God does His part, now it's your turn. God is at work all around us; he always has been and always will be. But what about us? What is our role in God's redemptive story? Join us for this series as we look at the works of God and the works he's calling us to do. Are you ready? It's Your Turn.
It's Your Turn
Leave A Legacy
2 Corinthians 9:12-15
About 3 years ago, the OCC elders and staff began to ask, “What’s next?” Long story short, the bottom line was, “We need to go BEYOND!”
-BEYOND in our outreach to the unchurched in our community.
-BEYOND in the connectedness and spiritual growth of our church body.
-BEYOND in the appeal and accessibility of our facility.
GENEROSITY leaves a powerful LEGACY.
1. A Legacy of SERVICE.
“This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, others will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else.” 2 Corinthians 9:12-13
2. A Legacy of FAITH.
“Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, others will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else.” 2 Corinthians 9:13
3. A Legacy of PRAISE to God.
“This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, others will praise God…” 2 Corinthians 9:12-13
“Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!”
2 Corinthians 9:15
“This may just be the tip of the iceberg.”
I LOVE that!
About 3 years ago, the OCC elders and staff began to ask, “What’s next?”
Long story short, the bottom line was, “We need to go BEYOND!”
You know, ever since 1902 when OCC began on the front porch of the J.B. Carson farmhouse on old route 30, we’ve had a history of going BEYOND.
One example is when we relocated from our Walnut Street location out here to Elm Street.
Some of you may not realize this, but the church building that’s across the street from the Orrville Library on Walnut Street - that’s where OCC used to meet.
But back on October 27, 1957, the 22 acres of property here on North Elm Street was purchased for $25,000; that would be $235,000 today!
What a deal, huh?
We have an audio clip of the Minister at that time, Stewart Rodgers, talking about this property and what was happening leading up to its purchase in 1957.
Take a listen.
Audio clip: Stewart Rodgers (1:14)
And we know NOW [series image] there was good news to report, AMEN?
But what vision and foresight the leaders had.
One of those leaders is still a part of OCC today; his name is Bob Studer.
Bob has been involved here for 75-plus years and he was the Chairman of the Building Committee when this building was first built.
We stand on the shoulders of faithful people like Bob.
Over 60 years ago and at other times since, OCC decided to go BEYOND!
Aren’t you glad?
I know I am.
But you know, I wonder, what will OUR kids and grandkids be saying 20, 40, 60 years from now?
How do you want to be remembered?
In their book Living Forward [cover pic], Michael Hyatt and Daniel Harkavy write about designing your legacy.
They say: “As we think about our legacy, we need to start with the end. This is obvious for other activities. The first thing you do in planning a family vacation, for example, is choose a destination. That determines everything else – the transportation required to get there, the clothing you will need to take with you, the accommodation options available, and the activities you might enjoy during your stay.”
They continue: “If it’s true for enjoying a getaway, it’s infinitely more so when it comes to mapping your life. What outcomes do you want? The end determines everything else...”
Hyatt and Harkavy go on to encourage people to write out their eulogy as if it were being read today.
But you know, a better question is: What would GOD say and think?
That’s what REALLY matters, right?
The Bible says in Hebrews 4:13 - “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.”
That’s pretty sobering, isn’t it?
When it’s all said and done, we live for an audience of one, and that is God.
Last year a well-known preacher and apologist named Ravi Zacharias [pic] passed away.
I watched his funeral online.
One of the speakers was then, Vice President, Mike Pence.
Pence shared: “In Ravi Zacharias, God gave us the greatest Christian apologist of this century.”
As I heard various speakers eulogize, I was inspired by Ravi’s life.
But then, 3 or 4 months after his death, news came out that Ravi engaged in sexual misconduct.
His ministry, RZIM, set in motion an independent investigation and their findings found that Ravi did indeed live a double life.
He spoke well, he wrote well, but he did not live well outside the public eye.
I can’t imagine what his wife and family are going through right now.
Here was a man who they thought was living for God, traveling the world preaching and defending the gospel, and yet, when you pull back the curtain, he was living a secretive, sexually deviant lifestyle.
And unfortunately, that’s how he’s going to be remembered.
But how about YOU? [series image]
EXPLANATION
In our Bible passage for today, we find a church - followers of Jesus - who are remembered for their GENEROSITY.
In 2 Corinthians 8 and 9, the apostle Paul encourages the church to give generously to meet a need.
He instructs them to complete a collection they had started the year before for the church in Jerusalem.
We’re not sure what the need was specifically, but Paul wanted them to give so they could help their brothers and sisters in Christ.
So, that’s what they did; they gave generously.
And it wasn’t the amount that was important; it was their willingness.
Each person and family had various means, and so Paul tells them to give according to the means that they had.
Whatever the amount, the important thing was that they give with a willing and cheerful heart.
