1 What Really Matters - God's Work in His Church

God’s Work in His Church - What Really Matters; nv 10/10/04 a.m.

OS: A My six-year-old son seems to demand my attention just when I am most busy around the house. My standard reply has been, "I'm busy right now. Go ask your mother."

The disappointed look often on his face as I sent him away convinced me to change my priorities. I resolved to give him my immediate attention whenever he asked. My resolve was quickly tested. I had just climbed to the top of our two-storied house, paintbrush and bucket in hand. As I dipped my brush into the paint I heard his little voice call, "Daddy, Daddy."

Determined to keep my new resolution, I immediately laid paintbrush and bucket aside and climbed back down to the ground to see what he wanted. I got down on both knees, looked him straight in the face and asked, "Well, now what can I do for you, son?"   His reply: "Daddy, where's Mommy?"

I.      B “Priorities” - the most important is often hidden beneath the layers of life.

A.   “Never neglect the important for the urgent”

B.    Life is made up of decisions of all sizes and unless we have the priorities in order we will be off track.

C.   C Psalm 118 8 It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man.

                      1.       We must be God centered, not man centered in all we do.

                      2.       When decision time comes you better be sure your priorities are in order to ensure a proper decision is made.

                      3.       That’s why when Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment was He said, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” (Matthew 22:37-40)

TS] Be God-Centered in all you do.

II.   As a church, it is decision time. (God-Centered time)

A.      Today we begin a process that constitutes the most important and vital task/decision that any church can ever attempt – the selection and appointment of elders.

                      1.       Over the next four Sundays we will have lessons, Bible classes, and small group discussions which are intended to prepare us for this one vital task.

                      2.       It is vital, as a member of Northview that you pray, attend, and participate for the good of Northview. David Shuping will be teaching our Sunday morning Bible class focusing on the technical instruction God has given for an elder’s qualifications and duties.

B.    Our lessons in worship will center on God’s involvement in His church and in our lives.

                      1.       God didn’t wind up the world and set back.

                      2.       God didn’t wind up the church and set back either.

                      3.       Acts 20 28 Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. a Be shepherds of the church of God, b which he bought with his own blood.

C.   The selection and appointment of elders should be so God centered that on January 9th when we officially appoint these new elders we do so with absolute conviction that God has chosen these men to shepherd this church.

                      1.       Let me emphasize: this is not popularity – it is God’s choice.

III.           It was a God-centered choice when we decided to move to NC.

A.   First house, ministry, settled. (I believe that decision was right)

B.    Sometimes we make what we believe to be God-centered decisions and they turn out to be wrong.

                      1.       The Holy Spirit made them overseers in Ephesus, Acts 2830 Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them.

                      2.       Even when chosen by God we must still make good decisions.

                      3.       God-centered decisions do not always indicate the easiest road. But, God can make good come from bad decisions.

C.   Proverbs 16 25 There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death. All decisions should seem right to God first.

TS] When decision time comes we must be God centered, not man centered. Example: David & Goliath (1 Samuel 17) Whether facing the big moments in life or the day to day challenges David gives us some good keys to good decisions. (Verses 3-11)

I.      D Retain your Focus – Clarity of the task at hand.

A.   Saul and his army saw the giant, but David saw the defiance of God.

                      1.       David was able to see the big picture.

                      2.       When he arrived his first assessment – : vs. 26b, Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?” (David asked the right question – Saul = who can defeat him?)

                       3.       45 David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 This day the LORD will hand you over to me, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. Today I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. 47 All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.”

B.    Merry – go – round (center is most stable.)

                      1.       The further we are from God the more difficult it is to hang on in life, especially in times when the big decision has to be made.

                      2.       The further we are from God the more blurry life gets.

C.   Tree-skiing = don’t stare at what you don’t want to hit.” Focus on the spaces between the tees.

TS] God’s way – not man’s way brings success at all we do. Retain Focus – God centered.

II.    E Remember your history with God.

A.   Saul and his army were amnesia induced by Goliath. They forgot their history with God.

                      1.       God had already fought numerous battles for Saul and his army and won. God always wins.

                      2.       David remembered – Bear & Lion and God’s protection.

                      3.       :1 Samuel 17 37 The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.”

B.    What kind of history do you have with God? What kind of history does Northview have with God?

                      1.       God has blessed this church since 1972, and a lot of big decisions have been made over the years, and God has provided. Blessed with Good Elders who love God.

                      2.       I do not believe that God has brought this church this far for nothing! Rest assured that He will see us through!

TS] God’s way – not man’s way brings success at all we do. Retain Focus – God centered; Remember your history with God.

III.            F Real Faith - Place your Trust in the power of God

A.   Saul and his army had placed their trust in themselves, but David placed his trust in God.

B.    A police officer pulled a man over for speeding and had the following exchange: Officer: May I see your driver's license? Driver: I don't have one. I had it suspended when I got my fifth DUI.  Officer: May I see the registration for this vehicle? Driver: It's not my car. I stole it. Officer: The car is stolen? Driver: That's right. But, come to think of it, I believe I saw the owner's registration in the glove box when I was putting my gun in there. Officer: There's a gun in the glove box? Driver: Yes, sir. That's where I put it after I shot and killed the woman who owns this car and stuffed her in the trunk. Officer: There's a BODY in the TRUNK?!?!? Driver: Yes, sir. Hearing this, the officer immediately called his captain. The car was quickly surrounded by police, and the captain approached the driver: Captain: Sir, can I see your license? Driver: Sure. Here it is. It was valid. Captain: Who's car is this? Driver: It's mine, officer. Here's the registration. Captain: Could you slowly open your glove box so I can see if there's a gun in it? Driver: Yes, sir, but there's no gun in it. Sure enough, there was nothing in the glove box. Captain: Would you mind opening your trunk? I was told there's a body in it. Driver: No problem. The trunk was opened; no body. Captain: I don't understand it. The officer who stopped you said you told him you didn't have a license, stole the car, had a gun in the glovebox, and that there was a dead body in the trunk. Driver: Yeah, I'll bet he told you I was speeding, too.

                      1.       You cannot trust everything people tell you, but you can trust everything that comes from God.

C.   David didn’t trust what anybody said, that didn’t comply with being God-centered.

                      1.       :33 Saul replied, “You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a boy, and he has been a fighting man from his youth.”

                      2.       Trust what God says even when it doesn’t make sense.

TS] G God’s way – not man’s way brings success in all we do. Retain your focus, remember your history with God, and trust what He says. If you do so you will make better decisions in life, and we will as a church.

As we approach this momentous occasion as a church – the selection and appointment of additional elders – pray that we go about it in God’s way. Pray that God will lead us to select and appoint the right men to help lead this church into the future for the glory of God.

When you walk out that door today and go into your activities tomorrow go about it in God’s way – not man’s way. It will be harder, and sometimes seem to make life more difficult. Remember, God’s way doesn’t have to make sense in this world, because His ways are of His world. It did not make sense for a little boy to fight Goliath, but it was God’s way. As you battle the Goliaths of your life battle God’s way and He will be with you – that is really all that matters.