Ben preview next Sunday "Beyond Me", Easter, 3 chairs, Bapt Splash NLC&Cook
Ben recap, "beyond to places we'd never go"
setup 4 things: question story, nursery rhyme, t-shirt
- haunting question if your church disappeared who not part church already would notice
- story Ben friend think Christians beehive
- living proof loving God to watching world
- variations nursery rhyme here church, here steeple, open door
- no fingers = empty of people = churches in America decreasing attendance
- people fingers lying down sleeping
- people fingers wiggling
- here is a building, it may have a steeple, open the doors, there are the people see them go beyond
- t-shirt front "don't go to church" back "be the church" = time stop going to church, instead being the church
Ben introduces Luke
Luke question to kids (Family Fifth Sunday = k-5th grade w/ families in "big church")
Luke asks "remember time parents really angry"
"did they explain why?"
When we are angry we talk about what is important to us
Isaiah 1 angry God, Luke explains don't want you to get upset, many of you think God agnry at you, deson't want you back, not true - God loves you.
Isaiah 1:11 not delight animal sacrifices; 1:13 offerings = futile abomination; 1:14 festivals not important to God
all religious stuff we thought important God doesn't matter
Example: parent w/ kid who doesn't participate in anything else w/ family except come to dinner table, toss few dollar, make quick conversation, leave, act like renegade when away from dinner table
Isaiah 1:16 rescue the unfortunate.
Deuteronomy 10:17-19 strangers
CEASE TO DO EVIL
quote "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing"
LEARN TO DO GOOD
we're not saved by good works, we're saved to do good works Eph 2:8-10
ibfo about ServeFest, Second Saturday Serve
Matthew 5:16
SEEK JUSTICE
God loves those pushed to margins
ways MCC helps those pushed to margin:Tabitha's House, Sharing Table (small group helps feed homeless Saturdays), Celebrate Recovery, Harford County Christian Jail Ministry, Habitat Humanity, Harford Family House, Boys& Girl Club
learn more @ April Growing U class
new message boards
CONCLUSION: our church known more for what we do beyond the walls than what we do here on Sunday