SUMMARY KEYWORDS

menlo, god, church, faithfulness, jesus, day, today, paul, years, life, suffering, legacy, fruitfulness, gospel, bay area, great, hope, strength, choose, reputational harm.

SPEAKER

Phil EuBank

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Well, Good Morning Melo Church. So good to see, so good to see. And I have to say, I know that many of you looked in the mirror today and you said, do I look okay, I know today's may be going to be different. Some of you I met for the very first time you said, I've only ever watched online as my first time together; you picked a wonderful day to be here. And I just want to say this positively… You guys look amazing for 150 years old. Absolutely, absolutely incredible, could not be more honored to be with you. Normally, we have some sort of mechanics, right? I say hello to all of our campuses, and I say it to a camera, and we get to join each other as one church and multiple locations around the Bay Area. We've already said welcome to you, and you're here, I get to just see you, which is so fun. And we get to have a party. Some of you actually just came for the party, and you're kind of like can you speed this part up? Because I'm actually here for that part. So thank you. Thank you, thank you. What an incredible and special day. I also want to just ask if you would help me in saying thank you to all the volunteers starting with the team almost a year ago, and everybody that's helped from there until now to make this happen.

It is very intimidating and undertaking to be a part of Menlo, to look at the artifacts that have been a part of what's made Menlo Menlo for 150 years. And of course I'm preaching it, because in Menlo time, I've been here for five minutes. So that makes total sense, total sense. But I hope that we can all acknowledge that it's actually God's faithfulness, not our fruitfulness that has sustained Menlo and will be the thing that by God's grace will sustain Menlo. And so whether you've been at Menlo for days or decades, thank you. Whether you call Menlo home today, or it's just been a part of your story somewhere along the way. Thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you for being here. I'm gonna pray for us in just a second, and if you've never been here before, or never heard me speak. You got it. I'm not gonna explain the rest, you guys can explain it to each other. Some of you also, you're wondering why I have a music stand here.

Like Phil, you preach without notes. Actually, that's not true. Normally, there's a really big screen on the back of wall, and it has my notes on it, and if you look back there right now, there are no screens back, I can tell you that it's 2:59 left in the game, I can tell you that. But that's why I've got some notes. I want to be really thoughtful about our time together. Would you pray with me as we begin?

God 150 years ago today, you put a dream in the hearts of a small group of men and women who were passionate about people finding you, and people following you in this place; this new frontier of exploration that would one day drive innovation for the entire world. Thank you for using so many people to do that along the way. Thank you for letting us be a part of the chain of your faithfulness to the next generation. Would you give us an awe and in appreciation for your steady hand in our turbulent times and our own journeys, as we try to respond to your faithfulness with our own. Give us strength that we've never had, hope we've never dreamed of and the same passion that you started this place with 150 years ago, so that even more could come to know You in the days ahead. It's in Jesus name we pray. Amen.

So over the course of the last 150 years, you may or may not have noticed that most of the time when churches reach this milestone of 150 years, they're sort of like crawling across the finish line. And Menlo is a very unique place, in that in some ways, the last 150 years represent a new beginning, that God has given such a unique grace and favor to men love it. All the ups and the downs of the last 150 years are still a part of God's story and plan for Menlo today in the days ahead. The picture that I often think about with Menlo church is that God has made us like a dandelion, decade after decade after decade. And you can't always control or even know where all the seeds are going to go, but the seeds of the gospel and the seeds of hope that God has sent out from Menlo have made a difference, not just in the Bay Area, not just in your life, or the community that you live in, but around the country and around the world. And we have so much to be thankful for that we get to be a part of that.

We also have a unique reality that in the Bay Area. We don't have to come to church. I just spent some time in the midwest this week and It still kind of feels like you do. But here you choose this. Some of you were like actually didn't choose I got made to be here. But at least we brought you donuts, so that's good. Someone messaged me a couple of weeks ago, and they let me know that at 150 years old Menlo is actually older than the light bulb. Think about that, that is a crazy reality. It's so easy as a church over time, to let your mission become the way you do ministry. To let the model of how you do church to shape what you do and what you're after. And Menlo has over and over and over again, as a community said, this idea of helping people find and follow Jesus that is our North Star, and we will change everything forever to keep doing that.

Last week, Scott started a series for us, really to help us celebrate our 150th. We're focusing on this idea of legacy through the book of Second Timothy. And he talked about that we'd actually don't get a choice as to whether or not we will leave a legacy. Our choice is what kind of legacy will we leave. And that's a choice that we make every day. It's a choice that we make at home, it's a choice that we make at work, or at school, in our neighborhoods, and yes, as a church.

