"What Makes a Real Church?"

Scripture: John 20:19-31
Preacher: Rev. Ross Purdy
Date: April 23, 2006

A church made a decision to purchase an air-conditioning unit for their sanctuary.   This was a big step and would cost them several thousands of dollars, but after a long debate, the church decided it was more of a necessity than a convenience.   The chair of the Property Committee, the pastor and the church Administrator all met with a contractor for a bid.  

After measuring the sanctuary and doing some calculations, the contractor handed his written bid over to the Administrator.   "Ouch," all three church representatives said.   "Are you sure this is correct?"   The contractor looked at the bill once again and said, "Oh, I've made a mistake.   This is the price for an air-conditioning unit at a movie theater."

"Well," the pastor remarked, "what's the difference?   It's the same size and it will service the same amount of people."   The contractor looked at the pastor and said, "Yes, but you see, in a theater with all that's going on through the picture on the screen, there are certain biological changes that take place; heart rates are elevated, blood pressure increases, and body temperatures can begin to climb.   In other words, there is a greater need for cooling when people get excited.   On the other hand, in the church..."

It is my intent to make it warm this morning; to turn on the heat.   I believe the Church is the most exciting place to be at any time.   I'd like to prove the contractor wrong.   The Church, Jesus' Church, is a hot place to be.   Heart rates are supposed to elevate when worshipping God Almighty.   Blood pressures are supposed to increase when we realize just how much God loves us and how much responsibility He has given   us, joyfully, as His representatives on earth.   Body temperatures must climb.   Let's make the air-conditioning work overtime.  

The Church, I believe, is supposed to be the most amazing, interesting, exciting place in the world.   I am feeling sorry, this morning, for the people who are missing this service, sitting there at Starbuck's reading the newspaper, unaware of the power that is here, right now.   I am feeling sorry for the people who don't know the connection we share as Jesus walks among us and transforms us to be just like Him.   I am sad for the people standing in line to be the first for a movie when the AMC opens because they don't know that the Holy Spirit, God's Spirit, is going to work among us as we worship together to heal us and strengthen us for mighty things.   Do you believe?   Let's turn up the heat.   Let your heart pump wildly in expectation for what God is doing and is going to do in these next few moments.

But when I talk about the Church, I need to make it clear that I am speaking about the Church of God, the people, not some physical structure that we've created.   To quote the great Sunday-School song, "I am the Church.   You are the Church.   We are the Church together."   So right here, in this place, we are the Church.   When we leave through the sanctuary doors and meet later somewhere else, we are the Church.   Let's turn up the temperature in our lives so the world feels the heat and says, "What's going on?   Why are these people so alive; so filled with passion; so excited?"

Following the resurrection, Jesus spent forty days with God's people, the Church.    The Church always existed.   When two people, such as Adam and Eve, were in covenant with God, the Church was formed.   But God's Church lacked energy and excitement.   History shows that there were moments when people did turn up the heat and make life exciting, but the vast majority of history shows people who settled for a dull religious experience.  

Now after Jesus rose from the dead, He was offering to the Church power and excitement.   On the first day of the week, Resurrection Sunday, Jesus appeared to His friends.   His friends were all together.   It could be said that they were having Church.   But it was dull and depressing.   They didn't know their purpose anymore with Jesus gone.   Then Jesus showed up.   When Jesus shows up, dull and depressing flee from the room.   "Shalom alechem! - Peace be with you!"   Three times in our passage, in a few short verses, Jesus will say these very words.   Why?   Because peace will be the very mark of God's people.   Shalom!   (Just wait until I get to the word Shalom at the end of the service today!)

And so Jesus said, "Shalom alechem! - Peace be with you!"   Now Thomas wasn't there at this time.   Some have speculated that he may have been the other disciple who ran with Simon Peter to the tomb.   If so, Thomas, a devout Jewish man, would have spent a few days in isolation.   The law required that a person visiting a graveyard meant a few days of separation from everyone else so to keep the laws of cleansing.   Others have speculated that Thomas wasn't with the rest of his friends because he was just too depressed and broken to be with others.   No one knows.   All that is known is this: Thomas wasn't with the others.   But eight days later he was back.  

