Pastor Wayne Cordeiro & Pastor Paul Brown
August 23, 2020 - W2034

"Who Are You?" "What Are You Doing Here?"

What to Do? Draw Me Close!

Pastor Wayne Cordeiro & Pastor Paul Brown

August 22 & 23, 2020

[Video] 

PASTOR WAYNE:  Welcome New Hope--Anywhere and Everywhere! Today, we will continue our series What to Do? Draw Me Close; the title of the message is "Who Are You? What Are Your Doing Here? 

When you and I are flying at 32,000 feet, we think we're just cruising--we have money, a job, a car, a new stereo, a brand?new Nano iPod--we're on top of the world!  Then something happens--the engine sputters and we start taking a nosedive! And the closer we get to the ground, the more we realize we need God! Have you noticed that the closer to death you come, the more real God becomes to you? Suddenly, you realize how finite and frail you are--nothing matters except you and God! Your life runs before you and you say, "I need to be kinder to this person.  I need to be a better spouse.  I need to be a better son or daughter.  Lord, I've got to change..."  When you cry out to God, He pulls you up and says, "Wayne, when you're back flying at 32,000 feet, don't forget the lessons you learned here because these are lessons for a lifetime!  

"The only way that your heart is able to receive these lessons is when you're close to death and you feel absolutely helpless!  If I could have done it any other way, I would have; but some people's hearts are hard to change, and I bring them to a place where they feel helpless and teach lessons about priorities in life: values, faith, and eternity.  When you're cruising back at 32,000 feet, don't forget the lessons you learned when you felt absolutely helpless--they are lessons for a lifetime! These lessons are learned when you're close to death."

[End Video]

PASTOR PAUL:  Hello, New Hope!  We are so excited that you are with us today!  I think we can all agree that 2020 can go down in the record books with many memes and interesting circumstances. But before 2020 impacted our lives, all the events of 2020 had already passed God's desk first!  He knew they were coming and knew exactly what we would go through!   

It's interesting that when we look at the Bible, God doesn't give us answers, but, rather, He asks questions about ourselves!  For instance, in the book of Genesis, God asked Adam:  "Who told you that you were naked?" In the New Testament, Jesus asked Peter, "Peter, do you love me?" Since Jesus already knows our hearts, He doesn't ask questions to get information, but for transformation!  So how do we allow God to use the question to transform us?

Some people say that 2020 has been a prison season for them--a season when they've been in quarantine, away from families, and going through difficult times!  May I suggest to you that a desert season could be God's season to transform all of us into doing something in us and through us!  We see that in the word of God:  

When Paul was in prison, he wrote the books of Philippians, Ephesians, and Colossians--even in prison, he knew his calling!  Joseph, after being falsely accused by Potiphar's wife for doing good, was thrown into prison!  Joseph knew what he was called to do, even in prison!

Jesus went through a lot of persecution--He was ridiculed, spit upon, and died on the cross; but on the third day, He ascended into heaven! I believe that if we're willing to endure the cross and do what God has called us to do in this season, we would receive a crown!

I love the story about a rabbi who was walking around, contemplating the scriptures over and over, trying to understand God a little bit better.  And one day as he was walking, from dawn to dusk, he wasn't paying attention to where he was going, and he passed an area that he should not have been in!  And the guard shouted, "Hey! Who goes there? Who are you, and what are you doing here?"  

The rabbi stopped and thought for a minute and responded, "How much do they pay you?"  And the guard said, "They pay me five denarii."  The rabbi said, "I will pay you that if you come and ask me those questions every morning: "Who are you, and what are you doing here?"

I believe that's the beginning--to first know who we are, then to know what we are doing here?  It starts with our identity: the things that we associate ourselves with and what we validate ourselves with.  In fact, our identity is connected to our value, such as, our job, family, health, and possessions.  But those things will not and cannot sustain us--what if we lose our job; a child that was supposed to represent our family fails; our health fails; the dream wife or husband is morally failing and there's shame; or maybe your possessions are taken away?

But may I tell you that Jesus Christ is the solid ground: Jesus who was, who is, and who is to come!  If we build our lives, values, and identity on Jesus, we become immoveable and unshakeable because our value is connected to the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End.  That is our identity!  Our value and our identity are connected to God.

