"WHAT WOULD YOU WANT THEM TO SAY ABOUT SHASTA WAY?"

Written and preached by David P. Nolte




COLOSSIANS 1:3-8
 


Everyone has some sort of reputation. Some have the kind of reputation that they need to live up to, and some have a reputation they will have to live down. Some have a reputation they deserve and some reputations are pure hype. Some are good reputations and some are bad. What is the reputation of this congregation? What would you like the reputation of this congregation to be? I have selected a few people and asked them previously to give me one sentence about what they would like people to say about Shasta Way. (Let them give their statements now) Let me take Paul's words and suggest to you what I'd like to have them say about Shasta Way:
  1. I WANT THEM TO SAY "THEY REALLY HAVE FAITH IN JESUS!"
    1. Clearly that was the reputation of the Colossian church. Paul had heard of their faith in Jesus. Somebody was talking about it! It was noteworthy and obvious.
    2. Let me make some observations about this:
      1. First it was faith in Jesus.
        1. Not just generic faith. We live by faith daily: faith that the sun will rise; faith that our car will start; faith that some loonie won't run a stop light and broadside us, faith that the doctor won't poison us with the wrong medicine. That's generic faith.
        2. Not faith in some religious leader or guru or denomination or creed. That's religious faith, but not necessarily Christian, Christ-centered, faith.
      2. Second it was faith that deserved to be called faith. That kind of faith is always more than academic. It always consists of:
        1. Belief: to accept as true and valid what the Bible says, what God promises, and what He predicts.
        2. Trust: to place our confidence in, and base our hope upon, the sureness of God's Word, His power, presence and provision.
        3. Obedience: to do what we are commanded, to avoid what is prohibited and to live by the standards, mores and values of the Word.
    3. Do you want to truly amaze Jesus? You'll never amaze Him by doing some great work, or by giving some generous gift, or by answering some profound conundrum. You will never amaze Him by being religious or pious or churchgoing There are only two times in the Bible where Jesus is amazed. And both have to do with the faith of people:
      1. He was amazed when people had little faith! Rejected by His hometown people, He worked few miracles in Nazareth "And He was amazed at their unbelief." Mark 6:6 (NET).
      2. He was amazed when a Roman soldier had large faith! The man wanted his servant healed and told Jesus He didn't need to come to the house, He could merely say the word and the servant would be healed. "When Jesus heard this He was amazed and said to those who followed Him, 'I tell you the truth, I have not found faith like this in anyone in Israel!'" Matthew 8:10 (NET).
    4. When our son John was about 5 or 6, we were praying about some problem as a family. After the prayer, he opened his eyes wide and said, "We sure are a believe family!" That's what I want to have said about Shasta Way Christian Church: "They sure are a believe church!"
What is the reputation of Shasta Way Christian Church in this regard? Do people know that this church has faith centered on the person and work of Jesus Christ alone? I sure hope I come to hear people talk about the faith of this congregation. Not for our glory, but that we are so absorbed in believing, trusting and obeying that it sticks out like a spotlight in a dark sky and is obvious to all. What would you want them to say about Shasta Way?
  1. I WANT THEM TO SAY, "THEY SURE LOVE PEOPLE!"
    1. Again, the reputation of the church had come to Paul's attention. He had heard of their love for all the saints!"
    2. The wide spread reputation of the early church was, "Behold how they love one another!"
      1. Isn't it tragic that so often people love things and use people? We ought to love people and use things.
      2. Isn't it tragic that we hear so often today, "I'm not going to any church; they can't even get along with each other." That's worse than tragic, that's evil!
    3. Christian love is not the mushy, selfish, romantic stuff the world touts. It is not the sentimental, maudlin stuff the songsters sing about. Then, what is Christian love?
      1. One word for it means: Brotherly affection. The word is Phile and from it we get Philadelphia: the city of Brotherly Love.
      2. Another word, Agape, means basically intelligent, determined good will and benevolence. This is the love that is God's nature, and which prompted Him to give His only begotten Son.
      3. Vine says, "Christian love, whether exercised toward the brethren, or toward men generally, is not an impulse from the feelings, it does not always run with the natural inclinations, nor does it spend itself only upon those for whom some affinity is discovered. Love seeks the welfare of all, Romans 15:2, and works no ill to any, Romans 13:8-10; love seeks opportunity to do good to 'all men, and especially toward them that are of the household of the faith,'Galatians 6:10."
      4. Paul describes this love in these words: "Love is patient, love is kind, and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails;" 1 Corinthians 13:4-8.
      5. Let's be specific here: There are many ways to show love and they all include action. If we love one another, we will
        1. Encourage the discouraged.
        2. Pray for the wayward.
        3. Welcome the prodigal.
        4. Show hospitality to strangers and visitors at church and in our homes.
        5. Take the first step in reconciliation: forgive those who offend you and apologize to those you've offended. Never wait for the other fellow to take the first step!
        6. Help the helpless.
        7. Find a need and meet it, find a hurt and heal it, find a burden and lift it, find a sorrow and comfort it.
        8. Be generous, kind, open hearted and open handed to others.
    4. Years ago, a little boy, shabbily dressed, holes in the bottom of his shoes, no good coat for his body walked a long distance through cold and inclement weather to attend church where Dwight Moody was preacher. Dwight asked him, "Why did you walk so far in this terrible weather? You passed a couple of good churches getting here." The little boy said, "I came 'cause they love a fella here!"