I love Thomas' spirit.   He gets a bad rap from Church history.   Everyone sees Thomas failing because he won't believe his friends that they saw Jesus.   I see a hero.   Thomas knew that something this big had to be backed up with facts.   "I won't believe unless I see in his hands the print of the nails and place my finger in the mark of the nails, and place my hand in his side."

Well done, Thomas!   God will reward you.   And because you held out for the truth, we will all know that this resurrection of Jesus is real.   There are no excuses.   You touched Jesus.   He is not a ghost or a fancy vision of a sad mind.   Jesus is real.  

Later, the church will be able to say, "The One who was from the beginning, whom we have heard, whom we have seen with our eyes, whom we have looked upon and touched with our hands .   We proclaim Him to you so that you may have fellowship with us." (I John 1:1-3)

We needed proof.   The truth is that important.   Well done, Thomas.   May we all be like you! May we all examine our faith until it's proven!

And so when Jesus appeared to Thomas on that eighth day, Thomas found the truth. Then, Thomas worshipped.   He knelt down and said, ' ha kurios mou kai ha theos mou . - My Lord and My God!"   His search for eight days led him to know more than the fact that Jesus had risen.   His struggle and search led him to believe that Jesus is none other than the Creator of the universe, God, the One who holds all things together.

Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen Me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."   That's us!   Blessed are you!   It is as if Jesus believed the Church will live forever.   It's is as if He truly believed the gates of hell will not prevail against His Church - you and me.   Blessed are you - congratulations, you believers.   Well done.   Now receive the transformation of Jesus through His breath.

Jesus breathed on them.   In that way, He empowered the Church. They were ready for Pentecost, when they would receive the power to be just like Him; to live supernaturally, to heal the sick, raise the dead and do more things than what He did.   Is that the way you're living?   That's the mark of the real Church; living beyond the physical world, changing and transforming life wherever and whenever.

There are many churches in the world.   They exist on every street corner in every town in every country.   You passed several of them on your way here today.   This church is one of them.   But they are all held together by a common Spirit.   And, if they're doing their job letting the breath of God live in and through them, they'll be changing the world.   We are.   I am so proud of this congregation.  

Right now we are supporting an orphanage in Kenya for street children whose parents have died of Aids.   Ask one of those children if what First Presbyterian Church of Burbank makes a difference and destroys the chains in their lives and you know what they'd say?   Of course - First Presbyterian Church of Burbank is transforming the world!

Right now two of our members are going into tribal villages and making movies by using indigenous actors.   The movies they make are parables about the Gospels.   The tribes watch their friends on screen and begin to see and hear the Gospel message, coming to Jesus Christ and becoming a part of the one Church we all belong to.   Don't tell me our membership is only what we see here on a Sunday morning.   We don't have records of the lives that come into our church every single day.   We are changing the world!

Every second Saturday of the month our members feed over 100 homeless people who wouldn't have food without the work you do.   That's life-transforming.   That's powerful.

Bible studies are breaking out all over.   We are learning the words of God first-hand and hungering for more.   We have the privilege of feasting from God's Word because of great Bible teachers, whom the Spirit has placed within this church.   The faithful proclamation of the Word is a mark of the true Church.

Worship is happening - look at these disciples using their gifts for God's glory to lead us all in worship.   There are times when they lead me in worship and I am transported out of my body, weeping before God's throne.   I return to find that I am not the same.   I have been changed to be more like Him!

This past week, and every week, your Deacons are at the side of hospital beds and homes, praying with the sick, those who are known to us all and those they just met for the first time.   Our prayer lines are fully functional with people ready to pray at any time, and do, for healing and miracles.   I can't keep up.   It's really hot in here.

You are transforming lives in this community because you live the Gospel of Jesus Christ by your words and actions.   There is power here.   This is Christ's Church, breathed upon by Jesus Himself and sustained by His Spirit.   It is a vibrant place filled with serious, devoted disciples...hot....but maybe I can't answer for you.   Perhaps your body temperature is cool and your heart is not beating wildly.  

