The Vineyard Church of North Grand Rapids, MI

This week the GR Press carried an editorial by Thomas Friedman. Friedman began by writing, "I ran into an Indian businessman friend last week and he said something to me that really struck a chord: ‘This is the first time I've ever visited the United States when I feel like you're acting like an immature democracy. You know what he meant: We're in a once-a-century financial crisis, and yet we've actually descended into politics worse than usual. There don't seem to be any adults at the top--nobody acting larger than the moment, nobody being impelled by anything deeper than the last news cycle" (GR Press 3/24/09). Friedman says that what our nation most needs, the business and political communities seem to most lack--inspirational, mature, self-sacrificing leadership.

You know, there might just be an opportunity for the church in all this! Maybe we could march to the beat of a different drum and choose to live larger than the moment! I'd like to introduce you to one of the Vineyard's inspiring, self-sacrificing leaders. Mark Morgan spends most Sunday mornings on the other side of the wall with our middle school students.

WHO'S REALLY FLOWING WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT? (The Context--Chapter 5)

In ancient Turkey, Galatia was a province, not a town or city. When the Apostle Paul is wrote his letter to the Galatians, he was writing to a collection of small churches scattered around small towns in modern-day Turkey, towns such as Sardis, Philadelphia, Laodicea, Thyatira. Last Sunday we looked at Paul's letters to Timothy, who was leading a mega-church in the large city of Ephesus. Paul's comments in Galatians are written to folks like us in smaller churches, many of them only large enough to support just one pastor-teacher.

In chapter six, Paul is answering the question, "What does the Spirit-filled life look like in difficult times? What do Spirit-filled Christians do when they go home after a renewal conference? When Christians are flowing with the Holy Spirit, how do they live from day to day? Paul concluded chapter 5 by writing, "Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit" (v. 25). If you wonder, what does that look like? Paul is eager to answer your question. Just so you know, his answer doesn't have much to do with special meetings that go late, extended worship, shouts of praise and prophecy, tongues and interpretations, tears and laughter. Who is really flowing with the Holy Spirit?

HERE'S OUR SELF TEST.

This section divides into two parts--vv 1-5 and vv 6-10. Men and women who are really flowing with the Holy Spirit show it by stepping from renewal meetings into closer community (1-5) with greater generosity (6-10) than anyone would ever choose apart from the Holly Spirit's guidance, filling, and power. In Acts 2, God's people were overwhelmed by the Holy Spirit, and filled the streets with the sound of tongues, praise, and prophecy. But when the dust settles and chapter 2 comes to and end, we read that the believers were meeting daily from house to house in extreme community and radical generosity. Acts doesn't just describe what God did, but what God does when believers are filled with the Holy Spirit and walking in step with the Spirit.

A. Are you stepping into closer community (6:1-5)?

Moving toward people stuck in sin (1)?

Getting close enough to fellow Christians that you get to know them like family? That's when the trouble starts, right? You'll notice that they have strengths and weaknesses, that some are weird, that others are in trouble. If you get close enough, you'll see people making sinful choices, carrying on sinful conversations, even covering up their sin with cynical jokes and lies. Sure, everyone has their reasons and psychological issues, but saying no to God, ignoring his teaching, and using other people--that's sin.

For Spirit-filled men and women, to see is to be responsible. It doesn't take a lot of Bible knowledge or even maturity. Even a brand new Christian who is inviting the Holy Spirit to lead him or her can help set things right between other Christians (ILLUS: setting a broken bone). It's careful work, but it's not rocket science. You speak up--gently, but directly. You act on what you see or hear, and you ask them them, face to face, to make a decision to turn from their sin.

Supporting those who are overwhelmed (2-4)?

Burdens are overwhelming experiences with stress, fear, discouragement that come with losing a job, being betrayed by divorce, losing a loved one to death, facing foreclosure on your home, discovering that you have a disease, leaving behind community to take a job in another state, giving birth to a child with disabilities. Bearing other's burdens for Jesus' followers. To trust and follow Jesus is to live as a burden-bearer for other Christians. It's the law of Christ.

But Christians are busy and regularly try to opt out, using one of two strategies (vv. 3-4). Either "I'm too busy doing great things (at school or work or home) to wear myself out with other's peoples issues and needs . . . or . . . comparing themselves to the pastors or other gifted believers they opt out by saying, "I'm no pastor, counselor, or therapist . . . please don't ask me to take on that person's load of grief, confusion, or pain. Compared to Dave and Sue Gage or Robyn Dykstra or Mark Morgan . . . I'm just not the person to go to for help. We we deflect opportunities to serve by talking that way, comparing ourselves to others, we're hiding behind comparisons, using comparisons to avoid loving and serving others.

