Stay Outside — Carter Conlon

A Church's Strength and Witness

It's a real pleasure for me to be here with you this morning.

Je suis né à la ville de Rouyn-Noranda. I was born in Rouyn-Noranda. In the year 1953. En 1953. And you have no idea how precious Pastor Claude and his wife are to me.

Vous n 'avez aucune idée à quel point Pastor Claude et son épouse sont précieux pour nous.

And how precious this church is.

Et à quel point cette église est précieuse.

You see, when I was young, there was nothing like this.

Quand j 'étais jeune, vous voyez, il n 'y avait rien comme ceci.

When I was wounded, there was no witness.

Quand j 'étais blessé, il n 'y avait pas de témoignage.

And I thank God for you with all my heart.

Et je rends grâce à Dieu pour vous de tout mon coeur.

I have asked the Lord to give me a word for you today.

J 'ai demandé au Seigneur de me donner une parole pour vous aujourd 'hui.

Because this is your 25th anniversary. Parce que c 'est votre 25e anniversaire. It's a time of great blessing and celebration.

C 'est un temps de grande bénédiction et de célébration.

But it's also a dangerous time for any church.

Mais c 'est aussi des temps dangereux pour n 'importe quelle église.

Because something can happen that can take away your strength.

Parce que quelque chose peut arriver qui nous enlève notre force. And it can take away your witness. Et enlever notre témoignage.

Let's pray together. Prions ensemble. Father, I thank you. Père, je te rends grâce. For the touch of your Holy Spirit. Pour la touche de ton Saint-Esprit. I thank you for your word. Je te rends grâce pour ta parole.

Which is life. Qui est la vie. It's light. C 'est la lumière. It's strength. C 'est la force. Your word shows us the way we should go.

Ta parole nous instruise de la voie que nous devons suivre.

And calls us when we find ourselves without strength.

Et nous appelle lorsqu 'on se retrouve sans force.

And so I ask you for the anointing of your Holy Spirit.

Alors je te demande pour l 'anointing du Saint-Esprit.

To deliver this word to your people. Pour apporter cette parole à ton peuple. And give your people strength. Pour donner de la force à ton peuple. Strengthen this church, Lord. Fortifie cette église, Seigneur. And prepare this church for the next season.

Et prépare cette église pour la prochaine saison. Thank you for giving your word.

Merci pour ta parole. May, O God, you speak through me today. Parle à travers moi aujourd 'hui, O Dieu.

And give us the hearts to hear. Et donne-nous les coeurs pour l 'entendre. In Jesus' name.

Dans le nom de Jésus. I want to focus on one verse to begin from Luke chapter 10.

Je voudrais mettre mon emphase sur un verset dans Luke verset 10.

And it's a verse the scripture says where a certain person stood up.

C 'est là où le verset nous dit qu 'une personne s 'est levée.

And he said, Master, what do I have to do to inherit eternal life?

Et qu 'il a dit, Maître, que dois-je faire pour hériter de la vie éternelle?

In other words, what do I have to do to stay alive?

En d 'autres mots, qu 'est-ce que je dois faire pour rester vivant?

I don't want to spiritually die.

Je ne veux pas mourir spirituellement. I want to stay alive. Je veux rester vivant.

And I want it to last forever. Et je veux que ça dure pour l 'éternité. So what is the thing that I need to do? Alors qu 'est-ce que je dois faire? How can I find this life? Comment je peux trouver cette vie?

That you promise is available to all of your people.

Que tu nous as promis qu 'il était disponible pour tout ton peuple.

A Revival That Went Outside the Church Walls

I was so surprised ten years ago.

J 'étais tellement surpris il y a dix ans. I was speaking in London, England. J 'étais à Londres en Angleterre. And I walked into a bookstore.

Et je suis entré dans une librairie. And I saw a book I never anticipated I would ever see in my lifetime.

Et j 'ai vu un livre que je n 'avais jamais imaginé voir durant toute ma vie.

And it was a book talking about the revival that had come to my hometown.

Et c 'était un livre qui racontait l 'histoire du réveil qui avait pris place dans ma ville où je suis né.

And it happened just about the time that I was born.

Et ça a pris place alors que moi j 'étais vivant, j 'étais au monde. I couldn't believe it.

