RISE 2023 | Message Series| Involve More

ONE OF the famous shows on television was Seinfeld. I watched about five minutes of it once, but it didn’t look worthy of my time. But obviously, the show was popular because Seinfeld, the star, made a hundred million dollars from it. I’ve since discovered the key to the show’s success. There is no plot. The episodes don’t really go anywhere. So it’s an aimless show that aimless people love. Some folks are living their own Seinfeld show, because they wake up every day with no plot. They are not going anywhere. They are just existing day to day. There is no mission and no call of God on their lives.

I believe that every believer has a calling - they have something that they are able to do that benefits the kingdom of God. It is a HIGH calling from God in Christ Jesus. We are not meant to just make do, we are called to a high calling that God has given you.

It might not seem like much to you.

It might seem small. Little is much when God is in it. Labour not for wealth or fame. There’s a crown and you can win it, if you go in Jesus name.

From greeters, ushers, deacons, AV team, building teams, counters, etc - every single way you can serve - MATTERS.

LET’S REVIEW LAST WEEK: R = Reach Others. Did you share your faith this week? Did you go as far as inviting someone to church with you this week? (sit with me method)

TODAY - We move to our next letter.

RISE

I - Involve More

This isn’t just another yearly plea to help us around the church (it is)

This is more a call to your calling. Getting involved in ministry is not just showing up at church.

There are many areas that we desperately need committed persons to help with, at the end you will have an opportunity to sign up to areas that you feel God is leading you.

Don’t forget there is a portion of training that is corporate that is being held today at 4PM for all that serve, and are planning to serve. Let me also encourage you to be sure to attend because very important information will be shared as far as the process of serving. This is for ALL that currently serve - no matter the role, or those ready to start serving in a ministry. 4PM today.

We will also have groups training for each specific group so if you want to jump in - you won’t be left without know what to do and how to do it.

Let’s go to God’s word to day to be encouraged about being more involved.

God’s Purpose | Your Calling.

I said earlier that I believe that every believer has a calling- I really believe that. God has given every believer spiritual and practical gifts to be used for His kingdom.

I want to briefly look today at two distinct areas.

1. Your Calling - or what God has uniquely called you to

2. God’s purpose in your calling.

Ephesians 2:1–10 CSB

1 And you were dead in your trespasses and sins 2 in which you previously walked according to the ways of this world, according to the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit now working in the disobedient. 3 We too all previously lived among them in our fleshly desires, carrying out the inclinations of our flesh and thoughts, and we were by nature children under wrath as the others were also. 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love that he had for us, 5 made us alive with Christ even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace! 6 He also raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might display the immeasurable riches of his grace through his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift—9 not from works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do.

MADE ALIVE - V1.

WE WERE ONCE DEAD IN SIN - BUT WE ARE MADE ALIVE THROUGH CHRIST.

LIVING THINGS DO THINGS!

TO BE MADE ALIVE MEANS THAT WE WERE ONCE DEAD. V2.

THERE’S A TRANSITION IN V4

“BUT GOD”.

NOW - MERCY, LOVE, GRACE ENTER THROUGH THE WORK OF CHRIST JESUS.

REMINDER THAT SALVATION IS BY GRACE.

V8-9 : THE BASIS OF SALVATION IS GRACE THROUGH FAITH, NOT OF WORKS. (TAKES US BACK TO VERSE 5) BY GRACE YOU ARE SAVED.

MY CALLING

WE HAVE SEEN HOW GOD HAS CALLED US TO SALVATION THROUGH FAITH AND BY HIS GRACE.

Even in these verses there is a pattern that we need to notice - it is the calling of God and the purpose of God on all that believe.

Ephesians 2:10 CSB

10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do.

BREAK IT DOWN:

The word “handiwork” comes from the same Greek. It means “made by someone,” a “work” of someone’s hands. The CSB & KJV goes with “workmanship.” The NRSV has “we are what he has made us.”

The next phrase—“Created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do”—raises some questions.

Why do good works show up so positively in this verse?

The preceding statement in Ephesians 2:8–9 is clear that salvation does not come by works. But we miss the full implications of salvation if we stop reading in verse 9.