Moody's church had the reputation that they loved a fella. What is the reputation of Shasta Way Christian Church in this regard? Do people know that this church has an overflowing love? I hope to hear that from a lot of folks in the future. What would you like to hear them say about Shasta Way?
  1. I WANT THEM TO SAY, "THEY TRULY LIVE BY GOD'S WORD!"
    1. That is the Word of Truth, the Gospel. Paul notes that it was bearing fruit and increasing in their lives. That is, they were living by it and, as a result, it was being effective in their lives!
    2. What fruit will the Word of Truth produce in us?
      1. It will assure us of victory over sin: "How can a young person stay pure? By obeying your word and following its rules. I have tried my best to find you-- don't let me wander from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you." Psalms 119:9-11 (NLT).
      2. It will provide guidance in God's ways: "Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light for my path." Psalms 119:105 (NLT).
      3. It will cause the increase of Faith: "So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ." Romans 10:17 (NASB).
      4. It will make us wise unto Salvation: Paul wrote to Timothy saying, "But as for you, continue in what you have learned and found to be true, because you know from whom you learned it. From infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures that are able to give you the wisdom you need for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus." 2 Timothy 3:14-15 (ISV).
      5. It will promote growth as a Christian: Peter wrote, "like newborn babes, long for the pure milk of the word, that by it you may grow in respect to salvation," 1 Peter 2:2 (NASB).
      6. It will make us capable of defeating Satan: It is the Sword of the Spirit according to Paul in Ephesians 6:17.
      7. It will fully equip us for all good works: "All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work." 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NASB).
    3. What is the test of truth?
      1. Not our own feelings. Luther said, "Feelings come and feelings go and feelings are deceiving. My warrant is the Word of God, naught else is worth believing."
      2. Not subjective visions, voices or other experiences! One man heard a voice saying, "Quit your job, sell your house, take your money, go to Vegas." He resisted that at first. But the voice persisted, "Quit your job, sell your house, take your money, go to Vegas." After hearing that voice again, he quit his job, sold his house, took his money and went to Vegas. When he got there he heard the voice say, "Go to Harrahs." So, he hopped in a cab and rushed over to Harrahs. As soon as he set foot in the casino, the voice told him, "Go to the roulette table." The man did as he was told. When he got to the roulette table, the voice told him, "Put all your money on number 17." Nervously, the man cashed in his money for chips and then put them all on number 17. The dealer wished the man good luck and spun the roulette wheel. Around and around the ball went. The man anxiously watched the ball as it slowly lost speed until finally it settled into number ... 21. The man lost it all and the voice said, "Oh, nuts!" The moral: Don't listen to those subjective voices!
      3. Not popular opinion:
        1. "You shall not follow a multitude in doing evil, ..." Exodus 23:2 (NASB).
        2. "There is a way which seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death." Proverbs 16:25 (NASB).
      4. The Word of Truth, the Bible is the litmus, the standard, the rule of measure for truth.
        1. After Elijah raised a woman's son from the dead, then the woman said to Elijah, "Now I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in your mouth is truth." 1 Kings 17:24 (NASB).
        2. The Psalmist said, "The sum of Thy word is truth, And every one of Thy righteous ordinances is everlasting." Psalms 119:160 (NASB).
        3. Jesus prayed, "Sanctify them in the truth; Thy word is truth." John 17:17 (NASB).
    4. Many today are like Thomas Jefferson. He didn't believe in any of the miraculous accounts in the Bible and only accepted the moral teachings. He cut and pasted together the "Jefferson Bible" which, tragically, ends like this: "There they laid Jesus and rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulcher, and departed." If we'd be a people of the Word of Truth we will tailor our lives and beliefs to fit it, not tailor the Word to fit our life or belief as did Jefferson!
So what would you want them to say about Shasta Way? I'd like them to say, "They really have faith in Jesus!" "They sure love people!" "They truly live by God's Word." Some might be asking, "Why do we care what they say about Shasta Way? Why is the reputation of the congregation of any importance?" What they think of this church is what they will likely think about Jesus. We represent Him. We are His ambassadors. His reputation is in our hands. We are the only touch of Jesus some people will experience. Let it be a healthy, true, winsome, attractive representation we make of Him Who alone is able to save. Do you have faith in Jesus? Have you learned to love as He loves? Have you sought to know and to do according to His Word? Have you entered into agreement with Him to be His follower and to walk His ways? You can do that this morning. You can come confess faith in Christ. He said, "Everyone therefore who shall confess Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever shall deny Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven." Matthew 10:32-33 (NASB). You can renew your commitment to Him. Perhaps you have let other things become too important, Jesus has slipped to second or third place. You can redidicate your life. If you are an immersed believer, you can transfer your membership. Nobody "joins the church" but you can affiliate with a local body by open confession of your faith. You can give Him all of your life. He calls you to do that. Will you come as we sing our hymn, "Softly And Tenderly." This is the moment of decision and dedication. Christ calls, will you come?

Stories from various sources I have collected through the years.


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