Je ne pouvais pas y croire. Because my whole time I had been showing my testimony.

Toutes les fois que je partageais mon témoignage.

I had been telling people I grew up in a town where there was no testimony of Jesus Christ.

Parce que je disais aux gens, j 'ai grandi dans une ville où il n 'y avait aucun témoignage de Jésus-Christ dans la ville.

Now I'm in my fifties now. Et là j 'étais dans la cinquantaine. And I find out there was a revival in my hometown.

Et je découvre qu 'il y avait eu un réveil dans ma ville.

Not just in Rue Noranda, but also in Val d 'Or.

Pas seulement à Rue Noranda, mais à Val d 'Or. There was a pastor at this time. Il y avait un pasteur à l 'époque. And a church. Et une église. And they went outside. Et ils sont sortis à l 'extérieur des murs.

And this is the title of my message to you this morning.

Et c 'est le titre de mon message pour vous ce matin. Stay outside. Restez à l 'extérieur. If you want to stay alive.

Si tu veux rester vivant. Stay outside. Reste à l 'extérieur. And this pastor and this congregation went outside.

Et ce pasteur et cette congrégation ont été à l 'extérieur.

And they began to preach the gospel and crowds started to gather.

Ils ont commencé à prêcher l 'évangile et il y a des foules qui se joignaient.

And people started coming to God. Et les gens venaient à Dieu. But the law of the province of Quebec at that time.

Mais la loi de la province du Québec à l 'époque.

Said that you couldn't do these things.

Disait que tu ne pouvais pas faire ce genre de choses.

You could practice your religion, but you had to do it inside.

Tu pouvais pratiquer ta religion, mais à l 'intérieur.

You couldn't take what you believed into the broader marketplace.

Tu ne pouvais pas prendre ce que tu croyais et l 'amener dans les lieux publics. And they threatened this pastor. Ils ont menacé ce pasteur. If you continue to do this. Si tu continues de faire ceci.

We're going to charge you. Nous allons porter des charges contre toi. And we're going to put you in jail. Et nous allons te mettre en prison. But the pastor believed in his heart. Mais le pasteur croyait dans son coeur.

That the calling of God was stronger than the threats of people.

Que l 'appel de Dieu était plus grand que les menaces des gens. And he kept going outside. Et il a continué d 'aller à l 'extérieur.

And he kept preaching the gospel. Il a continué de prêcher l 'évangile. Until eventually the mayor of Rwanda. Jusqu 'à ce que le maire de Rwanda. And the police chief. Et le chef de police. Arrested him.

L 'ont arrêté. And some of his followers. Et certains des gens qui étaient avec lui. And put them in jail. Et ils ont été emprisonnés. The congregation gathered together. La congrégation s 'est réunie.

And they fought this injustice in the courts.

Et ils se sont battus contre cette injustice-là dans la cour. And they won the battle. Et ils ont gagné la bataille.

They changed the law. Ils ont changé la loi. This oppressive law. Cette loi qui était opprimante. Lost its force. A perdu sa force. And they were given the right to preach anywhere they wanted to.

When Victory Turns Into Withdrawal

Et ils ont eu le droit de prêcher peu importe où. Peu importe l 'endroit. But then a strange thing happened. Mais une chose étrange est arrivée. After they won the battle. Après avoir gagné cette bataille.

They're not heard from again. On n 'entend plus parler de cette église-là.

It's like they went inside the church.

C 'est comme s 'ils se sont retrouvés à l 'intérieur de l 'église.

And they began to either celebrate their victory.

Ou bien ils ont commencé à célébrer leur victoire.

Which is something that we can all do. C 'est quelque chose qu 'on peut tous faire.

Or maybe they just got tired. Ou peut-être qu 'ils étaient simplement fatigués, épuisés. They got tired of the fight.

Épuisés de la bataille. Tired of going outside the doors and always having this hostility.

Épuisés de toujours sortir à l 'extérieur et d 'avoir toute cette hostilité envers eux. For whatever reason.

Peu importe la raison. They went inside of their own church.

Ils sont retournés à l 'intérieur de leur église.

And I'm sure they had a good time.

Je suis convaincu qu 'ils avaient du bon temps. And they celebrated God.