  Look at the characteristics of the real Church from our passage.   Here is what makes it all the real deal:

First, the real Church has power and authority.   "As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you."   Do you understand that the same authority and power that Jesus had been given is passed on to you?   "Me?!!!"   Yes, you!...unless your heart's not beating or your pulse is slow.   Turn up the heat.   Don't just believe.   Do!

That means that you have the authority to speak these words to others: "Your sins are forgiven." Turn to the person sitting next to you, look into their eyes and say it with me..."Your sins are forgiven."   I need someone to remind me.   I sometimes believe the lie that I am not forgiven.   How can God forgive me for all the things I've done.   Say it to me, "Ross, your sins are forgiven."   Now take it into the streets and see what happens when you say it to another person.   That's power.   People will break.   It's unexpected, but it's the one thing that everyone needs to hear.

Second, the real Church has unity.   Though there are many churches, we are one body.   Jesus prayed for that already and you can find it recorded in John's Gospel, the 17 th chapter.   Jesus' prayer is always answered.   So we are one.   We may look different, sound different and even act different.   But God's Spirit unifies us in Jesus Christ.   Someone sent me this picture this past week.   I believe it is an image of the real Church:

Many different flowers but one scene! Let your color spill over into the world.   Don't be the person you think you should be in order to be a good Christian.   Be the person God created you to be, but transformed in holiness so that the true colors can come out.   We all make a beautiful picture.   The world is filled with dried plants.   Let's show them the beautiful Church.

Third, and finally for our passage this morning, the real Church is one that has healing.   "Shalom alechem!"   Jesus said.   "Peace be with you!"   The word peace, shalom, means wholeness.   It is a blessing that means that everything you are is healed; body, soul/mind and spirit.  

Do you lack wholeness this morning in one or more areas this morning?   Do you need healing?   God is with us in a very powerful way.   Jesus is standing among us.   Let him heal you.  

Perhaps you have a physical problem.   Receive the breath of God and let the Spirit heal you.

Perhaps you have an emotional need.   Maybe you're carrying baggage of a loss in your life or a hurt that someone caused you.   Maybe you're hurting yourself.  

Perhaps you have a spiritual need.   Maybe you think you're not good enough or even forgiven.   Come and receive God's affirmation.   God so loves you He sent His Son to die on the cross.   There, Jesus exchanged your wounded-ness for His healing.   It is God's desire to bring healing to your life.  

PRAYER FOR HEALING :
(Adapted from the Book of Common Worship, thanks to Rev. Charles Svendsen):

Come forward now and receive a prayer for healing.   If you know someone that you are praying for, a situation you'd like to come on their behalf, you are welcome.

From the Gospel of Luke, Chapter 4: As the sun was setting, all those who had any sickness, various kinds of diseases were brought to Jesus and he laid his hands on them and he cured them. So in the name and the power of Christ I ask you to please come forward and kneel as you are able in the chancel for healing and wholeness for yourself or for someone you love.

And if you would wish to stand with these dear friends, lay your hands on them, you are welcome to come forward.

(The worship assistants anoint each person with oil while a prayer is said)

Our help is in the name of the Lord who has made heaven and earth. Those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint....Jesus said ask and it will be given you, seek and you shall find, knock and it will be open to you, for everyone who asks receives, and to the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be open.

Gracious God you are the source of all healing, in Jesus Christ you heal the sick and you mend the broken hearted....By your Spirit come upon all who receive the laying on of these hands and the anointing of this oil that it may be for them a sign and a symbol of your power and your presence and your grace...May our God heal us of all of our sins and cleanse us from all of our iniquities and bring us at the last to joy everlasting.

Lord God we would not leave the beauty of this sanctuary without praying for a world in great need. We pray for the world that justice and peace and shalom might come upon all lands. We pray for those who have no homes, we pray for those who are hungry this day. We pray especially for the children of the world. We pray for our own nation, our leadership, we pray for our Presbytery, the joys and sorrows of our connected communities of faith. We ask your blessings upon each of these dear ones who have come forward and those who have sat in pews the needs are just as real. You know our hearts.

So we offer this day our worship to you with thanksgiving and we pray through Jesus Christ our Lord