A Christ-centric recipe to transform the city

This morning, what I would like to share with you is a biblical recipe, or rather I am going to say, a Christ-centric recipe for transforming the city, and when I normally speak of transforming the city, in my heart I have a very special concern for the Latin Quarter. the Latin people. Because you know that at this time, it is a critical time for our people throughout the United States. In the last two weeks we have been seeing the immigration marches, we have been seeing an incredible movement and they have already said it, right, for the last ten, fifteen years that a giant has awakened, which is the Latino people.

But we are at the point where we have to ask, ask a question like the church, everything that is happening, happening right now, what is the role of the church towards everything this issue. You understand me?

We have a God of love, we have a God of justice, we have a God who cares for everyone and we see in the Bible that we have a God who has a big heart for those in need. I have three children and I don't know if some here are fathers, right? Mothers, and I have had the experience as a father when one of my three children has been sick, with a fever, vomiting, foolish, screaming, crying, right? ? Lord, you are already giving me the voice. Amen. TRUE? that's what happens when they give us the microphone, right?

But there is one of your children crying, sick, serious and do you know what I do and what I have done on occasions? I go and look for that child and I put it in my arms, I feel it until they are big, and it doesn't matter because they are still my children, and I feel them there close with me, hugging them, praying for them, showing them love and then sending for me. wife; she also comes and we are both completely focused on that sick child and what about the other two? Well, we love them greatly, it's not that we don't love them or we love them less, but at that moment when one is sick and ill, the love of a father, of a mother has the capacity to say: 'well, son, daughter, your are you OK. You already know that I love you but right now I have to focus on this one who is sick and seriously ill.'

And that is God's love for those in need in this world. So whenever we see oppression, where someone is oppressed, where someone is suffering, where someone is struggling to survive, I want to assure you that God is there. God is there, and you and I can say it not only as a biblical truth but as a personal testimony. That we've been in this situation where we've felt that God leaves everyone else in the whole world and comes and embraces us and shows us his love in such a deep and personal way that we don't know what to do.

The only answer is to thank the Lord. And after going through that time of illness, we feel the freedom to receive that healing from the Lord. okay?

So, this morning I want to talk a little bit about this God. And I want to give you a biblical or Christ-centric recipe...... and there are six ingredients that I am going to propose this morning that the church must have to impact the world, to impact and touch the life of the most needy person . It may be that we are talking about Latin people, but I believe that everyone has a need and as Pastor Miranda has just said, that Latinos are an important and special person in this world because we are bridge people.

We know how to handle life among the Anglo-Saxons and we can also get down with the brothers. You understand me? We can speak softly with African Americans, we can have respect for the elderly, and we can speak loudly like Poles. TRUE? It doesn't matter, it doesn't matter, but the Latino people..... but we have a heart to love and touch and serve people in need. It doesn't matter where they are.

There is a biblical recipe that we are going to share and there are 6 ingredients that I believe the word urges us to keep in mind in our church. A couple of years ago I went to a bookstore, Barns & Noble, one of those big box stores, and I was looking for a cookbook for my wife. She cooks well, let me tell you, but give her a little more ideas, right? Yes, because if they are recording it I have to say that. Mommy, I love you very much, you cook well, because I am very chubby. That doesn't lie. TRUE? And I found a recipe book called "Fifty Recipes for Making Flavorful Sauce."

Well, I started looking and looking and reading and I thought: well, how come there are 50 recipes to make salsa? So, I started to see amazing ingredients: nuts, pineapple, vegetables, all kinds of elements and combinations that can't be Mexican, right? Let me put it like that, weirdos, and I finally decided not to buy that book, because I was already so confused, right? But what we do see in the Bible I think is clearly there are certain things that have to be present in our church and we are going to do a study this morning on the Book of Luke. We're going to look at a few verses and we're going to start at Chapter 4, but we're really going to focus on Chapter 5 of Luke.

In Luke 4:18, 19, let me read for us the text where we see the first public preaching of Jesus, or the beginning of his public ministry. And this is something quite important for us, it is very true that we have a personal faith, do you understand me? You can or have to have a personal faith, but it can never be a private faith, it always has to be a public faith. Okay? And public not only here within the four walls of the church, but in society, right? Because that is what it means to be alive in Christ, who can now be light and salt among the whole world.