And so today commemorates a chance for us to look back and to look forward. Today, I want to help us think about this idea that as a community of faith our story itself is a legacy. Our story as a church, our stories individually, they make a massive difference. 150 years ago, 13 people started a church, even though it was in a rural community with a small population and nothing like what we see today. They had a growing passion to reach people who weren't even here yet. And that group of 13 people in heaven today, I'm sure is so grateful for God's continued faithfulness to our community today.

Menlo, from a humble church building, to moving to expanding all for the purpose of meeting the needs of the surrounding community with the hope of heaven. They believed it was worth the sacrifices. They believed it was worth the challenges the setbacks, the way that people would fall short inevitably, 2 Timothy, this letter that is likely to be Paul's final letter that he wrote in his

earthly ministry. He writes to a young protege named Timothy, a pastor at the church in Ephesus. And in it, he sharing the most personal sort of his final words, to one of his closest supporters in ministry. He's in a prison cell, with his own impending martyrdom coming, and rather than letting that keep him from caring for Timothy, it becomes the catalyst for his compassion. He's going, if I only have a few minutes left, let me make sure you hear just a few more things that are most important to me. And around this idea of our story, as our legacy Paul says this, he says, “Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner.“

See, when, when Paul, he wrote these words, he was describing the story of Jesus, the story of Jesus that 150 years ago was preached at Menlo, and that by God's grace, as many more years as He gives us. It is the story that we will continue to preach; that God loves you, that He made you in His image with infinite dignity, value and worth. And that even though you and I rebel, individually, and collectively from the plan and the will of God, that He would send His Son Jesus to live a perfect life in your place, to die, the death that you and I deserve, and to come back from the grave so that today we can turn from our own way of life and living and choose to follow the pattern of Jesus, and we would experience this different abundant life today, and an eternal life waiting. That's the hope of heaven. That's what Paul is saying, in my life; I'm not embarrassed about this, because it's the power that God's going to use to change the world. And now 2,000 years later, we get to be a part of this small expression - historically, speaking - of God doing just that.

Paul in prison has said, Don't be ashamed of my testimony. Paul had been a religious leader where all this reputational influence had been given to him. He was so zealous for the Jewish faith that he was a persecutor of the early church until he would meet Jesus Himself, the risen Savior, and become one of the most passionate leaders in the first century church. And he says, don’t be ashamed of my testimony, because now I've faced shipwreck, I've faced beatings, I've faced adversity, and I'm still choosing to follow Jesus. I wonder what Is the story that you walk out? What are the parts of your story, or Menlo’s story, or the story of your connected legacy of faith that you look back and honor God for today out of his faithfulness?

See, Paul, he came to believe that the gospel was so important that he was willing to face this repeated embarrassment. He was willing to face the difficulty of a culture that wanted nothing to do with the message he was sharing, and yet he knew it had everything to do with the needs that they had. Turns out we have more in common with him than we sometimes think. How many of us can say the same? How many of us live a life that is unashamed of the good news of Jesus where we still walk this out every day?

Throughout our history as a church there have been men and women who have stepped up from the very earliest days, who have surrendered even some of their reputational significance for the sake of what God was doing here at Menlo. Jane Stanford, before Stanford University even existed, was investing in Menlo Church; believed in what God was calling us to do and was a massive part of the early days of Menlo church. Think about the impact that that investment made. As a matter of fact, Menlo is so tied to Stanford University that our choir was asked to come sing at the very first celebration of the cornerstone being laid for Stanford University. That's a gift that's a part of our journey and legacy because of God's faithfulness in this place because it has been God's faithfulness, not our fruitfulness that has sustained us. And that's true for you too by the way, whether you believe it or not, whether you're ready to accept it or not. I hope that the tendency that we have on days like today, let’s you and me know how faithful God still is.

One of the things that can happen on a day like today is that we think about all the good stuff, we think about all the things we are appreciative of and that makes great sense, I'm glad, but we can sort of skip over or forget the hard stuff. And you've had some hard stuff in your life.

Menlo’s has had some hard stuff in our past, and Paul, even in the same passage, she shares this idea with us that actually our suffering is a legacy as well. Our suffering is a legacy because it's honest, because it's real, because it's an actual connection to real life for us; our suffering is a legacy. Paul is specifically talking to Timothy about suffering that was necessary for him, as he chose to follow God and understand the gospel. But he gives us this unique picture in the verse that follows, he says, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God who saved us and called us to a holy calling.

Think about that power. Think about that statement; to faithfully live as ambassadors of Jesus to a watching world, that it will involve suffering. In this world, we will have trouble, yet Jesus has overcome the world. And so for us, no matter what you face, maybe for you that's reputational harm, maybe for you that's health challenges. Maybe for you, that's family members that have walked away or ostracize you for even choosing to follow Jesus, that comes with the territory.

