Hidden Silver: The Secret to Success in 2024

Vision Sunday 2024

2023 in Review:

Over 150 meals served during our five homeless outreach efforts

Fall Fest: 13+ families served

Holiday Family Photoshoot: 9 families served

Hosted first Kid’s Talent Show

Hosted first Love Feast with over 50 guests

Explanation of Selfless Church:

Mission: Selfless Church seeks to share Jesus Christ to the faithless and hopeless.

Vision: Selfless Church exists to spread the selfless love of Jesus Christ to a forsaken generation by sharing the testimony of Jesus Christ and providing acts of service.

Direction: Selfless is becoming a community-serving body of believers who reflect the biblical description of Christ’s church.

Free medical and mental health services

Food for the hungry

Workforce and development services

Financial and economic empowerment services

2024 Changes:

New worship schedule

Sunday Worship at 5:00 PM

Wednesday Bible Study 7:30 PM- A Journey Through Scripture

Selfless Giving Initiative

1st Sunday of each month is dedicated to the homeless

Rest of the month is dedicated to serving families and the college community

2024 Goals:

Launch Worship & Arts Department

Begin a Sunday Morning Worship Service

50+ new members

Upcoming Events:

Black History Month Program

Monthly Fellowship Program

How to Get Involved:

Connect | Grow | Serve

Minimal operation costs

Yearly Bible Reading

Theme: Growing Through the Power of God’s Word

Introduction

By a show of hands, how many of you would say you are blessed? Now, how many of you would say you are happy?

Many people often declare their blessed state. They are able to list the various reasons they feel they are blessed: food, clothes, housing, etc. However, if asked whether they are happy, even with these things, individuals are not so convinced of their happiness. In the minds of most people, there is a clear understanding of the terms blessed and happy that allow individuals to feel they can be blessed but not happy.

The problem is the Bible sees no difference between being blessed and happy. To be blessed means to be happy. It means to be happy because of the circumstances, the fortunate conditions one may find themselves in. And therefore, we conclude that the Bible clearly testifies of God’s will to glorify Himself through the happiness of His people by placing them in fortunate and privileged conditions that lead to their happiness.

If we are finding ourselves in unhappy conditions it is because we are actually in an unfortunate and non-privileged predicament—no matter how big the house, fancy the car, or fine the clothes.

In a recent study conducted by Pew Research, data was collected to determine whether Christians are generally more happy than non-Christians. The results of this study revealed 36% of the Christians in the United States are very happy while 25% of non–Christians are very happy. This is simply a difference of 9% between Christians and non-Christians. The question I was left asking is why is the margin of happiness so small? Why aren’t more Christians more happy? Unfortunately, many people feel they must sacrifice their happiness to fortify their eternal reward.

But there are two components to our relationship with God: 1) salvation and 2) kingdom.

Salvation is the fundamental declaration of the Bible. It tells the story of man’s bondage to sin and death. Its proclamation is the freedom and deliverance, rescuing even, from the trap that was imposed upon us by Adam’s decision in the garden of Eden. Sin is the terrible disease that has led to the damnation of mankind’s soul and the collapse of all creation. Because of what sin has done to mankind, we are left without any power within ourselves that would allow us to be or do the things we were created to be and do. However, kingdom is the continuation of that same message of our relationship with our Creator. In other words, it is the message of what we do and who we become after believing.

When a believer believes, something supernatural happens. The man who believes is adopted into the family of God and into the kingdom of God—making them royalty—not by ethnicity, class, or gender—but by faith in Jesus Christ. And as a citizen in God’s kingdom family, there are certain benefits and responsibilities given to the believer that determines their eternal and immediate outcome.

Point: God is glorified by man’s happiness, and every struggle and experience of temptation is meant to bring us closer to our happiness for God’s glory.

This study only confirmed a reality that was made known to me some years ago: Most problems in life cannot be resolved by emotional experiences within a worship service, the excitement of a thrilling sermon, or the hopefulness of a dream. There is a very powerful force that gives believers access to all the riches of His kingdom—it is the Word of God. By applying God’s Word we unlock all of the blessings and covenant promises given to us through Christ Jesus. This is what Paul means in 2 Corinthians 1:20 “20 For every one of God’s promises is “Yes” in him. Therefore, through him we also say “Amen” to the glory of God.”

The Myth of Biblical Living

Our scripture reading for today is deeply situated in the context of the first Christians’ belief in a world to come. When we say “world” we are speaking to the existence of a time period. God in His wisdom designated the affairs of creation by times that are appointed by His will. Therefore, when the Bible speaks of the end of the world, we are speaking of the end of a time period that was under the demand of a particular system and way of operating. The Jews understood the olam hazeh [this world we are currently in] will give way to the olam haba [the world to come]. As the old world passes away, the new world that God has built on His Son, Jesus Christ, will bring upon all believers the things prepared for His kingdom family.

Most Christians feel they must duplicate the actions we read in the Bible. Rather, the biblical idea is to live in the accomplishment of the things that were done in the biblical narrative. Paul wrote, speaking of those Christians living in his time, Ephesians 2:7 “7 so that in the coming ages he might display the immeasurable riches of his grace through his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.”

Hidden Silver

We now know all of God’s blessings are given through Jesus Christ, and these blessings are unlocked by obedience to God’s Word. By God’s Word, we learn how to become stewards of the things God has given to us for His purpose and glory. The biblical idea for this responsibility is stewardship, and this is the word we will use to guide our every action in 2024.

Here are the following principles we learn from Matthew 25:14-30/ Luke 19:11-27:

In God’s kingdom, God grants His kingdom family the opportunity to manage His resources.

Everything we have is God’s, for our happiness, but His use.

Everything we have that is used for God’s purpose brings us happiness.

Everything we have that is not used for God’s purpose brings us misery.

Those who manage well what God has given will be given more.