Ils ont célébré Dieu. This church was two blocks from my house.

Et cette église était à deux coins de rue de chez moi.

Two hundred yards from my house. Deux cents mètres de chez moi. I passed by this church almost every day.

J 'ai passé devant cette église à tous les jours.

I passed by it when I was a child.

J 'ai passé devant quand j 'étais un enfant.

I passed by it when I was a teenager.

Quand j 'étais un adolescent, je passais devant.

I passed by it when I was getting close to twenty years old.

Lorsque j 'avais proche de la vingtaine, je passais devant.

I never saw one person come out of that church.

Je n 'ai jamais vu quelqu 'un sortir de cette église-là. I used to wonder. Je me demandais, who are these people? C 'est qui ces gens-là?

There was only about twenty thousand English-speaking people in my town.

Il y avait seulement vingt mille personnes qui étaient anglophones dans ma ville. How come I didn't know any of them?

Comment ça se dit que je n 'en connais aucun? I used to wonder when I would go by there.

Je me demandais lorsque je passais devant. I wonder who these people are. Je me demandais, mais qui sont ces gens? I wonder what they believe.

The Good Samaritan and the Mission Beyond the Walls

Qu 'est-ce qu 'ils croient? I wonder what they do in there. Je me demande qu 'est-ce qu 'ils font. As I was passing by. Alors que je passais devant. Just like this parable that Jesus tells this teacher now.

Comme cette parabole que Jésus raconte à cet homme.

He says there was a certain man that went down from Jerusalem to Jericho.

Il dit, il y avait un homme qui se rendait de Jericho à Jérusalem.

And those two cities are significant. Et ces deux villes-là sont significatives. Because Jericho represents the beginning of our walk with God.

Parce que Jericho représente le début de notre marche avec Dieu.

It represents the moment that churches are established.

Ça nous rappelle le moment où les églises sont établies. The moment that lives are redeemed. Le moment où nos vies sont rachetées.

The moment that you have to go in and you've got to conquer these places that you were told you could never conquer.

Le moment où tu dois aller dans ces endroits pour les conquérir qu 'on t 'avait dit que tu pourrais jamais conquérir.

It was in Jericho that this group of God's people.

C 'est à Jericho que le peuple de Dieu. They took a prostitute with them. Ils ont amené une prostituée avec eux.

And they took her whole family. Et toute sa famille. And she became a part of the family of God.

Elle a fait partie de la famille de Dieu.

Not just a part of the family of God, she became a famous part of the family of God.

Pas juste quelqu 'un, un membre de la famille de Dieu, mais un membre célèbre de la famille de Dieu.

It's that season where we start out and we have compassion for those that have no helper.

Et c 'est cette saison qu 'on débute où on a de la compassion pour ceux qui sont sans aide.

They have no way out of destruction unless we help them.

Ils n 'ont aucune façon de sortir de la destruction sauf si on les aide.

It's that season where Pastor Claude climbed under a veranda, a porch.

C 'est le moment où Pastor Claude est sorti sur un balcon. Because the police called, there was a girl under there that was going to take her life. Parce que la police avait appelé parce qu 'il y avait une jeune fille qui voulait s 'enlever la vie.

That was your Jericho. Ça, c 'était ton Jericho.

That was the beginning of your church. C 'était le début de votre église. That was the heart that God gave to you. C 'est le cœur que Dieu vous a donné.

At whatever personal cost. Peu importe le coût au niveau personnel.

You could have died under that porch.

Tu aurais pu mourir sous ce balcon. She could have lit a match and you'd be in heaven already today.

Elle aurait pu allumer une allumette et vous seriez tous les deux au ciel. But her soul was worth you going in there.

Mais son âme valait le défi d 'y aller. That's what Jericho means.

C 'est ce que Jericho veut dire. It doesn't matter what it costs me.

Ça n 'a rien à voir avec ce que ça va me coûter.

I'm going to go in and get those that have no hope.

Je vais aller vers ceux qui n 'ont plus d 'espoir. I'm going to get those that have no helper. Je vais aller vers ceux qui n 'ont plus d 'aide. And I'm not going to leave them behind.

