Pastor Elwin Ahu
August 23, 2009 - W0934

Stand By Me

By Pastor Elwin Ahu

August 23, 20009

We just had Hawaii’s 50^th Anniversary of becoming a state so it got me thinking. What would sustain New Hope for 50 years? We just had only our 14^th Anniversary.  So who or what will sustain us for 25, 50 or even 100 years?

24000 people attended our Easter celebration, 11000 people is our average attendance each weekend, 2100 have accepted Jesus and 700 have been water baptized in the last year. We have Levites, Ushers, Hospitality and many other wonderful ministries. God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son and the Holy Spirit are guiding us. So what will sustain New Hope? The answer is that we need all three; New Hope members and the ministries joining with God in His purposes. When and where all three intersect or interact is what we call “community”. A sense of community is what will sustain New Hope far into the future. People everywhere are looking for a sense of community.

Our New Hope community is where the outside world can see how God is transforming us and thereby be drawn in to our community and God. We have to understand that the world is looking for a sense of community. In this modern world there is less and less heart to heart conversation. It seems we would rather tweet, text and email one another than have a face to face conversation. We have developed a pseudo society in which we think we are connecting through electronic media but not really.

Instead, the Bible says, "[And] let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near." (Heb. 10:24-25)  God wanted us to stimulate one another through our relationships. But why does it say it in the Bible? Because people do not like to do it. We tend to not want to be involved, yet we are lonely. So let’s encourage one another and build community.

One of the ways to building community is through small groups or life groups. I share my life issues with my life group.  It is made up of 16 men and we meet every Thursday morning to talk, share and learn about God.  This group or small community has made a big difference my life and the lives of each member of my life group. It has given the younger member, mentors to learn from. It has taught us to share our feelings, be closer to our wives, coach and lead better, the importance of family, being obedient to God and being humble. Through this life group I know what every man in my group is going through. Through a group like this is how we all can find people that will “stand by me”.

All around the world we are all the same. The desire for community is global! They all want someone to stand by them. Why is this feeling a part of all of us? Because God made us that way. God said that He made man in “our” image. Who was He talking to? It had to be His community.

Currently, I am working in a master’s program that Pastor Wayne wanted me to take.  I was very reluctant at first since I have so many other things to do. But it did open my eyes to the global effect of God. All of us should see the effect of God from a bigger point of view. During class, all the students put a red dot on a world map of where their ministry was.  After it was finished, there were red dots all over the world! I was totally awed at the global reach and power of God! God’s hand is so huge!

I began to read the Bible in a new light and with a bigger view. We normally see only a small part of God’s plan. If we take more of a macroview we will see God’s mission. We will see the overall plan to have every knee bow and every tongue confess to Him.

How did God set out to have His mission accomplished? He chose a community called Israel. God wanted Israel to live according to Him so that the world could see God’s transformed community but Israel disobeyed. So God had to send Jesus to gather the lost sheep. Then He sent a small community of 12 disciples to carry His message.

The miraculous feeding of the 5000 was not a story about a huge potluck. It is the story of how 5000 were fed through community because it was the disciples that actually distributed the food.

So what is community for?

1. Community FULFILLS the plans of God.

Community is all about becoming transformed by God. As the Bible says, "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light." (1 Pet. 2:9) In these communities, we are to proclaim the greatness of God. After the Crucifixion, Paul was raised up to make new communities.

God wants us to be consumed by our mission from Him. But don’t we often get consumed by so many other things? We can easily be consumed and addicted to video games, sports, or TV shows. At my house, we are consumed by Korean soap operas! Sometimes we get so consumed that it changes everything about us. I have even begun speaking Korean! God likewise, wants us to be consumed by Him and transformed by His mission. So remember …

o     CONSUMERISM kills community.

In our rabid pursuit of more, we seem to have no time for relationships or community. If we are hungry but have not time, there is always the fast food drive through. We get our food but we really do not meet anybody. We even go to automated tellers instead of real people.

"... I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day He visits us." (1 Pet. 2:11-12 NIV) This means that we do not belong here on this world. We are just passing through on our way to Heaven so why get caught up in this world?

But how do we begin a community?

2. It begins when we are concerned more about OTHERS than ourselves.

The Bible is filled with quotes that include the phrase “one another”: "Be devoted to one another in brotherly love." (Rom. 12:10)

"...wait for one another." (1 Cor. 11:33)

"... through love serve one another." (Gal. 5:13)

"... encourage one another and build up one another ... Live in peace with one another." (1 Thess. 5:11, 13) Life is all about “one anothers”. When we make life all about other people, the world sees that and wants to join our community. Unfortunately, we tend to live life on the surface – where it is safe. The reason is that intimacy makes us feel vulnerable. We sometimes feel that if the other person really got to know us, he would not like us. But if we stay on the sidelines, we miss so much of the life that God has for us.

My little son Jared was very angry with me when I signed him up for flag football. He complained that he did not know how to play and when we got to practice we were surprised that he would be one of the smallest kids even though he was one of the older in his group. BUT, because he did participate he had awesome fun! It turned out that he was one of the fastest on the team! So you see, if we don’t jump in, we miss out on God’s best.

But what if you feel that you do not fit in?

3. In community, DIFFERENCES don't matter.

Jesus gathered together very different people to be his community of disciples. He gathered simple fishermen, fiery zealots and even tax collectors. But these 12 turned the world upside down! God used a pake and a portagee to lead New Hope! God uses people who are different to complement one another. And while we are all different, we also are more all the same. As the Bible says, "For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus." (Gal. 3:27-28)

Miracles are happening everywhere. During a celebration of the Pentecost, there was great wind and fires and people began speaking in tongues but everyone could understand them as if they were speaking in the listener’s language. Peter knew that it was the Holy Spirit that was being poured out on the people. He wanted them to repent and be baptized. As it is written, "Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles. And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common." (Acts 2:43-44) If we put aside our differences, then God’s signs and wonders will take place. God will hold back if do not put aside our differences.

Communities can be like gourmet meals. I can use very different ingredients in a certain plan, menu or recipe. I can use garlic (which could kill a small group by itself!), ginger that could burn, the very essential onion that can make you cry, shrimp, beef, eggs and greens to make a delicious and beautiful meal.

Lasting communities can be made and thereby making a lasting and sustained church. God has a plan for you in these communities but you have to see it through His eyes. People will flock to a church made from these communities.

God wants us to encourage one another in our relationships. We need to foster communities in order to sustain New Hope. Community fulfills the plans of God but we should be on guard against our consumerism tendencies from killing our community. Community begins when we are concerned more about others than ourselves and we should realize that our differences do not matter in joining our community.

DISCUSSION SUGGESTIONS

1. What does God want us to do in our relationships?
2. Why does God want communities?
3. What is the negative effect of consumerism? Why?
4. How do you start a community?
5. How can you improve your community?
6. What makes you different? How does that affect your community?