In this extended version, Steve, Tyler and Alec visit two different fast food establishments on the quest for service as they travel through the drive-thrus in reverse.

Steve, Tyler and Alec attempt to place an order at In-N-Out while driving in reverse.

For last Sunday’s sermon on marriage vow #3 (Our family will believe God), I came across something that didn’t apply directly to the sermon, but I found it very interesting and wanted to share it with you.  It’s about laughter, which is mentioned a few times in the texts on Abraham and Sarah.  I’ve read this many times but this hit me fresh and new for the first time.  Go back and read these passages and think about your laughter.

Laugh #1 – Gen 17:5 (conspicuous for its mocking nature)

God announces to Abram that he is changing his name effective immediately to Abraham – “father of a multitude.”  You can bet that this 99 year old man, with only one son (Ishmael) was instantly mocked by everyone whom he told his new name.  Everyone including his family and closest friends knew that this was an impossibility and so they laughed at the idea (perhaps behind his back).  I have had people mock my calling and dreams also, what about you?  Don’t let the negative people persuade you to stop believing in what God wants to do. 

Laugh #2 – Gen 17:17 (conspicuous for its faith)

Abraham laughs when God re-affirms his covenant promise that Abraham will have a son with Sarah although they were 99 and 89 respectively.  At first, I thought this was a mocking laugh but upon further review I’m convinced this was a laugh of amazement – a visceral, joyful, shocked outburst of some sort.  Has God given you a dream or a goal or vision for something great that he intends to do for you or with you that elicits laughter?  By the way, my vision for MVCC makes me laugh like this.

Laugh #3 – Gen 18:12 (conspicuous for its unbelief)

Sarah overhears God’s intended plan to give her a baby boy at the age of 89 and she laughs to herself.  This is a laugh of unbelief – forgetting that God can do anything.  Believing that God will always intervene in our lives to give us the desires of our hearts is a mistake.  However, believing that God never does miracles on our behalf is also a mistake.  We must never doubt when we hear that someone believes God is going to do a miracle, because He certainly can if He wants.  Don’t forget that big miracles take no more effort than little miracles to a God who reveals himself to Abraham in Gen 12 as El Shadai (almighty God).  And don’t doubt that God has something incredible in store for our church!

(Lack of) Laugh #4 – Abraham’s first 99 years (conspicuous for its absence)

Abraham, a man of faith, leads his wife and family and his larger Oikos, pursuing God whom he trusts will fulfill that which makes him laugh inside (the dream of an heir and nation through Sarah).  However, no one else is laughing.  First, Abraham uproots his family from their familiar and comfortable lives to a place that is unknown and which happens to be experiencing a famine (no laughter for sure).  Later, he obeys God’s command to circumcise every male in his household (definitely no one is laughing).  When you take the lead toward that which makes you laugh, don’t be dissuaded from your vision just because the going gets tough and no one else is laughing.

Laugh #5 – Gen 21:6 (conspicuous for its spontaneous emotion)

This is a laugh of unparalleled enthusiasm.  Sarah credits God with bringing laughter to her and says that now everyone will laugh “with her.”  It sounds like she’s excited that they’re no longer laughing “at her!”  This is the fulfillment of the greatest desire of her heart… God could not have done anything else that would have made her laugh more than to give her a son.  At this point everything she had endured as Abraham’s wife became worth it.  There is nothing more fulfilling than to want something desperately, then choose to leave it in God’s hands, and finally to see God provide that need (or go above and beyond.)

Laugh #6 – Gen 21:3 (conspicuous for its vindication)

Abraham was instructed to call his son Isaac (meaning “he laughs”), but I suspect he would have called his son Isaac even if God had not given this instruction.  Abraham felt vindicated by the birth of Isaac and was now laughing at those who had laughed at him and mocked him for believing God.  He’s also laughing because his wife is laughing (when mom is happy – the whole family is happy).  Much like the laughter of sports fans whose team finally wins the big one after years of hoping and believing and much like the underdog stories that make us laugh – God will bring vindication to those who persevere in their faith.  There have been times that the people closest to me and yes, my own wife have had their doubts about my leadership.  In the end it’s always good to be able to laugh!

We see that the Jerusalem church described in Acts grew to be thousands of people.  There are also plenty of indications that Paul’s churches that he planted throughout Asia started off small and some probably remained small in size.  In America and even within a 30 minute drive of Buckeye we see all different sizes of churches. 

There are many different reasons why churches achieve a certain size.  Certainly spiritual/moral strength is vital.  Beyond this obvious characteristic we can also see the attitude, commitment level, friendliness, work ethic, and faith of the congregation playing a role.  Of course the Pastor and the ministry team’s effectiveness as leaders and the clarity of their vision for the church is huge.  Timing, location, and resources can also be a factor.  However, one other factor is crucial…it is the will and willingness of the church to grow.  It means understanding that no matter how much they accomplish, there are still more needs and more unsaved people within their area of ministry influence and asking ourselves, “are we willing to work hard to reach them?”

So an important question I want to ask you is, “do you want us to grow and why?”  Let me turn this question a little bit to help you think about it concretely.  If we grew to be a church of 500 souls what would that mean to you…would you be excited and why?  I know my answer to this question, but it might be different than yours.  Imagine MVCC soon becoming a church that hasn’t changed any core values and has in the process grown to have two worship services of over 100 adults; a Chicano ministry of over 50 adults; a youth ministry of over 50 teens; and a children’s ministry of 200!  This is exciting to me for many reasons…why are you excited about being a church of 500? 

How do I convince my friend that he should tithe and is it supposed to be 10% of the net or the gross salary?

Someone texted me with this question recently and I’ll pass along my answer.  I said go to the study blog on the church web site and read my entry on “money.”  Regarding the question of net or gross - the OT examples of first fruits and tithes as well as the apparent customary 10% tribute that Abraham paid Melchizedek (pre-Old Covenant) were all gross percentages.  On the other hand there is no New Covenant requirement for a specific percentage of giving.  In case you think that “lets us off the hook,” don’t forget that the early church seems to have viewed 10% as way too low of a goal.

My challenge to our church is to make it your goal to trust God more – more than you did last year and the year before.  If you gave 10% of your net income then trust him with 10% of your gross.  If you’ve been tithing for many years and this has become routine, start giving more than 10% and see if God still provides for your needs.  If you haven’t been trusting God at all with your money, then make a step in that direction – set a goal by faith and see if God doesn’t provide for your needs with the remaining 98 or 95 or 90 or 80% of your income.  Make it your goal that one day you will be able to give away half of your income! 

A friend of mine this week shared with me that he and his family have begun tithing for the first time in their lives and they have found that God is indeed providing for all their needs after they have first given generously to Him.  The math doesn’t always make sense, but as for me and Tammy, we have always seen God provide.  It is a trust issue.