We don't look for it, but we don't avoid it. And Paul is saying it's worth it. It's a part of this legacy of God's faithfulness in your life. Like Paul said, we all have a holy calling to this daily dependence to follow God. That your life as amazing and fun as it is, as great as all the different features and things you do and accomplish can be inside of it.

The greatest thing that you will do in your life is to pursue Jesus because of what He's doing in you. That every place you show up, every relationship that you're in; the greater and greater my daily dependency, your daily dependency on Jesus is. And for us to do that together, the better you'll show up, the better you'll show up in your marriage, the better you'll show up with your kids, the better you'll show up with your neighbors, with your friends, in your work environment, at school. That's the constant call that this person of Jesus and my identity as a follower of Him, would invade every space and place of my life. At Menlo, we've had sort of ideas and puzzle pieces over the years that have made us us. And one of those puzzle pieces here at Menlo is this line; We are not a museum for saints, finish it for me…. Amen.

See, as we take a step back, that heart is core to who we are as to church, because we know that life is messy, that if you came in and you said I’m imperfect good news, that's the prerequisite for the gospel; that we would all assume and acknowledge that we can't do this on our own, that we need help, that we need the loving grace of God in our life. See God's faithfulness, it is so much bigger than just our moment. Early on in Menlo’s life as a church, there was a moment where we owed more than $10,000, which at the time was a lot of money. Still a lot of money, if you're young and you're like, that sounds like a lot of money, hold on for it, wait. And other churches and leaders in the community because of the difference that Menlo was making in the city around it, worked to raise that money so that Menlo could keep doing ministry.

Oftentimes, in ministry, you ask the question, if our church stopped existing tomorrow, would anyone notice? And I can just tell you, it wouldn't just be in our neighborhood, the ripples would go around the world; that God's faithfulness at Menlo, we see these moments, these pockets, just like this moment where people helped raise money so that we could continue. And then years later, as we left a denomination, we found ourselves in a spot where a much greater amount of money - I think we would have been more than happy to write a check for $10,000 back then - and God showed up again, that His faithfulness, not our fruitfulness was what was sustaining us; we get these reminders over and over and over again. God's faithfulness through Menlo’s history has been undeniable, and the good news is that the same God that faithfully led

Menlo in its first 50 years and its second 50 years, and its last 50 years, and its last three years, is the same God we have today. And as long as the Lord waits to return, he will be the same God for Menlo church every one of those days too.

Continuing to be faithful as a church to the teachings and way of Jesus, it will come with suffering in the days ahead. And we will do it anyway. And we will do it with kindness, and courage, and conviction and compassion, because that's what God has been putting into us as a church for 150 years. Look, I know that there are times in the experience of a church where it can be easy to just tilt towards just the fun stuff. And I love that as a church we have so many generations represented even that we get to worship with every day, that there is no way around the fact that life brings suffering. And choosing to faithfully follow Jesus is going to bring its own version of suffering. It's the reason that actually in the months to come, we will as a church undergo a restorative justice process to listen to the stories of survivors from decades ago who have experienced pain, hurt and abuse at Menlo, because we're not going to run from reputational harm, because God has something for us to learn even in this process; we will not brand manage, we will not protect our way out of this, we will be honest, and we will trust God to show up with the same restorative, reconciling power of grace that He has been giving us for 150 years.

As a matter of fact from the earlier days of our church, to the earliest days of the church on the planet. Here's the thing, our source is our strength. Our strength has a source; both the story of our suffering, and the story of our faith, that whatever the thing you feel like this is why I'm strong, there is one source for all of us, and that's God's faithfulness in our life. Menlo is a place where some of the greatest leaders of our region and in the world have been. We've had a former president preach at Menlo - not that one - when it was way less controversial than it would be today. Can you imagine? Hey, next week, not just playing… We've led the way with a non-profit housing foundation that has helped Menlo continue to expand and make a difference for decades and decades.

We've had pastors who wrote books, spoke at conferences, helped steer global organizations, and lead dynamic ministries all around the world. We chose the less efficient and yet more effective model rather than doing this every week. We have pockets, and sites, and campuses that exist around the Bay Area so that you could invite your neighbors, and that the request of them to come would be an easier one to accept. This is amazing. I'm so glad we get to do this. But I can't tell you how fun it is that I know you get to invite a neighbor, and it's a 5 minute drive, not a 40 minute drive. And that we can be involved in the hurts, and the heartaches of neighborhoods, and communities all around the Bay Area by God's grace for many, many years to come.