But look at what I read here, beginning in verse 18: “The spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to announce good news to the poor, he has sent me to proclaim freedom to the prisoners and give sight to the blind, to set free the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."

So, when Jesus begins his ministry it is obvious that he is going to declare his mission. You start your ministry and at first like any effective leader, you know what you say? Brothers, this is what we are going to do, this is the approach. Because if we don't know, if you don't know the vision of the church and I see clearly in this church, you understand the vision. They already have knowledge, it is clear because they are always sharing what the Lord has called us to do. Jesus gets up and says 'Look, this is my mission, this is why I came? And we know that Jesus came to give us salvation, to give his life to provide that sacrifice that gives each of us eternal life. But we have to see what he says starting his ministry. It says "I have come anointed by the holy spirit", it is not a social program, it is not something that arises from the mind of a human being, it says that the spirit of God is upon him and this is what he comes to do: he comes to announce good news to whom? To the poor.

I don't know how you take it, but when you're poor, you don't want to hear all the time that we're poor. You understand me? And if many times when we read this type of passage, people get a little nervous, because they say who is he talking about? Is he talking about my neighbor, someone else, or is he talking about me. Well, if we start to examine the bank account that each one of us has, well, I know that many of us qualify as the poor in this passage, right?

But, in reality we know that in this world we are rich, we are rich. You already know that of the 6 billion people who live in this world, almost two billion have to live every day earning less than two dollars a day, and that does not surprise you because some have lived it. Ok? But what a blessing that we already have another experience in this country, another opportunity. Jesus tells us 'Look, if I want to bless you, if you live a Christian life, a straight life, an honest life, you will be successful, you will not be in poverty, but here he tells us: 'look, for my part I come to announce good news to the poor.' And some want to say 'look, that only speaks of spiritual poverty.' And I believe that, there is truth in that. we are all spiritually poor. We have nothing to offer God.

But, it is also important to know that God does not only care about your soul. God cares about your whole being. God cares about your whole being, that's why we pray, Lord, give me food today for this day. Give me what to eat today, right? That is why they work and do everything to provide for their families and ask God. They know that God is a providing being but there are thousands and thousands of people in this country and around the world who qualify as the poor that Jesus mentions here. And in his ministry we will see examples of these poor.

But this is what I want for you...... it's the first ingredient. If a church is going to minister effectively to those in need, it has to take on the mission of Jesus as its own mission. Because if you don't declare, if we don't declare, if we're not exactly clear, if we're not intentional to say 'look, this church is here to reach everyone, rich, American, Mexican, Puerto Rican, no matter the culture or background , we are here for everyone'. But reading the Bible and the instructions of Jesus, he focuses on the sick child, on the poor and we have to do the same.

And the church that accepts this mission and takes on the mission to the poor like Jesus, you know what happens? He does not see a social program or one for the poor as something that is here next door. But he takes it as the heart of his ministry.

Brothers, Jesus is reminding us that there are people imprisoned, blind, oppressed, that no one else is going to pay attention to them and if we who confess that we have the spirit of God among us, if we are not going to be the hands and feet of God, who will be?

So, the first ingredient is that we have to have the same mission that Jesus had, as our mission.

Second: in Luke 5 we see the first place where Jesus begins to call a group of disciples, Peter, his brothers. And it's interesting because these guys are busy businessmen I think very successful, they work hard, they probably work around the lake there, and they're thinking 'look, we're already saving money for retirement. I want to return to my homeland after retiring to have a smooth life. They already have plans, he is a religious person, he is a Jew, he is from Galilee, he is a person that I imagine everyone respects, but Jesus comes into the lives of these businessmen and tells them 'look, I want you to leave everything behind. have and come follow me',

And look at what it says in verse 10, Chapter 5, verse 10: “Do not be afraid, from now on you will be a fisher of men, Jesus said to Simon. ” So, Jesus speaks to this group, calls them and then tells them 'look, I know what they are going to do, the step they are going to take is a big step, that's why he says "Don't be afraid".

Why is Simon afraid? Because he's considering 'look, I'm willing to drop everything to follow this teacher, this rabbi, this religious leader. Am I willing to give up everything?’ And many times when we read this passage and hear these words of Jesus where he says 'look, from now on you will be a fisher of men', it is a passage that we use a lot to talk about evangelism. TRUE?

