From the Begining: The Importance of Priority

· Intro: Thank you to Mayor Bill and the MPB team for the invitation… Introduce myself and Love In the Name of Christ – 16 months.

o Working alongside churches. Because of God working, every person under the poverty line received services from Love INC and our partner churches.

o Community working together: Relational Ministry – 30 volunteers from 21 local churches.

o This isn’t to boast about Love INC: but to show Newberg in action, following God…

o My unique position: catching a glimpse inside many churches and organizations…asking myself, what does God want me to share this morning… what needs to be heard, what is the greatest need?

o Go back to the basics: So who is this for? …how many pastors or church leaders are here? Business owners? People in management? People with any influence at all over anyone around them?? This message is for you, then…

· From the Beginning: The Importance of Priority

o Asking the Why of what we do and what we seek: It has to line up to God’s Word and the mission He has given all of us! We are different, but should have the same mission and purpose!

Colossians 1:15–18

15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent… Supreme… first place… first priority… first order of importance… nothing in front of…

· The One Thing that should unite all of us and every church in our community.

o As we lift up our leaders and town – this. Must. Be. The. Priority.

o It’s all about Jesus.

· Jesus as the Supreme Treasure.

o In the parables Jesus told about the Kingdom of God being like the treasure in the field and the pearl of great price…

o Intrinsic value of the value itself… not what they could get for the treasure and pearl… they sold everything… Jesus the supreme treasure.

o Not what Jesus can get us or do for us… simply Him…

o Is He enough?

· Peter and the apostles before the High Priest… told not to preach…

Acts 5:29–31 (ESV)

29 But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men. 30 The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree. 31 God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.

Acts 5:40–41 (ESV)

40 and when they had called in the apostles, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. 41 Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name.

o Jesus was enough! In beatings and suffering they rejoiced!

o Is He enough for us?

- Where is your treasure?

§ When things don’t go our way… when the blessings we want don’t come… Is our treasure in the blessings, or in our Savior?

§ If laws change and we start getting carted off to jail… beaten… killed… For His Name Sake…

§ Do you treat Jesus like a Genie in a bottle, that if you rub Him the right way He’ll give you what you want?

§ Are you using Him… or submitting to Him…

§ Do you see Him as Preeminent… Supreme… Worthy of everything…? Top Priority?

1 Corinthians 2:1–2 (ESV)

2 And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. 2 For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.

Habakkuk 3:17–19 (ESV)

17 Though the fig tree should not blossom,

nor fruit be on the vines,

the produce of the olive fail

and the fields yield no food,

the flock be cut off from the fold

and there be no herd in the stalls,

18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord;

I will take joy in the God of my salvation.

19 God, the Lord, is my strength;

he makes my feet like the deer’s;

he makes me tread on my high places.

2 Corinthians 4:5–6 (ESV)

5 For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.