No, our works do not earn our salvation. But our salvation should indeed lead us to a life of good works, works God has prepared “for us to do.” Yes, we are saved by God’s grace.

But receiving this gift means living with and for God in a new way.

The Greek reads, “in order that we might walk in them,” thus ending 2:1–10 as it began, with a description of how we walk or live.

When we receive this grace, we aren’t merely delivered from a bad way of living into some kind of neutral existence.

Rather, we HAVE BECOME NEW in Christ for a new way of living, a way READY AND WILLING TO SERVE in good works.

The truth that God has good works for us to do is fully consistent with the rest of Ephesians. God chose us to be holy so that we might belong to him and be devoted to his purposes (1:3).EPH 1:3

God determined that we should exist “for the praise of his glory” (1:12, 14).

Ephesians 1:3 NKJV

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,

THAT IS OUR INDIVIDUAL CALLINGS - WE ALL HAVE SOMETHING TO DO FOR THE KINGDOM - A WAY TO SERVE. BUT OUR CALLING IS ALSO CORPORATE. (THE WHOLE CHURCH)

God’s Purpose | Our Calling

WE AS A CHURCH HAVE A PURPOSE THAT GOD HAS GIVEN US. IT TAKES ALL HANDS ON DECK TO ACCOMPLISH GOD’S PURPOSE.

THERE was a little boy who played on a football team who was something of a goof-off. He never really played hard, was always lazy, didn’t practice diligently, and so he never got to play. On the last game of his senior year, the running backs in front of him all got hurt, so they had to put him in. His teammates and coaches couldn’t believe their eyes; he was playing like a wild man. They couldn’t believe this was the same kid. After the game, they came over to him to ask him why he played so well after all those years of goofing off. “Oh,” he said, “it’s simple. My father was blind. He died yesterday, so this is the first day he’s ever gotten to see me play.” See, when you know Daddy is watching, it makes you want to perform at a higher level. It makes you perform for a greater reason. God has called you for His kingdom, which is what you do even beyond the church. Everything you do, you should do as if He’s watching. You should do it for His glory

GOD IS WATCHING WHAT WE DO WITH HIS KINGDOM AND WITHIN HIS KINGDOM.

Matthew 6:33 CSB

33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you.

Matthew 5:16 CSB

16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.

We are ligaments.

A ligament is a fibrous connective tissue that attaches BONE to BONE - and usually serves to hold structures together and keep them stable. NO LIGAMENTS AND WE JUST FALL DOWN.

The church is the same way. Look at Eph 4:16

Ephesians 4:16 CSB

16 From him the whole body, fitted and knit together by every supporting ligament, promotes the growth of the body for building itself up in love by the proper working of each individual part.

EVERYONE HAS SOMETHING THEY CAN DO TO SERVE (BUILD UP) THE CHURCH THAT LEADS TO GROWTH.

ALL PARTS - WORKING TOGETHER.

WHAT DO YOU SEE IS ONE OF THE KEY WORDS TO GROWTH, AND WORKING TOGETHER? LOVE!

LOVE IS WHAT BUILDS THE BODY AS WE ALL DO OUR PART.

“WE WALK TOGETHER, OR WE WAIT TOGETHER. BUT TOGETHER AS GOD’S FAMILY - SIDE BY SIDE” - PW

SATAN NOR ANY OTHER FOE CAN DEFEAT A UNITED BODY OF BELIEVERS.

Life application.

Accept salvation by grace (romans 10:9, eph. 2:8-10)

Commit to a unified church through prayer, giving, and serving.

We exist as First Baptist Poinciana to bring glory to God through Christ Jesus.

Understand that YOU have a calling on your life that has been placed there by God - for you.

You are God’s workmanship. God loves you. John 3:16

Sign up for one of the areas that you think best suits you to help our ministries.

Be here this afternoon at 4PM for RISE leadership training. (all)

I want to leave you with a passage scripture to pray over.

Ephesians 4:1–6 (CSB)

1 Therefore I, the prisoner in the Lord, urge you to walk worthy of the calling you have received, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope at your calling—5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.

Time of Commitment