LOP*SID*ED – Sermon – Pastors Marlee and Dave Page

Well good morning and welcome to our kick-off message to launch this next season together!

Over this past year, Marlee, Laura and I have taken several occasions now to talk and pray through some of what we experience with you together and what we observe you experiencing as you journey through life. It’s one of the great benefits of being your Pastors – we get a ring side seat and even sometimes get to journey alongside you, down in the trenches, doing life together. Over this past year in particular we have noticed what seems to be the convergence of several things and it has caused us to ask this question over and over again…in fact we’ve talked about this in various ways through messages and Bible Studies this year…

Near the very end of The Sermon on the mount, Jesus says these words:

“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Matthew 6:33

The Kingdom of God…. His righteousness… what does that look like for us in this age that we find ourselves in ?   

Sure we’ve talked through some of this specifically this year, being kingdom citizens but what does that actually look like for us ? For us as individuals in a world where culture says you are the Kingdom, you come first…The Kingdom of me.

And what does that look like for our Church, when church congregations and denominations are in decline around the world. When basic trust of Pastors and religious institutions is eroding, what does it look like to be the Church in this time ahead???

We’ve titled our kick-off message series “Lopsided”. That seems like an odd title doesn’t it?

For us it seemed to fit the purpose, and here’s why.  For the next 5 weeks we want to explore with you, how living a life disproportionately devoted to God’s values and purposes can transform our lives, our families, and our faith. You see, we believe that now, possibly more than ever, that by focusing on becoming ‘lopsided’ in our commitment to God, we align ourselves more closely with His steadfast will rather than the shifting standards of culture today.

A Lopsided Life…disproportionately devoted to God’s values and purposes…what does that even mean today?

• The concept of being “lopsided” in a positive sense: prioritizing God over all else.
• Minimizing cultural standards that prioritize personal success, wealth, and status…over all else.

As we move farther away from the pandemic, many trends are starting to be made apparent. And data driven trends that report on our faith, faith practices and the church are emerging as well.

Trends: 1. Church as we have know it is on the decline and will eventually disappear. – Baby-Boomers have been the heart of most churches for several decades now. This is true of denominational and non-denomination churches alike, whether growing or declining, the Baby boom generation has truly been the engine driving society, the economy and yes the church also.

Since 2020, since the pandemic, something has started to change. Boomers have actually become the least likely demographic to return to church.- 22% have stopped attending church entirely. Only 16% of Millennials – born in the late 80’s and early 90’s – have stopped attending. Curious?? There’s more, while 54% of Millennials attend primarily in person, 65% of Boomers say they only attend in person. This means that, unlike Millennials, Boomers don’t track with church when they’re not in the building. Millennials and Gen X are quite comfortable with hybrid church, while Boomers, for the most part, haven’t embraced it.

Source: Barna Statistics.

Here’s another change that seems to be picking up steam… The purpose of the weekend service and delivering a sermon will become less of the entire experience of church in the future and more of an anchor point in the week. Here’s what I mean about this.

Think about all the reasons people gather on a Sunday:

• Community & Connection
• Family, Kids and student ministry
• Spiritual knowledge and support

For so many of us, in our varied ages and stages of life we are being drawn to where Community, Connection and Support can be found and it’s not always the church. It used to be, but in an age of apparent decline and mistrust, this isn’t necessarily so, like it has been in the past.

You see, unless we start to make some choices about how we live our lives and how the church intersects your life on more that 1 hour on a Sunday, the cultural draw towards other ways to experience some of the reasons people gather on a Sunday can be replaced…. In fact in some ways, it is already being replaced. The harsher way of saying all this is that unless we recognize the effort required to stem the tide of change and possibly decline, the wave of cultural messaging and the resultant impacts on our lives will dominate.

Which brings us back to:

Matthew 6:33 – “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

Main Points:

• How do we embrace and then live out Lopsided Life
  • Where our lives, individually and as the church are prioritizing God over all else.
  • Minimizing cultural standards that prioritize personal success, wealth, and status…over all else.

There are some examples in the scriptures of people that have seemed to face much the same situation that we find ourselves in today.

Take the life of Daniel for example. Daniel, a figure celebrated for his unwavering faith, lived during a tumultuous period in the Babylonian Empire. His story, particularly in Daniel 6, highlights his steadfast devotion to God amidst intense cultural pressures.