See, Paul wanted to point to the strength of what drives all that; when he finishes the section he says it this way, he says “Not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel” - I'm gonna give you another chance to say amen right there – “for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that day what he has entrusted to me.” Oh we’d better be careful, we're Presbyterians, that's two Amens I think that's it. That's an amen passage, isn't it?

Jesus abolished death and brought life and immortality to life through the gospel. It was true 2,000 years ago, it was true 150 years ago, and it's true forever forward. That is why we do this.

There's great things that we can do, great things that we can do to help the world in any given moment, and we should, but it's the forever that Jesus came to solve. See, there is a moment that's worth celebrating, a moment to be able to look back, but I hope that there is a fuel that it gives you for what's ahead. that today marks a new beginning. Today marks a day where we look forward and we say thank you to God for His faithfulness in this place, even over our fruitfulness. Paul, he knows that even though there are threats and things to be afraid of, that Jesus has provided the hope; He had provided the hope for him then and He's provided the hope for us today. He's provided the Holy Spirit inside of each one of us who chooses to follow Jesus, that you no longer have to worry about defending the brand.

You no longer have to worry about what if someone finds out? We all know we are imperfect, flawed and broken people. That's why we need Jesus, and that doesn't change the moment you become a Christian, you're not living morally perfect. I hope you know that already. If you figure that secret out, you let me know. Here's the thing, no matter where you believe your strength comes from today, Menlo. Whatever enduring strength we have personally or we have as a community; the only real enduring strength is God, himself. As the youngest of four kids, I'm the only one who entered vocational ministry and my life looked a lot different than my other siblings. And for a long time, they will call me the golden child. They call our kids platinum babies. And I'm not, I'm not the most talented, I'm not the smartest, I'm not the best, well, I might actually be the best looking but, that saying something too.

But I would just say to them, like I had made a decision to align my life to a strength that's bigger than my life. That's the difference. Maybe that's your family’s story. Maybe you can relate to a life that has a different trajectory, because you set it on a different trajectory with Jesus. I hope that either that is a difference you've made or when you're thinking about making.

Preaching a sermon, as a part of Menlo 150 is a weight that I have felt for months. I've been wondering and dreaming and praying and asking God to show me what is it God that we most need to be thinking about and talking about for the future, this idea of God's faithfulness over our fruitfulness. And a few weeks ago, somebody dropped off a copy of some notes from the 80th anniversary of Menlo Church, and that's intimidating. If you're wondering. You think to yourself, somebody could be handing out notes for me, it'll probably be on a screen, I don't know, 70 years later, it's pretty wild, pretty amazing. But this was a note from that sermon or 80th anniversary that I think is so helpful for us to remind ourselves of today. It says, “Anyone who is seeking the God of Love should be given a warm and rousing welcome. His social status, his economic position, his color, his former creed should make no difference. If he comes hungry for the God of love, we should open our doors and our hearts, and let him in.” This has always been our legacy Menlo.

We live as a result of the compound interest of imperfect people, following a perfect God over the course of a century and a half, and by God's grace you will be the giants that the next generation sits on the shoulders of as well. It is a unique and humbling responsibility to walk with you, to open God's word with you. And I hope that no matter what is true in your life today that one of the great things we see in the scriptures is that we celebrate because of a great cloud of witnesses - that's what the book of Hebrews tells us - witnesses over the course of church history. And here at Menlo, witnesses that you get to sit around right now, there are giants of the faith in this room. And so as we continue in our time together -I'm gonna pray for us in just one second - I hope, I hope you'll stick around. I hope you go see some smiling faces of little kids eating sugar, and hanging out and doing fun stuff.

I hope you'll go into the gym and see God's faithfulness in this amazing exhibit of history that the team has put together. I hope you'll listen to music, I hope today can be this incredible

encouragement, that no matter what your faith has looked like, your life doesn't have to be shaped by where you've been; it can be shaped by the person and work of Jesus and where he wants to take you still, can I pray for you?

God, we are so incredibly thankful for moments like this; for times to be able to reflect and acknowledge your powerful work. God in the midst of all the things that could go wrong, in the midst of all the setbacks we felt in our life, days like today God, they become moments objects of remembrance of your faithfulness. I pray that Menlo’s legacy, that not only would it be an incredible last 150 years God, but that God your very best days for this place would be ahead. That even as a world around us looks darker, even as the challenges seem greater, God our God, you, you're with us through it all. Your strength is unthwarted. Your promises are unshaken in our lives, and in the reality of our world. God help give us the faithfulness that can only come from you. Because it's your faithfulness, not our fruitfulness that has sustained us, that is sustaining us, and that will sustain us until the day you return. It's in Jesus name. Amen.

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