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Perhaps, I should title this sermon, Are we a diet coke or the real thing? I see that Diet Coke is the symbol of the world in which we find ourselves, like the real thing, but without the cost. In a world in which the fabric of society is increasingly breaking down, we move into the world of Cyberspace, where we find the construction of cyber villages and communities. We watch films like Forest Gump, which redefine and rewrite history in a more palatable form. We are constantly fed by television a false illusionary world, where problems are solved in the space of sixty minutes (including the ad breaks), and families have quality meaningful times and teenagers turn out all right in the end. Even in the ads we are drawn into a world where cars don't break down, and every one is a winner at Tattslotto or the Oasis or on the TAB. Our whole society is like Diet Coke, an image of the real thing, where the substance is removed.

Today, I would like to start the first of a series of occasional sermons in which we look at the church from a number of different perspectives, for I believe that we are being caught up in the spirit of this age, and although we have the form of being God's people, somehow we lack the substance.

How different is this from the Church today. As we enter a new century, our numbers have never been greater and our opportunities are unparalleled. We have the greatest technology available to reach more people than ever before, yet we have become increasingly distracted from the commission the Lord left with us to go out into all the world with the Gospel.

While people desperately need others to tell them about the hope of Christ, we have become introspective, focusing our attention on the internal. We worry about how things were instead of what must we do to reach the next generation for Christ.

Perhaps, I am parochial, but I will direct my remarks principally to the mainline churches and specifically to the Anglican Church, first because this is my experience, but second, because, in spite of all the noise and clamour, most of the fringe groups make little overall or lasting impact on the world. The National Church Life Survey shows that although these groups are large in specific locations, they do not impact more than a small portion of the population. If we are to have any hope for the reaching of this generation for Christ, then it will be through the renewal of the mainline churches and not the actions of the small groups.

I would like to start with the premise, that our failure to make an impact on the world relates to our failure to fully grasp the meaning of being the body of Christ in the world. If you would like it put in an intellectual framework, then it is because we have failed to get our ecclesiology correct. It is only as we begin to understand the meaning of being Church that we will once again make the same impact on the world as the early Christians.

The book of Revelation gives a brief description of the Church in the last days. The second and third chapters describe seven different churches, portraying both their strengths and weaknesses. In Revelation 3:7-8, we read this about the Church of Philadelphia:

"He who opens . . ." In the phrase, "He who opens and no one shuts," the word "opens" reminds us that God is opening the door of opportunity, with the key being the symbol of His authority. Paul speaks of this in 2 Corinthians 2:12, where he writes, "When I came to Troas to preach Christ’s gospel, . . . a door was opened to me by the Lord . . . ."

Jesus is telling the Church of the last days that He is going to open doors for us that are unparalleled. Certainly that is the case today. Just look at the opening of doors for missionaries to formerly "closed" countries, the increased use of computer and video technology to reach people around the globe, and other unique opportunities.

"A little strength . . ." This alludes to a sick person coming back to life and reviving. In other words, this particular church is getting back to the strength it once had in its early roots and regaining its health. It is not some "super church" taking dominion over the world. Likewise, there is hope and opportunity for the Church today if we regain our spiritual health and vitality by returning to the basic essentials needed for a dynamic Church.

Scripture lays out three primary purposes for the Church:

These are the three ecclesiological ‘E’s. Exaltation, Edification and Evangelisation. In subsequent sermons, I would like to explore each of these aspects in more detail, but I would like to close here with the following challenge.

In Exaltation - Are you and I being drawn into the presence of God? Or do we go through the motions?

In Edification - Are you and I focusing our energies in the building up of the Body of Christ in this place? Or are we focussing in on the problems?

In Evangelism - Are we actively and passionately concerned with the lost? Or are you and I secretly hoping that someone else might speak to them for us?

Basically, Are we the Real Thing? Or just a diet Coke?

In a christian group that Louise and I belong to, there is a call for each of us to reflect on our participation in these activities on a regular basis. Doing this in a group, helps us in two ways, 1) We are accountable for the way that we live out our lives and 2) we can mutually encourage each other to do better.

AMEN.