what’s exciting and real about what we do. Some folks call this “defining a ‘Win.’” Just like in sports, when the end of the game comes, the people want to know, “Did we win?” In sports, of course, that’s easy to measure. Just look at the scoreboard! In churches, though, it’s not about the numbers so much as it is the changed lives. A “win” for the church–for our church or any other–is when people’s lives are changed through the power of the gospel and the investment of our lives in theirs. So, let’s celebrate a few recent “wins.”

Last Sunday was a win. In our morning services, we commissioned over fifty people in four separate missions teams, as they went out from us all across the world, serving Christ. Groups left to go to Moscow, Honduras, Dominican Republic, and New Orleans. All will be taking the gospel and serving hurting people. They’re demonstrating first-hand our church’s mission statement: “Making disciples of Jesus Christ in Lexington and around the world.” This Sunday, we’ll commission more people into mission.

Another win came last Sunday afternoon, at our annual church picnic and baptism at the pond. Thirty-seven people were baptized! All ages were represented: children, students and adults. Several couples were baptized together. And then at the end, when an open invitation was extended for anyone in the crowd to commit themselves to Jesus, three additional people stepped out of the crowd to follow Jesus in baptism. That’s a “win”–let’s praise God together for that!

Also, on Monday morning, June 13, we begin our annual Vacation Bible School with hundreds of children already pre-registered. This is our single biggest event of the year and will mean eternity for many children. This is yet another “win”! Anytime we get our children–as well as children in the community–to connect with loving teachers and workers and experience first-hand how exciting it is to know about Jesus, well, that’s a win!

Finally, calling our new Associate Pastor of Missions, Alyce Gillam, last Sunday with such a resounding affirmation is one more reminder of the heart of Lexington Baptist Church for the world. Alyce brings a track record of passion and innovation into missions and will lead our church into a new season of caring for hurting people in Lexington and around the world. That’s a win!

As we reach out to hurting people around us and fulfill our calling to make disciples of Jesus in Lexington and around the world, that’s always a win.