Today's sermon is about how do we get the mindset of Joseph, Paul, and Jesus and redeem this desert season and make it a season where we find water?  In fact, I believe that this is the specific season the church must be the church--a city on a hill, the light of the world--where everyone is loving, bringing hope when hope is gone, and encouraging others when there is no more courage because we are built on the solid ground of Jesus Christ, our identity: 

1. Who Are We?

We are children of God.  1 John 3:1 NIV says: "See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him."

Please understand that your identity is not achieved--it is received!  It's difficult for some of us to receive a gift because we usually must work for what we get; but in the kingdom of God, we don't work for our identity it's not earned, it's a gift we just receive!  That's a beautiful thing!

The second portion of this scripture says, "...they did not know Him."  [1 Peter 2:9 KJV says: "You are a chosen generation, a peculiar people."] You are peculiar, different, because you are motivated from something that is not motivating them--you are motivated out of love; you have hope when it seems there is no hope, and everyone around you is asking how do you have this hope, you are peculiar! That's a good thing! This is when we should shine our light the brightest! But our identity will be tested by the enemy, even Jesus was tested...

Matthew 4:6-7 NIV says: ⁶ “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’” ⁷Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test^.'”

Maybe you wondered, if I'm a son or daughter of God, why is this bad thing happening to me?  This reminds me that every single day we must be a people that looks into the perfect mirror (the Bible) and remind ourselves of our identity we have in Christ Jesus, saying, "It is written.  It is written!"

Our identity is fueled by what we identify ourselves with; so, if we are a son of God, that means we are now valued.  He died for us.  Even while we were yet sinners, He died for us, and we get to respond to the love that He's shown us and living that love out! So, what are we doing here?  

2. What Are We Doing Here? 

We are called to make disciples.  And the word "disciple" literally means a student, a learner, a follower.  We are called to make followers of Jesus, not followers of an institution, but followers of Jesus.  That's what we get to do.  We're actually like signposts for Jesus.  We get to point people to Jesus--to the very heart of Jesus. 

Matthew 28:19-20 NIV says: "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,²⁰ and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

How do we point people to Jesus?  Our lives could be a great signpost to Jesus when we invite someone to an online service, or an online small group, or just praying for someone.  We have a sign on our hearts with our patience, on our smile, hopeful and speaking the truth in love.  Would you be a signpost for Jesus?  That's what the church is supposed to be. God has an assignment for each of us in this season; it's not a wasted season--it's full of purpose!

3. You Are Chosen as An Instrument to Do God's Will.   

You have an assignment; Paul had an assignment to proclaim the gospel to the Gentiles; Ananias had an assignment to go and talk to Saul and to lay hands on him. (Saul was throwing people in prison and even watched and approved Stephen being stoned to death as a martyr!) I would not want to be in Ananias's shoes!  

Acts 9:15 NIV says: "But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel."

Is there somebody like Saul that God has called you as an assignment to love, talk to, or to encourage like He did to Ananias?  God says that it's so important that we do the will of God. Pastor Wayne often talks about making sure that you're doing the right/correct assignment!  

In my first year in college I was a terrible student, but I was learning how to become a better student.  My professor gave us a syllabus and said, "This project is due on such and such date.  Get it done!" I remember working very hard and getting others to read it so that my grammar was correct.  I was excited and I gave my paper to the professor, and the professor, after correcting it, said, "Hey, it was an excellent paper, awesome paper, eloquent, but it was the wrong topic--you did the wrong assignment!" Let's not get A+ on the wrong assignment! God has a specific assignment for each of us in this season; here are ways to find out how:

First, what's already in your hands--what's your passions and gifts?

Second, prayer is the catalyst to action.  Once we get our marching orders from God, then we can go in confidence that He goes with us!  

Third, look for ways to love people. John 13:35 NIV says: "By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

You might be feeling that you just want to get through 2020 and get into 2021. But may I encourage you that I believe this is what the church was made for: to bring hope where there is no hope, bring courage when there is no courage, and bring love when there's tons of hate. This is when we are to be the light of the world, a city on a hill.  When we know who we are (the children of God); and what we are here for (to make disciples of the world), I believe that is what the world is looking for (the Light) a signpost of hope to point them to Jesus!

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1.     Since God knows everything, why does He ask us questions?

2.     Share your experience of a desert season. How did it transform you?

3.     Why is it so important to know our identity?

4.     What are we doing here?