And through their giving, Paul says many things would happen:
In essence, their GENEROSITY would leave a powerful LEGACY - a threefold legacy, in fact.
First, it was…
1. A Legacy of SERVICE.
Paul writes:
“This service that you perform [which was the collection for the Jerusalem church] is not only supplying the needs of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. Because of the [what?] service by which you have proved yourselves, others will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else.” (2 Corinthians 9:12-13)
Their generous giving was a “service” or ministry to those in need.
We may not think of our financial giving as a ministry, but it certainly is.
MONEY is one of many resources for MINISTRY.
In fact, some Christ-followers have what’s called the spiritual gift of giving.
Spiritual gifts are really ministries.
The apostle Paul writes in Romans 12:8, if your gift “is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously.”
Because that’s your ministry.
But even if giving is not your spiritual gift, when we see or hear about a need, especially within the church, we ALL should try to meet that need with generosity.
This is true with our BEYOND vision.
We set a goal back in 2019 to raise $1.2 million.
Much of that is for transforming three areas of our facility – the main lobby, children’s space, and youth space.
But also a portion of that - $50,000 to be exact - went to two missions, one in Haiti and another in Colombia.
A church in Peredo, Haiti is in need of a new church building to accommodate growth, and so we’ve given $30,000 to help with the construction of that building.
Due to COVID, construction has not started yet.
But then, in Colombia we’ve given $20,000 to provide for a much needed swimming pool at a church camp.
A group of us went to Colombia last February and we can attest to how essential a swimming pool is in Colombia!
But that pool is not just for children and families to cool off and have fun; it also serves as a baptistry.
We got to witness some baptisms in that pool [pic] while we were there.
OCC is leaving a legacy in Colombia of generosity and service.
And what a thrill that is; THANK YOU so much for your giving!
But then, there was a second aspect to the legacy of the Corinthian church that was born out of their generosity; it was...
2. A Legacy of FAITH.
Again, Paul writes: “Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, others will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else.”
(2 Corinthians 9:13)
Their generosity put feet under their confession; they meant what they said they believed and were willing to sacrifice to make it happen.
And that took faith.
It takes faith to give generously; to believe that as we give to meet the needs of others, God will provide for our needs as well.
We say we believe in God; we confess that “Jesus is Lord,” but is it more than just lip service?
One way to tell is how we manage the money God has given us.
In the Bible, a spiritual practice Jesus commends (Matthew 23:23) is something called TITHING.
A tithe is 10 percent; I set aside 10 percent of every dollar God provides and I return it back to him through his church.
One of the purposes of the tithe is that it teaches us to always put God first.
Proverbs 3:9 says it this way: “Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops.”
So, the principle is, I give back to God the first part, not the leftovers.
I put him first by giving back to him 10 percent right off the top.
And that takes faith.
Some of you may be in debt financially; it may be student loan debt, it may be a car loan, or perhaps a mortgage.
If you have all this debt, it can feel like a huge weight around your neck.
And you may wonder, “How can I tithe when I have no money?”
That’s a REAL challenge.
We get in over our head to the point where we become slaves to the lender instead of servants of the Lord.
But if you’re in debt and you feel like there’s no way you can return 10% back to God, try it for 90 days and see what happens.
I’m not saying renege on your commitments.
But I am saying, take a step of faith.
Get God working in your financial situation.
As we open our hands to give, our hands are also open for God’s provision and blessing.
And what a powerful witness to a watching world - when the church gives out of faith in a generous God.
You know, there are people in our community who know what we’re trying to do with our BEYOND vision. [series image]
They’re beginning to see it.
People are seeing how we value families and children; they’re seeing a building that is now accessible for all.
They’re seeing how we’re willing to invest in the next generation.
They’re seeing how we are starting a special care ministry for children and it communicates a powerful witness.
I received a note from a mom in our community recently.
She wrote: “I just wanted to say thank you for all the changes OCC has made over the past year to promote inclusion for individuals with disabilities, and adding a ministry to help address special needs for families. As a parent of a child with a disability, this means the world!”
She concluded: “I pray for OCC, and specifically for this ministry, that you will see tremendous growth and many lives will be forever changed!”
Friends, this is the kind of legacy of service and faith we want to leave.
But ultimately the legacy we want to leave is, finally…
3. A Legacy of PRAISE to God.
You see, this is not about us, it’s about him.
There’s a popular Christian song right now by Casting Crowns that says:
And I, I don’t want to leave a legacy
I don’t care if they remember me
Only Jesus!
And I, I’ve only got one life to live
I’ll let every second point to him
Only Jesus.
You see, we want our generosity to point to him.
And that’s what happened in 2 Corinthians 9 when the Corinthian church gave generously to the church in Jerusalem.
