A sermon preached to those gathered in Inuvik to figure out together if God is calling them to launch an Anglican church in the community once again.

Isaiah 43:16-21
Psalm 126
Philippians 3:7-16
Luke 20:9-19

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May only the Truth be spoken, and may only the Truth be heard,
in the Name of God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen

“Behold, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?”

Those are some pretty awesome words that we heard from the prophet Isaiah this morning. 

Behold, I am doing a new thing, says the Lord.

There are so many ways that we can describe the work of God in the world. He’s the Father Almighty, the Creator of heaven and earth.  He’s all-knowing, He’s merciful, and loving, He’s righteous and will bring about justice. With God the Son who redeems us and God the Holy Spirit who trains and equips us, He truly is Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end.

But part of the reality that I want to focus on this morning is this: God is not just the God of beginnings and ends.  He is God and He is present and calling us to Himself in each and every moment in between.

Or, in other words, in His mercy and goodness, our God is the God of possibilities and opportunities.

Possibilities and Opportunities

That’s what we see throughout scripture, isn’t it? 

Even when people get it wrong, even when people get worn down or worn out or distracted or bogged down in sin and the consequences of their actions, God still calls out, inviting us to repent and return. 

Our God, in His mercy, is the God of possibilities and opportunities.

Now, I would say we need to understand that rightly.  It’s never that God is waiting to find out from us what the possibilities might be.  No, not at all!

He is the same: yesterday, today, and forever (Amen?)

And it’s not as though His Word is up for debate: His Word endures forever, and He says it goes forth to all nations and will not return to Him empty, but will accomplish what He has purposed.  There’s a choice to be made about whether we will trust in Him, and there are consequences for that choice.

But – and here’s the important part that we need to remember – no matter what we’ve done before, no matter what worked before or didn’t work before, no matter where we had little victories or where we failed to follow through, this thing remains: as long as there is breath in our lungs, God calls to us, and invites us to change our minds, to repent, to trust in Him, and to see what He has in store. 

He’s full of opportunities.  He’s full of possibilities – because with Him all things are possible!

Let me tell you a little story.  I’ve had this church building – and this town of Inuvik – on my prayer list ever since this church closed.  For nearly two years we’ve had an ad online, looking for someone who feels called by God to come and help re-start this congregation.

Then, just a few weeks ago, I got a phone call from Neil, asking if the church could be opened.  That same day, I get a message from a woman in Ontario. She’s done a lot of mission work in the central Arctic, and was praying about moving North to help a church.  She was looking at the map of the Kivalliq region, and she said she heard God saying “look West”, so she scrolled the map on her phone and saw Inuvik.  She didn’t know anything about Inuvik, and typed something like ‘Inuvik church planting’ into Google and came across that ad.

Now, I do believe that God is full of opportunities… so right after talking to her, I booked a flight to come up here today to see what God is doing!

But remember, God isn’t just full of opportunities – He’s full of possibilities, too.

I wanted to have church here in this building. I was thinking it would be as easy as ordering some fuel for the fuel tank… forgetting that Inuvik uses gas, not heating fuel.  I spoke to Verna, and thought, ok, well, no big deal, the power is still on, so a few space heaters will warm the place up.

Then I get here on Friday evening… and the power had been shut off!

I prayed “Lord, now what?” 
The power corp offices were closed.  Turns out Ryan, here, knew a contact down in Hay River. By Saturday morning I had gotten in touch with one of the workers here at the power plant… he didn’t know what he could do, so I went on Messenger and asked all of my praying friends to pray!

Within a few minutes, I had a call from a sleepy-sounding manager from the Power Corp.  He asked about the church, asked if someone was willing to pay the outstanding debt on the power bill, and then said, ‘you know what?  I’m going to get dressed and walk down to the office, and I will turn the power back on by lunchtime’.  That was yesterday. 

God answers prayer… and we need to remember that, no matter what, even when we don’t know how something will get done, with God all things are possible.

An opportunity and a possibility for us today

My brothers and sisters in Christ, I truly believe that God is giving us an opportunity and a possibility here, for this community.

Inuvik needs Jesus. Like every community, it needs a Gospel-sharing, community-focused place where ordinary people can answer that call to turn around, to trust in Jesus as Lord, and to learn what it means to follow Him.

And we need to be honest about that.  Anglicans haven’t always been great in that regard, but like we read in Philippians today, we need to minister from a place of humility. Like St. Paul says, it’s not about “a righteousness of my own”.  Our only righteousness is that which comes from Christ.  We have nothing to boast about, except what the Lord has done in us. 

What every town needs is a church where people gather as sinners saved by grace, and in daily need of the mercy of God.  Like St. Paul says, it’s “not that I have already attained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own”. 

Friends, Inuvik needs a church that can truly be a place where all sinners are welcomed, as we learn together what it means to follow Christ.  After all, the Church is supposed to be a hospital for sinners, not a museum for saints!

What’s the vision? We need to pray!

He’s the God of opportunities and possibilities.

I truly believe that God wants to see this building opened… and not just on Sundays, and not just for funerals and weddings. 

We need to dream much bigger: we’re talking rivers of living water in the desert, a refuge for hurting and hungry people to come in and receive what the Lord has to offer.

Not just “re-opening” the church as it used to be.  Not that it was bad, but there were so many people who weren’t reached.  We need to reach our children and grandchildren. The people in this region used to be so strong in the Faith. There are entire generations who are searching and many are lost, and God is calling out to them, and – right now – He’s giving us the opportunity to be part of the revival that I truly believe He has in store for the North.

We really do need a new thing.  Founded on His unchanging word, and offering His unchanging mercy, “forgetting what lies behind”, but focusing and working towards whatever God has in store up ahead”.

Friends, on behalf of the Diocese, I’m inviting you to pray.

Pray about if you’re called to be part of a new Anglican church in Inuvik.  A church that calls everyone in, offering new life.

A church that focuses on discipleship, where praise on Sunday is important, but just as important is the need for every person to be a disciple, learning to be more like Jesus.

A church that is a place of recovery and healing, as sinners saved by grace.

A church that isn’t envious of churches in the south with their fancy bands and music, but that is true to the unique culture and traditions of the people who call Inuvik home.  A church where everyone can offer their gifts, and together, we can pray and praise in the languages of our hearts.

A church that trusts that the God of infinite opportunities and possibilities will make a way – especially with this great inheritance of a building: Not to close half of it off, but I’d say to open it all the way, trusting that God will provide, and maybe in a new and exciting way, who knows, maybe as a café or a drop-in centre or a day care… I don’t know what’s needed, but I can guarantee that God has a big idea if we’re willing to pray about it.

Friends, you don’t know me, but you can tell I’m excited!  God will do a new thing. Even today, he’s offering life and hope and freedom and forgiveness to our family, friends, and neighbours who are lost and searching.

So… will you join me in prayer, not just today, but in the days ahead, about if you’re called to be a part of that?  Let’s pray.