Et je ne les laisserai pas derrière. I'm going to take them with me. Je vais les amener avec moi. That's how most churches start.

C 'est comme ça que la majorité des églises débutent.

They start because they have that heart.

Ils commencent parce qu 'ils ont ce cœur.

From Jericho's Compassion to Jerusalem's Temple

But then eventually they get to Jerusalem. Mais éventuellement ils arrivent à Jérusalem. Jerusalem is the place that is built after the victory is won.

C 'est l 'endroit qui est construit après que la victoire a été remportée. It's the place of the temple. C 'est l 'endroit du temple. C 'est le lieu du temple. Wonderful worship there. Une louange incroyable, merveilleuse.

The glory of God is in the building.

La gloire de Dieu est dans le bâtiment.

But something happened to the people.

Mais il y a quelque chose qui est arrivé au peuple. We need to be careful.

On doit faire attention. Because when we have won the victory,.

Parce que lorsque nous avons remporté la victoire, we can lose the heart.

Nous pouvons perdre le cœur. And we can start to go inside.

Et nous pouvons nous retrouver à l 'intérieur.

And everything can be about what goes on inside.

Et tout ce qui nous préoccupe, c 'est ce qui se passe à l 'intérieur.

And we can forget that the glory of God was given to us when we were outside.

Et nous pouvons oublier que la gloire de Dieu nous a été donnée lorsqu 'on était à l 'extérieur.

The Wounded Man on the Road

The scripture tells us that there was a man there who fell among thieves.

La parole nous raconte l 'histoire que Jésus raconte qu 'un homme s 'est fait prendre par des brigands. That happened to me. Le diable m 'a volé des choses dans ma vie. Il m 'a enlevé le sentiment d 'être bien.

J 'étais blessé profondément dans mon cœur. Je me sentais à moitié mort. Et je suis devenu très colérique. I started to drink a lot.

J 'ai commencé à boire beaucoup. I started to fight a lot. J 'ai commencé à me battre beaucoup. And I would still be passing by that church almost every week.

Et à toutes les semaines, je passais devant cette église.

And I would still be wondering, what happens in there?

Et je me demandais, qu 'est-ce qui arrive dans ce lieu-là?

There's cars in the parking lot, but where are the people?

Il y a des autos dans le stationnement, mais où sont les gens?

And why do I never see them come out of this building?

Et pourquoi je ne les vois jamais sortir de ce lieu? Jésus dit qu 'il y avait un prêtre qui passait par là.

And it talks about the offices that God gives in the church.

Il parle des ministères que Dieu a donnés dans l 'église. We start to learn things.

On commence à apprendre des choses. We start to teach others about things.

On commence à enseigner les autres à propos de certaines choses.

And I can just see this person going by.

Et je peux juste voir cette personne qui passe à côté.

And he's now got a ministry in the church of some sort. Et là, il y a un ministère dans l 'église. He's got his notes under his arm. Il a ses notes sous son bras. And he's going in. Et il rentre. Because he has to teach in the temple.

Il doit enseigner dans le temple. And he walks right by a man who's wounded.

Et il passe près d 'un homme qui est blessé. And who's bruised.

Qui est blessé, qui est meurtri. And he forgot what his first ministry is all about.

Et il a oublié ce qu 'était son premier ministère.

And he talks about a Levite as well.

Et il raconte qu 'il y a un Lévite également. A worshiper. C 'est un adorateur.

He's got a new song to sing. Il y a un nouveau chant à chanter. He's got a new chord to play on the guitar.

Il y a un nouvel accord pour jouer sur sa guitare. A new note to play on the trumpet. Ou peut-être sur la trompette, il y a une nouvelle note.

And he's in such a hurry to get to the temple in Jerusalem.

Et il est tellement pressé de se rendre à Jérusalem au temple.

That he no longer sees the man on the road.

Qu 'il ne voit plus l 'homme blessé sur la cheville de chemin.

And if he does see him, he passes on the other side.

Et s 'il le voit, il s 'éloigne, il va de l 'autre côté de la rue. Je remercie Dieu pour la troisième personne dans cette histoire. C 'était un Samaritain. Cet homme n 'avait aucun ministère dans le temple.

