"Building a Church Through Outreach"
Inward Places
ELCOG 12/2/07
Text: 1 John 3:18-24
This morning I want to present a message of hope and one of comfort. Have you ever noticed that there are some things only Mom’s can do? Some things moms are just better at. I want to read a poem from Max Lucado’s book "Next Door Savoir":
Mom, What’s It Like?
When you felt the foot within your womb,
When the infant cry first filled the room…
to think that you and heaven just circled the moon…
What’s it like?
And the day the bus pulled to a stop
And you zipped the jacket up to the top
And placed a kiss on a five-year olds cheek
And wave good-bye, then saw the trike—
Silent and still—
What’s it like?
The first time you noticed his voice was deep.
The first time she asked if you were asleep
And wanted to know when love was real.
And you told her. How did you feel?
The candles were lit.
She came down the aisle
Did you weep? Did you smile?
And when your child with child told you the news,
And in the quiet of the corner asked for clues.
"Mom", she whispered, "what’s it like?"
What you told her would you tell us? Indeed, what is it like?
If we’ve ever wondered such thoughts about mothers, how much more have we wondered then about the most famous mother of all: Mary, to bear a baby is one thing, but to carry God? What is that like?
The virgin birth is more than a Christmas story; it’s a picture of how close Christ will come to you.
Can you see that Mary was a foreshadow of how Christ would live with us. Look where the King of kings made his first stop… in the womb of a young lady. How far will God go to touch the world? Well, take a look deep within Mary for the answer. He was willing to be confined to the walls of a womb and hook to a chord for nourishments. He was willing to crunch up and be surrounded by fluid until he made his arrival. Oh yes, he could have come anyway he wanted, but he knew how to touch the world. How far will he go to touch the world? Well, he offers us the same invitation as he did Mary… "If you’ll let me, I’ll move in.
Luke 1:38
38And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.
We must be willing to say, "Lord, be it unto me according to thy word."
How far will he come to touch you? As far as he needs to go. But there will come a point in your life where you must say, "Have your way in me God, according to your plans and your will."
** I want to show you something… Let’s take a look at a small preposition, in.
John 14:20
20At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.
Eph. 3:17
17That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
Col. 1:27
27To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
1 John 3:24
24And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.
Christ wants to be IN us operating through us to touch the world. How far will he come? He will come In you! Not everybody had the privilege:
God was with Adam and eve
God was with Abraham
God was with Moses and the children of Israel. Parents could point to the fire by night and the cloud by day, but not Mary she could point to belly and you can point to your heart. Peter could touch his beard, John could watch him sleep, multitudes could hear his voice, God was with them… But God is IN you!
Rev. 3:20
20Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
Christ wants to come is. He wants to dwell in you.
Christ grew in Mary until he had to come out. He would have stayed longer, but there was no room for him in her womb any longer. Jesus grew until he finally had to come out.
**He will do the same in you. If Christ is in you, he will grow in you until he comes out of you. He will come out in your actions and in your speech. He will come out in your compassion and in your love. He will come out when people are in need and when people are hurting. He will never hide because of fear nor will he run because of problems. He will face the situations and he will help you to be an over-comer. He will show through your life --- IF he is in your life.
You are a modern day Mary. Pregnant with God. Pregnant with the word, just waiting to come out. God was a Festus in Mary, but he will be a force in you! He will do what you can not do!
Can’t stop drinking? Christ can he is in you
Can’t stop worrying? Christ can he is in you
Can’t stop forgive your enemies? Christ can. He lives in you.
Can’t control your temper? Christ can. He lives in you.
This gives new meaning to the following scripture…
1 John 4:4
4Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
Col. 1:29
29Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.
We can be over-comers because of who lives in us. We have Christ in the inward parts.
Do you find that hard to believe… that the Messiah lives in you? Well, think about Mary. No one picked her to be the mother of God. She was not voted the most likely to have God. Surely she had to be surprised by this announcement. But she was more passive than Mary was. God did everything and Mary did not volunteer to help him or to give him advice, she offered no assistance, but also no resistance. She could have said, "Who am I to have God?" But she didn’t. She could have said that she was too busy planning a wedding, but no. She could have complained that she was too young and asked God to come back later. But she didn’t.
Luke 1:38
38And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.
If Mary is our example, it seems that God is more interested in our trust than our talent. It is time to allow God to be God and realize that you can make it. You can change, because Christ lives in you. Check out your inward parts. Don’t miss out on your reason for being on earth…
Gal. 2:20
20I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Christ lives in you. This is how much he should live in you…
To have my voice, but him speaking.
My steps, but Christ leading.
My heart, but his love beating.
In me, through me, with me.
What’s it like to have Christ on the inside?
To tap strength when mine expires
Or feel the force of heaven’s fires
Raging, purging wrong desires.
Could Christ become my self entire?
So much him, so little me
That in my eyes it’s him they see.
What’s it like to be a Mary be?
No longer I, but Christ in me.