Engaging the World: The Church's Call to Action

Devotional

Day 1: The Church's Disinterest

Jean Paul Lemieux's painting "Lazarus" serves as a powerful critique of the church's disinterest in the world's suffering and miracles. The artwork, created in 1941, depicts a church congregation oblivious to the war, death, and even the resurrection of Lazarus happening around them. This disinterest suggests that the church is often disconnected from real-world issues, living in its own bubble. The painting challenges us to reflect on our own engagement with the world's suffering and to ensure that we do not become complacent or detached.

As followers of Christ, we are called to be the light of the world, actively engaging with the issues and hardships that surround us. We must not allow ourselves to become so absorbed in our religious practices that we lose sight of the suffering and needs of those around us. Instead, we should strive to be a source of hope, peace, and love, just as Jesus was. [42:18]

Isaiah 58:6-7 (ESV): "Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?"

Reflection: In what ways have you become disconnected from the suffering around you? How can you actively engage with and address the needs of your community this week?

Day 2: Reasons for Attending Church

People come to church for various reasons—habit, involvement, moral instinct, a search for truth, or a longing to be with Jesus. While all these reasons are valid and honorable, they should not lead to a disconnection from the world's suffering. It is essential to ensure that our reasons for attending church also include a commitment to engage with and address real-world issues.

Church should be a place where we are equipped and inspired to make a difference in the world. It should not be a refuge from the world's problems but a launching pad for action. As we gather together, let us be mindful of the suffering around us and seek ways to bring hope and healing to those in need. [44:59]

James 1:27 (ESV): "Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world."

Reflection: What motivates you to attend church? How can you ensure that your church involvement leads to active engagement with the world's suffering?

Day 3: Jesus in the World

Jesus is often found not in the temple but in the world, where life is being given. The story of Lazarus shows Jesus going to the cemetery, not the temple, to perform a miracle. This teaches us that to find Jesus, we should look where life and hope are being restored, often outside the church walls.

Jesus' ministry was characterized by His presence among the marginalized, the suffering, and the outcasts. He brought healing, hope, and life to those in need. As His followers, we are called to do the same. We must seek out opportunities to bring life and hope to those around us, following Jesus' example of love and compassion. [51:08]

Matthew 25:35-36 (ESV): "For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me."

Reflection: Where can you find Jesus in your community? How can you bring life and hope to those in need this week?

Day 4: Active Engagement

Our team downtown, handing out sausage wraps, exemplifies active engagement with the world's needs. They are not just providing food but sharing God's grace and love, offering life and hope. This is a model for how we should engage with the world—actively and compassionately.

Active engagement means going beyond our comfort zones and reaching out to those in need. It involves being present, listening, and offering practical help. As we engage with the world's needs, we become the hands and feet of Jesus, bringing His love and hope to those who are hurting. [52:53]

1 John 3:18 (ESV): "Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth."

Reflection: How can you actively engage with the needs of your community this week? What practical steps can you take to share God's love and hope with others?

Day 5: Mission of the Church

As a church, our mission is to stay connected to the world's hardships and offer hope, peace, and love. We must never become disinterested or disconnected. Instead, we should be the ones who give life and resurrection, just as Jesus did. This is our calling and our purpose.

The church is called to be a beacon of hope in a hurting world. We are to be the hands and feet of Jesus, bringing His love and healing to those in need. As we stay connected to the world's hardships, we fulfill our mission and purpose, making a tangible difference in the lives of others. [54:08]

Micah 6:8 (ESV): "He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?"

Reflection: How can you and your church stay connected to the world's hardships? What steps can you take to offer hope, peace, and love to those in need?

Sermon Summary

### Summary

Good morning, everyone. Today, we began our worship by acknowledging our team feeding the homeless downtown and celebrating the success of our back-to-school event. We also expressed gratitude for Ray and Vivian's 13 years of service in the sound booth and announced the upcoming Blessing of the Backpack on August 11th. After a heartfelt prayer, we transitioned into our sermon series, which explores the Kingdom of God through art.

Today's focus was on a piece by Jean Paul Lemieux titled "Lazarus." This artwork, created in 1941, critiques the church's disinterest in the world's suffering and miracles. The painting depicts a church congregation oblivious to the war, death, and even the resurrection of Lazarus happening around them. This disinterest is a powerful critique, suggesting that the church is often disconnected from real-world issues.

We then explored why people come to church, referencing an article by Trevin Wax from the Gospel Coalition. People attend church out of habit, a desire to be involved, moral instinct, a search for truth, or a longing to be with Jesus. All these reasons are valid and honorable, but they should not lead to a disconnection from the world's suffering.

Jesus is often found not in the temple but in the world, where life is being given. Our team downtown, handing out sausage wraps, exemplifies this. They are sharing God's grace and love, providing more than just food—they are offering life and hope. As a church, we must always be connected to the world's hardships, offering hope, peace, and love.

###

Key Takeaways

1. world issues. [44:59]
3. Jesus in the World: Jesus is often found not in the temple but in the world, where life is being given. The story of Lazarus shows Jesus going to the cemetery, not the temple, to perform a miracle. This teaches us that to find Jesus, we should look where life and hope are being restored, often outside the church walls.

4. Active Engagement: Our team downtown, handing out sausage wraps, exemplifies active engagement with the world's needs. They are not just providing food but sharing God's grace and love, offering life and hope. This is a model for how we should engage with the world—actively and compassionately.