Il ne pouvait pas chanter dans la chorale. Mais il l 'a vu. L 'homme qui était encore à l 'extérieur. Et je remercie Dieu de tout mon cœur. Que lorsque j 'avais 24 ans. Qu 'un homme qui n 'avait aucun ministère dans l 'église.

M 'a vu. Il est venu à ma maison. Il ne m 'a pas fait venir à sa maison. Il est venu à ma maison. Et il a ouvert les Écritures. Les Écritures nous disent que le Samaritain a versé de l 'huile sur les blessures de cet homme.

Et cet homme m 'a dit que je pourrais avoir une vie nouvelle en Christ. Je pourrais être pardonné. Je pourrais être une nouvelle création. Que Dieu pouvait guérir notre mariage. Qu 'il pouvait aider les blessures de mon cœur.

A Samaritan Who Came to the Wounded

Il n 'avait aucun ministère dans l 'église. Mais il m 'a vu. Tu vois, j 'étais dans le ministère de l 'église. Et il m 'a vu. Il est resté à l 'extérieur. Il est venu à ma maison. Et ça lui a coûté de venir à ma maison.

Ça lui a coûté du temps. Et je n 'étais pas gentil envers lui. N 'oubliez pas que j 'étais en colère. Et souvent les gens à qui on parle de Christ sont en colère. Ils sont fatigués de la vie. Ils ne font pas confiance à personne.

Mais il venait à chaque semaine à ma maison. Ça lui a coûté du temps. Ça lui a coûté du confort. J 'étais tellement désagréable envers lui. Que lorsque j 'ai donné ma vie à Christ, il ne me croyait pas.

Il m 'a dit, je ne te crois pas. J 'ai dit non, c 'est vrai. C 'est à cause de lui, à cause d 'un Samaritain, un homme sans ministère, que j 'ai commencé à lire ma Bible. J 'ai lu l 'évangile de Jean.

Et j 'ai vu Jésus-Christ dans cette évangile.

J 'ai vu la croix. J 'ai vu la rédemption.

Et j 'ai compris le mystère du salut. Je n 'aurais jamais lu ce livre si quelqu 'un n 'était pas venu à moi. Et à ce jour, je rends grâce à Dieu de tout mon cœur que quelqu 'un ait sorti de la maison.

Isaiah's Call to Feed, Free, and Restore

Peux-tu t 'imaginer une église qui était dans un réveil dans ma ville natale? Une église où le pasteur était prêt à aller en prison. Une église qui prêchait l 'évangile à l 'extérieur à tout prix. Et qui avait finalement vaincu la loi de l 'époque.

Et là, il s 'en va à l 'intérieur, à 200 mètres de ma maison. J 'aurais tellement souhaité que quelqu 'un sorte de cette maison. J 'aurais aimé que quelqu 'un me parle quand j 'étais un adolescent. L 'église était juste à côté de l 'aréna.

Je jouais au hockey à ce moment-là. Et j 'y allais toutes les semaines. Découragé.

Blessé. Brisé. I'm sure they were having a good time in that church. I bet you the worship was incredible. I think the word was probably biblical and solid. But where were the people? I never saw a single person in 18 years.

Not one. Not one. Not one. I could see the church from my house. And I never saw anybody come out of that building. But I knew people were going there.

I didn't know who they were. Because they had gone inside. And they forgot that the wounded people are outside. I would have listened to them. I was so hurt inside. I would have listened.

Now God says to his own people in the book of Isaiah chapter 58. Here is the religion that I am looking for. It's a religion that goes out and says I'm going to make a difference in my society. People are gripped by wickedness.

And I'm going to ask God to use my life to open their prison doors.

And give sight to their blinded eyes.

And pour healing into their wounded hearts. And to lift their burdens from them. And to see them get set free. I'm not asking them to come to me. I'm going to go to them. I'm going to ask God for the eyes to see them.

Seeing Those Others Overlook

I was in Kenya recently. And a little orphan girl about this high came up to me. And she said something to me profound. She said pastor you have spiritual eyes. I said what do you mean by that? She said if you didn't have spiritual eyes you wouldn't see me.

From the mouth of a child. If you didn't have spiritual eyes I would be too small for you. There would be nothing I could add to your agenda. You wouldn't even notice that I'm alive. Is it not he said to give your bread to the hungry.