Have you used it like this? Look there, everyone has the privilege of being a fisher of men....we are going to evangelize. Reflecting a little on this passage, do you know what I think is important as well? We have just heard about the mission of Jesus, which is to minister to whom? To the needy, to the poor, to the oppressed, right? He declares his mission and like any good leader, do you know what he does next? He begins to raise a group, to recruit a team, to look for men and women who can work with him, because a good leader, you know what he knows? That, that he cannot do anything alone. That we cannot fulfill God's plans as one person. The Lord has given us the body, the family of God, the church, for all together, all taking our place and specific position, right? We all have gifts, abilities, talents, passions, and God needs all of us.

But what we see here is Jesus stating his mission. I am here to minister to the person that no one else wants to minister to, but to do that, to fulfill that mission in this world, I need a team. So, this is what Jesus does: he immediately starts putting together a team for what? Just to evangelize? I do not believe, but to make and fulfill their purposes in this world. And in the middle of his purpose is to minister to the most needy.

The second ingredient that the church has to have is that it has to lead and send its people, teams of people to focus on ministering to those most in need. That is part of what it is to transform society. When we leave the four walls of the church and say 'look, we come here, we are filled with the joy of the spirit of God, we prepare ourselves, we anoint ourselves, we love ourselves, we are encouraged to go out into the world to transform each person and each system and each unfair situation, because if we don't do it, no one is going to do it.

The mission to the poor, a team and then it goes on and the next story we see is the story of a man who has leprosy, which Jesus heals. Look what it says in verse 13, after having an encounter, something interesting, it says that the man with leprosy comes looking for Jesus and then he gets down and kneels on the ground, on the ground, in the street, in humility and says “Lord, can you heal me? do you want to heal me? Do you want to heal me?" And see what Jesus says: "Jesus reached out his hand, touched the sick man and said 'yes, I want to. You stay healthy. Immediately the man was completely healed.

There are two miracles that I see in this example, in this story. The first miracle is the obvious one. God heals this sick man with leprosy. It heals him, he says, completely. That's what we want, right? We want to be completely healed and many times that takes time, that takes... because the Lord does his part and we always have to surrender our lives to him. First miracle is that it heals him completely.

The second miracle that I see in this passage is key to what we're talking about this morning is how he does it, how he does it. Instead of being removed from this man who had this ugly disease, instead of telling him 'look, stay there, because I don't want to be dirty. I don't want to be too close. Heal yourself.’ He had the power to do so, right? But instead of doing that, what the Bible says is that it reaches out to the man with this horrible, contagious skin disease and touches him and says 'brother, you know I want to heal you. You are healed.’ The second miracle is how he does it.

And, brothers, this is the third ingredient that the church has to have: a clear mission, a strong team and we have to have a personal ministry towards people in need. Because you don't know that people don't need programs, they need ministries, they need people.....because when you go to the hotline or to the public aid office, do you know what they do? Do they know you as a name or as a number? You are a number. When we go to any place where they are there to serve us, they make us feel less, they do not treat us with dignity or look us in the eye, we are not human beings, we are their work, we are what they have to do to receive their salary.

But Christians and the church that follows the example of Jesus, we are completely different. We have the compassion and love to touch people in a personal way, we have a relationship, we have encouragement, we are not afraid, we are not afraid to hug, to encourage, to say 'look, if you need anything, I'm here, I'm willing'. Something so simple but it is an ingredient that I believe that many times we do not have in the church.

A fairly clear mission towards the poor, a team and then the way of ministering is: we have to ensure that everything we do in a personal way, does not mean that there is no organization, because the pastor here he is a little worried 'look, we have to have order, we have to know who it is.....'. I'm not saying disorder, but I'm urging that we have to have compassion and touch people in a personal way. Because that is what has transformed their lives. Do you understand?

If you are here someone probably came and touched you in a tender, personal way, with a lot of love and you responded to the love of the Lord.

We see the next ingredient in Luke 5, which is the story of the paralytic. The next encounter with Jesus is a paralyzed man and he has 4 friends who bring him to where Jesus is preaching and the passage says that the power of God was with Jesus. And that is true now as it was true then. The power of God is ready, it is present to heal, to give new life to the whole world.