5. Mission of the Church: As a church, our mission is to stay connected to the world's hardships and offer hope, peace, and love. We must never become disinterested or disconnected. Instead, we should be the ones who give life and resurrection, just as Jesus did. This is our calling and our purpose.

### [44:59]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[06:49] - Announcements
[08:18] - Opening Prayer
[16:54] - Children's Message
[30:50] - Offering
[34:57] - Introduction to Sermon Series
[35:24] - Where's Waldo?
[36:56] - Jean Paul Lemieux's "Lazarus"
[42:18] - Critique of the Church
[44:59] - Reasons for Attending Church
[51:08] - Jesus in the World
[52:53] - Active Engagement
[54:08] - Mission of the Church
[54:50] - Closing Hymn and Benediction

Bible Study Guide

Observation Questions

What are the four scenes depicted in Jean Paul Lemieux's painting "Lazarus"? ([38:20])
According to the sermon, why do people come to church? List the reasons mentioned. ([44:59])
Where is Jesus depicted in Lemieux's painting, and what is He doing? ([41:30])
What example of active engagement with the world's needs was given in the sermon? ([52:53])

Interpretation Questions

How does Lemieux's painting "Lazarus" serve as a critique of the church's disinterest in the world's suffering? ([42:18])
In what ways does the story of Lazarus illustrate Jesus being found outside the temple, in the world where life is being given? ([51:08])
How can the reasons people attend church lead to a disconnection from the world's suffering, according to the sermon? ([44:59])
What does the example of the team downtown handing out sausage wraps teach us about sharing God's grace and love? ([52:53])

Application Questions

Reflect on Lemieux's critique of the church. In what ways might our church be disconnected from real-world issues? How can we address this disconnection? ([42:18])
Jesus is often found where life and hope are being restored. How can you personally seek out and participate in these places in your community? ([51:08])
Think about the reasons you attend church. How can you ensure that your attendance also includes a commitment to engage with and address real-world issues? ([44:59])
The sermon mentioned a team downtown handing out sausage wraps as an example of active engagement. What are some practical ways you can actively engage with the needs in your community this week? ([52:53])
How can our church better embody the mission of staying connected to the world's hardships and offering hope, peace, and love? What specific steps can we take as a congregation? ([54:08])
Reflect on the passage from James 2:14-17. How can you ensure that your faith is accompanied by actions that address the physical needs of others?
Identify one area of suffering or need in your community. What is one specific action you can take this week to offer hope and support in that area?

Sermon Clips

### Quotes for outreach

1. "If you come expecting Jesus to meet you here, Jesus will not let you down. And so I want to say, all of these reasons to attend church are valid and are honorable. So let's think about that congregation that Lemieux painted. Maybe they weren't expecting to find Jesus. Maybe they were there out of habit. Or maybe they were there out of some other motivation. Maybe they were tired from the night before and couldn't stay awake. Whatever those reasons, I'm glad they were there." [50:01] (36 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "Wherever there is life giving to be done, Jesus is present. How many stories of Jesus in the gospels happen in the temple? Is there like three? Very few. Most of the time that Jesus spends that we read about in the gospels are spent out in the world. Especially this story about Mary and Martha and Lazarus. Jesus didn't run into the temple to pray. He went to the cemetery. He went to where Lazarus was. He went in spite of the danger to himself. And he went there to be connected and to give life." [51:08] (43 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "We've got a team who's downtown even as we speak right now, who's under, literally under a bridge, handing out sausage wraps. Now in seminary they told me I couldn't use sausage wraps as communion wafers. But let me tell you, communion is being had down there. Even right now. Because through those sausage wraps, the grace of God is being distributed. The grace of God is being shared through the food and through the connection that's happening there, through the love that is being poured out." [52:53] (36 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

### Quotes for members

1. "What is Lemieux trying to tell us here? I read it as it is a critique of the church. The church is pretty disinterested in what is going on. War is happening in a far away land. These. Funeral is happening in a far away land. Lazarus is being raised. But the church is just kind of disinterested in all of that. Separated from life. Separated from the highs and the lows. Everything that is happening around them. Just in their own bubble there. Disinterested. Is really the word that hits me. As I look at this church. And the actions that they are doing. And the way that Lemieux has painted them." [42:18] (45 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "Whenever I hear a critique, especially of the church, I try not to get defensive about it. Even if I believe it is not true. I don't think getting defensive really serves a purpose other than maybe starting an argument. I would try to see the persons. Whoever is giving the critique. What is their side? What is it that they have seen? Perhaps they are articulating what they have seen. And what they have experienced. In which case it tells us something. As the church. That we are not being perceived as being interested in life. The life that is happening all around us." [43:23] (46 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "Simply coming to church doesn't show the world that we're interested in the world's problems. Perhaps we are. Perhaps we're not. But that's where Jesus is. Wherever there is life giving to be done. Jesus is present. How many stories of Jesus in the gospels happen in the temple? Is there like three? Very few. Most of the time that Jesus spends that we read about in the gospels are spent out in the world. Especially this story about Mary and Martha and Lazarus. Jesus didn't run into the temple to pray. He went to the cemetery. He went to where Lazarus was." [51:08] (46 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "Brothers and sisters. As the church. Let us always keep that on the forefront of our minds. On the. Every word that we speak. And every action that we take. That we are given the life. We are sharing the life. That Christ has shared with us. May that always be our task. May we never be disinterested. In the hardships of the world. May we always be connected. And be the ones who give hope. Peace and love. Amen." [54:08] (49 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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