Friday, January 25, 2013

The Remnant

Finally, Abraham said, “Lord…Suppose only ten are found there?” And the Lord replied, “Then I will not destroy it for the sake of the ten.” Genesis 18:32

Yet I will preserve 7,000 others in Israel who have never bowed down to Baal or kissed him!”  1 Kings 19:18

In every called out community, there is a remnant, a group of people who sense the call from God to take on the responsibility for the honor of God’s name and the spiritual temperature of a community.  They are not spiritual thermometers, reflecting the spiritual warmth of a community; they are thermostats, setting the temperature for that community.  I suspect when we get into heaven, these saints will be revealed and richly rewarded.

I have seen this in every ministry I have been a part of. I saw it early on in my ministry with Athletes in Action, and a group of football players at UCLA, praying for every teammate weekly and calling each one every Friday night during football season, reminding them of chapel the next morning. I saw it 15 years ago in Student Ministries here at PCC, with a group of High School students who basically owned the HS ministry and made it what it was. 

I saw it 10+ years ago when PCC was at a low point in our church history and some men, long-time PCC’ers, secretly met in the sanctuary, praying and weeping. They looked each other in the eyes and said, “Not on our watch! God, we will step up and lead if you would pour out your grace and favor on this place.”  God answered their prayer and they stepped up, at a great sacrifice of time, comfort and finances…and we are reaping the rewards of their humble and secret sacrifice to this day.

I saw it this weekend in the lives of PCC Middle Schoolers.  We had students from our Middle School Ministry join us in the 10:30am gathering and if you were there, you know I encouraged them to fill out their Sermon Notes and show them to me after the service.  I was bombarded and just today sent a note to every student with a Baskin Robbins gift card (special shout out of gratitude for the two men who came forward and placed cash in my hands wanting to pay for this tangible and sweet reward for these students) thanking them for their hunger for and insights into God’s Word.

In addition, last night at Epic, our Middle School gathering, they blew it out with an unexpected ice cream social as a reward to the whole ministry for the obedience of several students. Isn’t that always the way it is in God’s Kingdom? 

So here’s my question: Why not be THAT person?  Why not step up, whether it be on behalf of your family, or on behalf of your small group, or on behalf of PCC?  Why not go before the Lord and ask Him to make you that woman, or that man who doesn’t settle to reflect the spiritual temperature of their community, but sets the pace, stands in the gap and humbly takes responsibility for setting the spiritual temperature of their community? For God’s sake, (literally!) why wouldn’t we all follow the lead of our Middle Schoolers this week and step up?

2 Chronicles 16:9 The eyes of the Lord search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.

This weekend we continue in Luke looking at a rich passage:  Luke 13:22-35, The Narrow Door.  If you have ever wondered what God says about assurance of eternal life – how to know for sure – this weekend is for you!  Maybe this weekend is for your friends and family!  Why not invite someone to join you?

I love being your pastor!