¹⁰ Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before. ¹¹ Then these men went as a group and found Daniel praying and asking God for help. ¹² So they went to the king and spoke to him about his royal decree: “Did you not publish a decree that during the next thirty days anyone who prays to any god or human being except to you, Your Majesty, would be thrown into the lions’ den?”

The king answered, “The decree stands – in accordance with the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.”

¹³ Then they said to the king, “Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, Your Majesty, or to the decree you put in writing. He still prays three times a day.” ¹⁴ When the king heard this, he was greatly distressed.

Daniel 6:10-14.

Daniel was a young Jewish captive taken to Babylon during the Babylonian exile. Despite being Jewish, Daniel quickly gains prominence due to his exceptional skills and wisdom, becoming an advisor to multiples Babylonian kings. His dedication to God was a defining feature of his life, even as he navigated a culture that was often at odds with his beliefs.

In Daniel 6, King Darius issues a decree that anyone who prayed to any god or human other than the king for thirty days would be thrown into the lions’ den. This decree was in fact a strategic move to consolidate His power and test the loyalty of his subjects, including Daniel, who was one of the king’s top administrators.

Despite the king’s decree, Daniel doesn’t waver and he remains completely resolute in his commitment to God. As was his custom, he continued to pray three times a day, facing Jerusalem, demonstrating his unwavering faith and devotion. His public prayers were a direct defiance of the king’s decree but were also a testament to his unshakeable trust in God.

As you might expect, there were consequences for Daniel’s defiance. His opponents, who were eager to see him fail, reported his actions to King Darius. Despite his respect and affection for Daniel, the king was bound by the law and had no choice but to send Daniel to the lions’ den.

Well, you know how this story ends…Daniel’s fate seems certain, but his faith was rewarded. God sends an angel to protect Daniel from the lions, ensuring Daniel’s safety. The next morning, King Darius, overjoyed to find Daniel unharmed, decreed that all people in his kingdom should pray to Daniel’s God, recognizing His power and sovereignty.

If we fast forward through history, we can find another example:

In the early days of the Christian church, the Apostles faced significant challenges and opposition as they worked to spread the message of Jesus Christ. Acts 5:29 provides a powerful insight into their unwavering commitment to their mission, even in the face of persecution and authority.

²⁹ Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than human beings!

Acts 5:29.

As you know, the Book of Acts chronicles the activities of the Apostles after the resurrection and ascension of Jesus. Here, the Apostles, led by Peter and John, are imprisoned by the Jewish Sanhedrin for preaching about Jesus and performing miracles in His name. The religious authorities were alarmed by the growing influence of the early Christian movement and sought to suppress it. The early church didn’t conform to the Jewish cultural standards of the day.

Despite being warned, and later on imprisoned, the Apostles continued their mission with steadfast determination. God again sends an angel of the Lord to free them from prison, instructing them to continue teaching in the temple. When the Sanhedrin summoned the Apostles and questioned them about their disobedience, Peter and the other Apostles responded with a profound declaration in Acts 5:29: “We must obey God rather than human beings!”

The Apostles’ response is a tremendous example of their deep conviction that a divine mandate to spread the Gospel took precedence over any earthly authority. Their statement reflects a core principle of Christian faith: to spread the Gospel. Something we at FBK have made our mission –

We are committed to becoming fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ, and inviting others to do the same.

The Apostles’ boldness in prioritizing their mission over their cultural standing and even safety had a lasting impact on the early church. Their example of steadfast commitment inspired future generations of Christians to uphold the Gospel message in the face of adversity. Their courage underlines the importance of prioritizing God over all else. And for them, even when faced with significant opposition and personal risk.

“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

There will be both challenges and rewards for prioritizing the Kingdom and a life of righteousness above all else.

Materialism: Our cultural screams at us to pursue wealth and luxury, and status. Encouraging us that these are the values that take precedence over God’s values. That’s a Challenge.

Consumerism: The culture of constant consumption and the desire for the latest trends or gadgets can easily overshadow spiritual priorities of we are not aware. That’s a Challenge.

Secularism: As our society becomes increasingly secular, there becomes less emphasis on religious and spiritual practices and spiritual values, leading to a lifestyle that prioritizes secular goals and pleasures over spiritual commitments. That’s a Challenge.

These are the components of a ‘lopsided life’ to be sure…just lopsided in the wrong direction.

There are however, real spiritual and practical rewards of putting God above all else. Again, we see this principle is consistently emphasized throughout Scriptures, offering us guidance on how putting God first can transform our lives in both visible and invisible ways.