What Will Bring Change? Pr. Vijay Manuel - July 5th, 2009

Maple Ridge is a community of:
•73,969 residents / Fastest growth rate in GVRD (3.7%)
•30% under 19 years old (next biggest 30-49)

What is the purpose of the church in Maple Ridge?
THE CALL
Matthew 28:18-20
18Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

Our Purpose in Maple Ridge is to
•Share the Gospel
•Make disciples
•Baptize many
•Teach them to obey Jesus' commands

THE FOUNDATION WE OPERATE ON
We are His church: Matthew 16:18
"And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it."

Let's be clear: We are Jesus' church
CLA Maple Ridge is a church that Jesus has built and is building; one that He has planted in this city to do His work, for the glory of God!

Q: How are we to fulfill the call to make disciples?
•Stuck in addictions: drugs, alcohol, pornography?
•Caught in selfish ambitions
•Hurt? Angry? Hopeless?
•Broken families?
•Suffered abuse?
•Don't need God?
•Don't believe in God?

It Has Been Said
"Life can either be accepted or changed. If it is not accepted, it must be changed. If it cannot be changed, then it must be accepted.”
I say to you that the circumstances you find yourself in today do not need to be 'accepted', because there is One who can bring change; change is possible because of Jesus Christ!

One Man Who Was Changed
John, son of Zebedee (The Apostle John)
•Had a fishing business with his brother James and with Peter & Andrew
•Called by Jesus to follow Him
•Wrote the Gospel of John, 1st, 2nd, & 3rd John, and Revelation
Started out with a selfish perspective

PROTECTIVE: OF HIS OWN INTERESTS
Luke 9:51-55
51As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. 52And he sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for him; 53but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem. 54When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, "Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?" 55But Jesus turned and rebuked them, 56and they went to another village.

Interested in POSITION & POWER
Matthew 20:20-28
20Then the mother of Zebedee's sons came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favor of him. 21"What is it you want?" he asked. She said, "Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom."
22"You don't know what you are asking," Jesus said to them. "Can you drink the cup I am going to drink? "We can," they answered. 23Jesus said to them, "You will indeed drink from my cup, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father."

PROUD --> Led to a lesson in humility
24When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with the two brothers. 25Jesus called them together and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 26Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— 28just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

Transformed to being PROTECTIVE: OF OTHERS' INTERESTS
1 John 3:16-18
16This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. 17If anyone has material possessions and sees his
brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? 18Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. (The only apostle who didn't die a violent death) In his last years as a pastor to the church in Ephesus, his disciples would carry him to the church for meetings where he would say no more that: "Little children, love one another!" The wearied disciples would ask why, and he would say: "It is the Lord's command, and if this alone be done, it is enough!"
What happened?
1 John 3:1
1"How great is the 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."
HE MET JESUS
•Not Religion
•Not Good People
•Not Intelligence
•Not a Cause
MET JESUS & LOVED HIM = LIFE CHANGE
Went From Protective of Own Interests, Proud, Position, Power ---> Protective of Others' Interests (full of grace & love)
Because he met Jesus

What will bring change to MR?
•Meet Jesus
ºNot religion
ºNot good people
ºNot intelligence
ºNot a cause
They will go from Protective of Own Interests, Proud, Position, Power ---> Protective of Others' Interests
Because they will meet Jesus And you will fulfill your call
•Make disciples
•Baptize many
•Teach them to obey Jesus’ commands

Does this compute?
MR won’t understand you until they know Jesus
•Prayer meetings, the love you share, forgiveness
Not the other way around: If they understand us, they
may get to know Him…
I love breakfast meetings. It Was John Who Recorded the Breakfast Meeting in which Jesus charged Peter with feeding His lambs --> His church.
John 21:15-19
15When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?" "Yes, Lord," he said, "you know that I love you."
Jesus said, "Feed my lambs."
The Question: DO YOU TRULY LOVE ME
NOT
Have you understood everything?
Do you have it all together personally?
Do you have a plan; a strategy?
Do you know all the laws & rules?
Are you 100% loyal & trustworthy?
BUT
Do you truly love me?

I ask you today
Q: Do you truly love Jesus? Have you stayed true to
that simple and singular focus? Has it become
complicated?
Q: Do you know Him? Is you heart's desire to know
Him more, or are you satisfied?
ºThe Word of God
ºTimes of worship in His presence
ºTimes of prayer