This is every Christian's job (5). Other Christians' sin and overwhelming stresses and discouragements are part of the normal load all of us who are filled with the Holy Spirit are expected to pick up and carry. This isn't the special call of pastors and counselors, ministry leaders and therapists. So, of course you should participate in renewal meetings focused on hosting the presence of God. Drink deeply from the River of the Spirit. But when you are renewed, refreshed, and re-filled with the Holy Spirit, this is what you do with his presence, peace and power. You step into closer, deeper expressions of community . . . oh, and take out your check book.

Are you stepping up to greater generosity (6:6-10)?

Not all of you have read these verses realizing that they are about money, but they are. At least they all include money. V. 6 focuses on sharing good things with church leaders, v. 7 contains a metaphor Paul has used elsewhere to describe financial giving (sowing & reaping, II Corinthians 9:6), v. 10 concludes with doing good for others when our resources are limited. This section focuses on using our money and possessions as good seed in a difficult season to invest in a great, future harvest.

Supporting your church (6). Paul is writing to small churches that have only one paid pastor-teacher. This may come as a surprise to some of you, but small house churches that do not have a paid pastor-teacher are not more authentic or biblical than churches that support a paid Bible teacher. From the NT on, under Apostolic direction, Spirit-led Christians have seen the value of Scripture teaching and have provided financial support for those who teach and lead. In the OT, the standard was to give a tenth--a tithe, for the support of the priests who hosted worship, preached the Scriptures, and cared for the ministries of the Temple in Jerusalem. In the NT--the age of the Spirit--Spirit-led believers continue to provide financial support for their pastors, leaders, teachers. God's plan is for churches, teaching and living the message of the Bible, to prevail through every financial crisis.

Giving to spiritual causes and opportunities (7-9). As Paul has been traveling and writing to the churches he planted, he's been working to raise offerings for the poor believers in Jerusalem who've been enduring unusual persecution and poverty. Paul had promised the church leaders in Jerusalem that he would raise funds for the poor ‘back home' as he traveled the Gentile world planting churches (cf. 2:10). The spiritual cause that Paul is urging the Galatians to sow into are the great needs of poor Christians in Palestine, a nation or two away. People who sow their money into their sinful nature aren't diabolical monsters; they're Christians who are working to become wealthy, but it's not to share or give more to others. It's all for themselves and their kids. They're working long hours, investing, and shopping--not for others but for themselves, to have more, bigger, better for now and later when they retire. Of course they thank God for their wealth, but it's all about them. Their focus isn't spiritual, it's fleshly. God isn't fooled. Now, it may take a long time to see the dividends for this kind of Spirit-led generosity, but don't grow weary in waiting. Payday is coming. Proverbs states, "Whoever is kind to the needy honors God" (14:31). "Those who are kind to the poor lend to the LORD, and he will reward them for what they have done" (19:17).

Making care for your fellow believers your top priority (10). Maybe you have enough extra to give to the Red Cross, the March of Dimes, the Humane Society, the Lance Armstrong Foundation, the American Cancer Society, or Frederick Meijer Gardens (a highly respected and well-funded local charity). But, if your resources are limited, make sure that you're starting with the needs of your fellow believers. It's like the rest of Jesus' mission: start where you are and the people you know; then work outward--to the very ends of the earth. A local small businessman (a Christian), Kevin, came in yesterday to ask for our business during these hard times. Need your windshield repaired? Kevin's card is on our bulletin boards.

TRANS: You can travel from renewal meeting to revival conference and back again to pursue intimate spiritual experiences with God, but this is the path that believers who are renewed and in step with the Holy Spirit take from day to day. They take the Holy Spirit's presence, peace, power, and they step into closer, deeper community with greater generosity than anyone do if left to themselves and the newspaper headlines. But they're marching to the beat of a different drum. They're living larger than the moment. They're flowing with God's Holy Spirit.

Start a Heart-to Heart Conversation This Week.

The needs and opportunities around us will almost certainly increase. Jackie Pullinger: "To see the poor is to be responsible to do something in Jesus' name to help them. That's why many Christians don't stop to look".

How big are you willing to go?

Give away the used car you could trade in?
Host guests in your home for six months?
Give a full ten percent of your income to support your church?
Put some cash in the boxes for the poor today?
Sign on as a mentor to someone climbing out of a life of crime or poverty?
Have an open discussion with your home group about how far you're willing to go in supporting members of the group who may lose jobs, cars, or even homes?

America is in the midst of an economic crisis that is exposing a crisis of character, maturity, and leadership. What is most needed are men and women who will lead the way by going first, putting others ahead of themselves, and living larger than the moment. What is most needed are renewed, Spirit-led Christians to take the first steps into the future. What this nation needs is what our neighbors need--for us to go first, walking in step with God's Spirit.

Small Group Discussion: In just 3 minutes turn to the people around you and, tell them what you're thinking right now, what God is stirring in you, what you're feeling.

E. Prayer Ministry: fresh filling with the Holy Spirit

Upcoming Events Calendar