New Hope Notes
Risk And Faith
No Higher Calling
Pastor Wayne Cordeiro
February 4, 2007 - W0705
Avalon is a testament to the power of doing things as a team. Avalon as a team, in harmony, is so much stronger than its members would be as soloists. Similarly, there’s no telling what this church can do as a collective team. Presented in a different way, a
This weekend we are embarking on a new series – No Higher Calling, The Risk of Compassion – and specifically today, we are examining Risk and Faith. How does Jesus example a risk to us in the bible and what does that mean to us? Well in biblical days, if a leper was walking down the streets of a city, he’d be ringing a ball so everyone who heard it would know to get out of the way and stand clear of the leper. Yet what did Christ do?
“A leper came to Jesus, beseeching Him and falling on his knees before Him, and saying, ‘If You are willing, You can make me clean.’ Moved with compassion, Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, ‘I am willing; be cleansed.’ And immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed.” (Mark 1:40-42)
Despite the common practice of steering clear of lepers, Jesus did just the opposite; He reached out and touched the leper. What a huge risk but it was a risk of compassion.
Our lives are filled with risks. Driving a one-ton piece of metal at 55 miles per hour on a street with hundreds of other drivers is a risk. Buying a house with a 30-year mortgage is a risk. Traveling in an aircraft that flies 2,500 miles across the ocean is a risk. Going to
We take risks all the time but God is looking for us to take a certain type of risk which He calls faith. There’s a saying, “The gamblers for gold are many but the gamblers for God are few.” Did you see the movie Facing the Giants? Did you know that it was produced by
Without faith, it is impossible to please Him. We risk things everyday but do we risk for God? How can we risk as faith? This is what we’re talking about today: when risk becomes faith.
RISK BECOMES FAITH WHEN:
1. IT IS LOVE FOR GOD & PEOPLE THAT COMPELS ME TO BE INVOLVED.
If you get involved, God doesn’t see it as risk but as faith, when the purpose is love for God and love for people. And when that is the case, He says, “I will get involved.”
“Moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes; and immediately they regained their sight and followed Him.” (Matt. 20:34)
When there’s a risk of compassion, there’s a beauty in it. For example, the first time I visited a children’s cancer award, I was taken aback. It was a bit scary, but when I walked around and talked with the volunteers there, most of them were there because they had a child or knew someone who had suffered from cancer and died. When I heard that, it just melted my heart, and it also made me realize that because of love, there was no fear…because perfect love casts out all fear.
· THE GREATER THE COMPASSION, THE LESSER THE “SACRIFICE.”
I went to thank one of the office volunteers because I had heard that she comes to answer the phones in our office on her days off from her regular job. She said, “Don’t thank me. It’s the highlight of my week! Volunteering here helps me to deal with the rest of my week.” This is exactly what Jesus is looking for…hearts of compassion that serve out of love for God and people such that it is a pleasure rather than a sacrifice. “But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire compassion, and not sacrifice…’” (Matt. 9:13).
You may wonder, “But why does Jesus have us serve?” Well, half of what you’ll learn is from times like this: services, lectures, conferences – but the other half is when you pass through the servant’s entrance…
2. I REALIZE THAT SERVING IS GOD’S DESIGN FOR GROWTH.
Where are the greatest leaders found? They are found as servants. “…the one who is the greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like the servant. For who is greater, the one who reclines at the table or the one who serve? Is it not the one who reclines at the table? But I am among you as the one who serves” (Luke
Jesus does His best work among those who serve. The greatest mentoring is done there. For example, let’s look at Joseph. Joseph was the second most powerful man in the world during his time and where did Jesus send him to learn? Harvard?
Oftentimes we are more useful to God in the shadows, not the limelight. When we humble ourselves and offer up our services for God’s work, He is able to use our hands to grow our hearts, so…
3. I REALIZE THAT MY LOCATION IS NOT IMPORTANT. MY INVOLVEMENT IS!
“But the Lord was with Joseph and extended kindness to him, and gave him favor in the sight of the chief jailer…because the Lord was with him; and whatever he did, the Lord made to prosper.” (Gen. 39:21,23)
Now that we understand that we grow through serving, and it is not our location but our involvement that is important, the only thing left to do is to jump in! We have many ministries here at
While we’re cleaning toilets, we sometimes realize that our hearts are like those bowls and they need cleaning out as well. We come with proud hearts, but when we assume the role of a servant, God is able to come into our hearts to do some cleaning.
I remember the first time we had a campus clean-up here at Farrington and I was picking up rubbish. Well, I happened to see the principal in her office and I moved over to right under her office window so she could see me cleaning up and see how much we were serving. At that moment, I felt the Lord convict me and tell me to go pick up rubbish near the fence where the rubbish tends to accumulate – but it wasn’t anywhere near the principal’s window! In fact, it was up against the road where cars were passing by, and I could just hear a mother talking to her son, “Keep that up and you’ll end up just like that man over there doing ‘community service’ on the side of the road!”
Your service, if it is a risk of compassion, it is seen by God as faith.
As I mentioned,
I recently asked the New Hope Director of Ministries what the real needs are for the various ministries. His responses are below:
|
Volunteers Need |
Ministry |
Volunteers Needed |
Ministry |
|
30 |
Office Volunteers |
15 |
Bookstore Set-up |
|
20 |
Shuttle Drivers |
50 |
Children’s |
|
20 |
Hospitality |
30 |
Tent Makers |
|
30 |
Levites |
70 |
Parking |
|
40 |
Ushers |
40 |
Tech Team |
|
15 |
Greeters |
|
|
It takes a lot of volunteers to help this church run so that the volunteers don’t get burnt out so even if all you can afford is a couple hours on Sunday, once a month, we can use your help to touch lives for God’s kingdom.
Many of us get real close to serving but then don’t cross over. Don’t do that! Just jump in! There’s a saying, “If you don’t risk anything, you risk even more.” And when you risk for compassion, it is seen by God as faith.
God calls us to be people of faith but it requires more than just intent, it requires action. Many times we get close to volunteering or serving but something holds us back. Maybe it’s a fear that we’re not going to be good at whatever we’re asked to do, or maybe we think that we it’s too risky because we don’t have enough time or just won’t like serving.
But when we serve in love and take on risks for the sake of compassion, fear is removed and God sees our efforts as faith – and He blesses us.
Hear what some of our
“To me, the biggest challenge is serving is how to say No to opportunities to serve because I love it more than my job.”
“Serving is all about seeing lives transformed. There is no greater blessing than seeing that happen before your very eyes – seeing God’s faithfulness.”
When you take risks for the love of God and people, it’s faith and God will bless that. God wants to do something big but it requires big involvement. Let’s represent Him well in that way.
DISCUSSION SUGGESTIONS
1. Think of someone who leads by serving. How does that make him/her an effective leader?
2. Think about times when you’ve volunteered to serve. What compels you to get involved?
3. Think about times when you’ve turned down opportunities to serve. What prevents you from getting involved?
4. If you’re already involved in a ministry, what ministry is it and why did you select that ministry? Share about your experiences in the ministry.
5. If you’re not involved in a ministry, what kind of things do you like to do or what kinds of skills do you have that you think could be helpful in some way? How could that apply to any of the many volunteer opportunities at
6. Think about a time when your love or compassion for someone or something helped you overcome your concern about getting involved. What happened as a result of your involvement for both you and the person or thing? Was it worth it?
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Sermon Notes Ministry: Debbie Chang, Leighton Loo, Doreen Rabaino, & Jay Tsukayama |
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