But look at what it says, beginning in verse 18, it says “Then some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a stretcher. They tried to enter to put him in front of Jesus, but they could not because of the crowd, so they went up to the roof and separating the tiles, they lowered him on the stretcher until they placed him in the middle of the people in front of Jesus.

So, the story is very interesting because it doesn't tell us anything about the owners of the house, how they felt, what was happening with them, right? But the boys arrive and I say that They are boys, because now we are big people, big men, we no longer have the energy to do this; to climb on the roof of the house. You understand me? Well, except for Pastor Miranda and me, the two of us, yes, we're up there, right? But the men arrived and cannot enter and this is what many of us do.

The Lord has given us a call to take on the mission of serving those most in need. We have a team of 4, we already have a relationship with that paralytic. We already have a personal touch, but in the process of trying to help them not only give it like a bandaid, but help them to have a new life in all areas of their life. Do you know what happens? We encountered difficulties, barriers, it's difficult, there's no space, crowds and we decided, well, that's all I can do. The program is over. There is nothing else and thank God that at least we took you for a walk to see Jesus, right?, where he is. But they don't do that. Full of passion for this man to appear there in the midst of where Jesus is, they do something crazy, something incredible to ensure that this happens.

And I think the next ingredient that we need in the church is that we have to be creative. We have to be crazy. We have to be free to say 'look, I have to think outside these lines, I have to think in different ways, I have to do whatever it takes to help people, to bring them into the presence of Jesus.

And let me ask, when is the last time we've done something like this? right?, where everyone says 'look, what are they doing? They're crazy, that can't be done. That's impossible. It is not possible to do what...... no. And normal people don't have the energy, they don't have the love, they don't have the passion, they don't have the ability to persevere to accomplish a mission. But we, who have accepted the mission of Jesus to those most in need, who have a great team, who already have relationships with people, you know; That encourages us to say 'we are going to do everything necessary to help people'. okay? That is a vital ingredient. We have to have it.

And since we're a little animated, let's see the next ingredient. And we find this in the following story where Levi, a tax collector, he has an encounter with Jesus and then he says to Jesus 'look, I want to have a party at my house' and let me tell you that it is not a Christian meeting. That is not what we see here, as we think of it in the church. It's a party, it's a party with all their worldly friends and the disciples and the religious leaders go to see what's going on, and when they get there everyone is nervous except Jesus and Levi and God's most distant friends. They feel good, they feel comfortable, they are living their life. They are putting their face, this is what I am, I am a sinner, I am a tax collector. Jesus has no problem with that. Because he knows that he came to reach those kind of people.

And after a little while he sees that everyone is having too much fun and Jesus, the disciples and the others start talking and they say to him 'you know, why is Jesus here with these sinners? And do you know what Jesus tells him?

Let's read: “....but the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who were from the same sect asked the disciples of Jesus 'why do you eat and drink with tax collectors? and sinners?' And see what Jesus says "it is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick," Jesus answered. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repent."

So, the next ingredient that we need if we are going to take on the mission of Jesus to those most in need, is that we have to expect that we are going to encounter criticism, barriers and major challenges. If we focus on reaching the people who have everything, only the educated, the people with whom I relate well, you know what I mean? If we don't make the effort, if we don't make the effort to go and find the people that nobody else wants, it may be that our workshop is going to be a little softer, easier, but not more biblical.

You know what I love about church? It's just that there are a lot of people here who aren't perfect yet. It's good that we have problems in the church! It's good that there are clashes and conflicts! Do you know why? Because you have the capacity among the church to solve these things, because the Lord can change you. The spirit of God is transforming them. And if we wait until everyone is cleaned up and done well outside before we come, forget it, this church isn't going to reach anybody. But if we open the doors of the church and say 'look, if... any of these fools.....'. We have to be patient with them, but it doesn't matter because God is great. God is good. Do you understand me? It is part of the process.

So, this is what we see, reviews, reviews. We cannot go into this work, this work of transforming the world and impacting the community, of having an impact on the entire city of Boston, on the entire country, without having someone who is going to criticize us. Because they know what they are going to tell us mainly 'look, that is not the work of the church'. What you should do is just pray or preach or whatever, or have a padlock down there in the basement. That's fine, but taking to the streets to seek justice, to minister to those most in need, forget it. That's the job for the educated or the politicians and we have to say 'No, no Lord, that's why the Lord has filled us with the spirit of God to go out and minister and make an impact.'