And thank God for what you have done in this church. Thank God for the testimony of this church. You have gone outside. You fed the hungry. Stay outside. Keep feeding the hungry. Keep reaching those that have no helper.

And bring those who are poor and cast out to this house. It doesn't say invite them. The Bible says bring them. That means you. Bring them. You go get them. And you say come with me to the house of God.

There's bread. There's healing. There's provision. There's love. There's freedom. Come with me. God sees you. God sees your hurt. God sees your pain. I know he does. Because he lives inside of me. And he looks through my eyes.

And his heart beats inside of my body. And I know how he feels about you. So you come with me to the house of God. And the scripture says don't hide from human need. Listen to me. Do not be driven inside of this house.

God's Promise to Those Who Keep Reaching Out

Don't let the powers of hell stop you from doing what God has called you to do. You will be opposed. You will be threatened. You will be ridiculed. But God says this promise to you.

If you will continue to reach out outside these walls.

Your light will break forth like the morning. There will be something of you that God says I'm going to do something through you. And the darkness cannot hide the light that I'm going to show through you.

Hallelujah. Remember this one thing. Darkness cannot swallow light. Remember this one thing.

Darkness cannot swallow light. Darkness can threaten light. But it cannot swallow light. Light can repel darkness and swallow darkness. He says if you do this I will bring healing to you. You will be a wholesome people.

And I will go before you.

God says I will give you a reputation. I will send it before you. I will cause it to be spoken. The voice of God is louder than the voice of your enemies. I will give you a reputation among the people.

And I will go before you.

And I will come behind you. And I will protect you from every power of darkness that would try to swallow you.

And from everything of hell that says I'm going to pursue you and I'm going to overtake you. Remember these two things. I will go before you. And I will give you a reputation. And I will go behind you.

And I will protect you. If you continue to reach out. And not only that. The Lord says you will call out to me. And I will answer you. You will pray. I will hear you. You will ask. And I will give you.

You will seek. And you will find. You will knock. And it shall be opened. There will be no power of hell that can come against you. If you take away the yoke. If the reason you exist. Is to help those that have nobody to help them.

Rejecting Blame and Extending Compassion

And pointing your finger.

And speaking wickedly. Now here's what that means.

I want you to picture the priest coming to the temple. And the worshiper with his or her instrument coming to the temple. And they see this man on the road that's been beaten and wounded and left for dead.

Pointing the finger means somebody should do something about that. Speaking wickedness. Means pointing the finger. Saying well he's like that because it's his fault. It's not my fault he's like that. He's like that because he's doing drugs.

He's like that because of how he was raised.

He's like that because that's what people from his neighborhood do.

So I take my Bible and my instrument and I make my way to the temple. The Lord says take that away from you. Don't let that be part of you. He said if you extend your soul to the hungry. If you reach down to the afflicted soul.

Then your light will begin to shine in the darkness. And even your darkest times will be just like the noon day. And the Lord will guide you continually. And he will satisfy you in times of famine. He will be strength to you.

He'll be strength to your families. He'll give strength to your homes. He'll give strength to your witness of Christ. God will be your strength. God will be your strength. God will be your strength. And you will be like a watered garden.

And like a spring whose waters do not fail. And the people that are raised up among you.

And yours that will be raised up among you. They will rebuild on old ruins. And they will raise up foundations of many generations.

Restoring Homes, Marriages, and Generations

That means generations that have been destroyed by sin.

Homes that have been destroyed by sin. Lives that have been destroyed. Thoughts that have been destroyed.

You who reach out. You who let my compassion be at the center of your heart. You who go outside the walls of where you worship. You will be the ones that God will use. And you will raise up the foundations.

Homes will be rebuilt. Marriages will be restored. Teenagers will be saved. Children will have hope.

And not only that.

You will be called the one who restores or repairs that place. Who rebuilds the wall. That allowed that street to be a place where the devil was destroying people. You will be the restorer of streets to dwell in.

A New Season of Ministry Begins Outside

Let me finish just with this thought. If you will stay outside. God's going to do something through you much far beyond anything you've ever experienced.

Deeper than anything you've ever known.

This is not the end of anything at 25 years.

This is only the beginning of something that God will do.