Again, Paul writes: “This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, others will [what?] praise God…”
(2 Corinthians 9:12-13)
Their generosity resulted in joyful thanks and praise to God.
And Paul concludes: “Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!”
(2 Corinthians 9:15)
For Paul, this wasn’t about putting the spotlight on the Corinthian church; it was about putting the spotlight on God; this was HIS grace on display!
APPLICATION
So, I wonder what future generations here at OCC will be talking about 20, 40, 60 years from now?
Will they say … ?
“You know, back in the 20’s, the church did this thing called BEYOND. They set some God-sized goals. And by God’s grace, 300 people came to Jesus. There was revival! And those new believers, they grew in their faith and made more disciples. They even went BEYOND with the facility that we still get to enjoy today. They invested $1.2 million for the next generation - us! We are so thankful to God that they went BEYOND!”
How do you want to be remembered? [series image]
I don’t know about you but I want to be remembered as the generation that went BEYOND.
I want to leave a legacy of SERVICE, FAITH, and PRAISE to God. [Keyboard starts playing here]
And right now, like we did last Sunday, we want to give you an opportunity to leave that legacy - to make a commitment to go BEYOND.
This isn’t just about money; it’s about being generous in other ways as well.
As you came in today, you should have found a Commitment Card [pic] on your seat.
If you’re joining us online, just go to Orrville dot church and click on the BEYOND image; it’ll take you to our BEYOND page where you’ll find a link to the Commitment Card.
Go ahead and go there now if you would.
I want to walk through this card with you.
At the top it says:
Yes! By God’s grace, I want to go BEYOND in leading others to Christ, serving in my church and community, connecting and growing in my spiritual life, and through financial generosity.
And then, we have some options for you to prayerfully consider.
You can check more than one box, but we’d like EVERYONE to check at least one; we want ALL who call OCC their church home to participate in some way.
The first option says:
That we would see the ONE person God wants us to show his love to every day, OR, this can also be a prayer for the ONE person you’d like to see come to Christ.
It’s a commitment to pray for them every day!
Then, the next option…
There are so many opportunities to serve.
We want to challenge you to go BEYOND this year in your service.
And then…
It’s so important that we experience community with others; it’s critical to our spiritual growth.
And so, if you’re not connected right now, go BEYOND and pursue that.
NOW, the next 2 options have to do with going BEYOND financially.
Again, our goal 2 years ago was to raise $1.2 million.
Last Sunday, we had just over $15,000 in NEW financial commitments come in; yay God!
And so, as of now, we have $110,000 in commitments to go!
So, if you have ALREADY made a commitment, this next option is for you.
And then, if you call OCC your church home and you haven’t made a commitment yet, the next option is for you.
Now, if 110 families or individuals – whether you increase your commitment or are making a new one – if 110 families or individuals made a $1,000 commitment for the next 12 months, we’d reach our goal.
The Mulpas family has decided to do that; we’re going to increase our commitment for the next 12 months by $1,000.
I hope you’ll join us.
But $1,000 over the next year is only $2.74 a day or about $20 per week.
And so, whether it’s financially or in some other way, we simply ask that you prayerfully consider this.
Ask God, “How do YOU want me to go BEYOND over the next 12 months?”
And whatever he leads you and your family to do, do that.
And then, the last option on the card is…
If that’s you, be sure to give us your phone number; someone will reach out to you.
We do have a Fact Sheet available that outlines the details of BEYOND.
You can download it at Orrville dot church slash BEYOND, OR you can pick up a hard copy at the Next Step counter.
Also, we are going to host 2 BEYOND informational meetings [info] - one virtual and one in-person.
The in-person meeting will be next Sunday, March 7th at 8:30 a.m. in the Banquet Room and the virtual option will be Tuesday, March 9th at 7 p.m.
If you plan to come, please RSVP by texting BEYOND to the number on the screen.
Start Teen Center Transformation video (0:37)
On the screen are some pictures of what our youth space looks like now and then the changes we’re envisioning.
These are preliminary renderings.
But we’d like to transform our youth space – our students need additional rooms and a better environment to learn and connect with one another.
This not only updates the look of the Teen Center, but adds 4 rooms for classes and groups in the old racquetball space.
Right now, we have more classes and groups than we have rooms for in our youth space, and so, we’d like to create more usable space to accommodate our students NOW and in the FUTURE as we grow.
We’ll explain more at the informational meetings. [series image]
If you have questions or want to find out more information, we’d encourage you to take advantage of those opportunities.
Now, if you need more time to pray and think about this, please do.
You can fill out the card anytime this week online, OR you can bring your physical card back next Sunday; if you forget it, we’ll have more available.
But once you complete the card, just put it in one of the Offering Dropbox’s or hit the “Submit” button online.
Friends, just think: “This may just be the tip of the iceberg!”
Let’s pray now as we respond. [blank slide]