And this is the last ingredient. Mission, a team, a personal touch, being creative, expecting this kind of criticism and the last one is, and we find it in this passage. Look at what it says 37 "nor does anyone put new wine into old wineskins, if they do so the new wine will burst the skins, the wine will spill out and the skins will be ruined, rather the new wine must be poured into new wineskins."

Jesus was teaching the disciples that when God begins to do something new, almost always the church or the system that we have does not hold, or cannot hold the new wine that God is pouring out. What does that mean? That if we begin to take seriously this mission of going, of being a church that is going to extend its effort to reach those most in need, we are going to have to change. We're going to have to adjust, we're going to have to be willing to ask, 'Lord, is what we're doing right now, is that going to be effective when we begin to open the church door to receive those most in need, or have we already reached the point of being so rigid that you can't do anything new between us anymore? The only person we can reach with the system we have is the respected people, the ones that everyone wants, but not the rejected ones. And I think that this is the last ingredient, that if we are really going to have the capacity to impact those most in need, the gang members, the people who have nothing, the people who are suffering in prisons, no we can expect them to come to us. We are going to have to change and go out to where they are.

And I'm done with this. When I started my church in Chicago, at La Viita, we had a Christmas party and I asked everyone to bring a plate of food to share, a padlock, right?, after the service. And I made a Christmas sauce, and it was a very strange sauce. Nuts, pineapples, all kinds of strange elements like in the recipe book that I told you about, and I brought my special sauce to La Viita's pachanga and it stayed there on that table and nobody wanted to touch it. And finally one of my friends, this big brother since I met him when he was in a rehab program for alcoholism became a good friend, he became a Christian, he began to follow Christ, a good friend of mine, he comes and tells me he expresses a lot of love and tells me 'Pastor, you can't make salsa without tomatoes, because it's not real salsa if you don't put tomato in it. You're crazy.... No, he didn't tell me you're crazy. But that is what I want to tell you this morning. That if the 6 ingredients that I have just shared with you are not present in your church, they are not going to impact those most in need and we cannot make salsa in church without those tomatoes, which are essential.

But the good news this morning is that you are a ready church, and you are so encouraged to make a difference for Christ in this city and I thank the Lord and I will be praying for you. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to be with you and may God bless you.

Amen. I believe that this call to have a clear mission, to be creative among other things, to work as a team, to touch people in a personal way and the other points that Noel mentioned, are key for us as a church. That is why it is so important to have people like Noel who travel across the nation, who know the pulse of the church in different parts of the US, who come and enrich us with their experience and reinforce the things that God has already told us as a church.

I believe that there is a spiritual part that a church has, which is important and in fact everything is ultimately spiritual, we see, but that sometimes we identify the spiritual only with praising and reading the Bible, with praying, but there is also a part of serving others and transforming society and being like salt that mixes with other substances to impart its flavor. That is part of the call of the church and that is what I believe our brother Noel inspires us and strengthens us as a congregation. Just like we were very active on the immigration issue recently, and God used this church, and used Damaris and Patty in that regard to inspire and encourage us to get involved in this. That is part of the call of the church and that is why it is important to know those ingredients that will inform the way in which we engage with the world. So we thank God for that.

Let's stand up now. We are going to say amen to what we have received from Noel and then Gonzalo and the others lead us in a farewell chorus. Father, thank you. We say amen. Thank you for the call that you have given to this church. Keep reinforcing that call, Lord. Help us to be humble people, but also filled with the Holy Spirit, animated people, people possessed of a clear vision that comes from your word and from Jesus Christ himself. Help us to be a transforming agent, Father, in all dimensions of the life of this community. We bless our preacher and ask that you fill him with your holy spirit, Lord, and that each day you lead him more and more using his gifts, Father, to inspire and strengthen your church in all parts of this nation. Thanks, Dad. We embrace your vision this morning and give you all the glory and all the honor, in the name of Jesus. Give the Lord a big round of applause this morning. Glory to God. Amen. Amen.