Hook: Shoutout to Mali, D’Nyla (God is raising you both up like a banner - reminded of LSU champ banners)

Intro: P Chris asked me to share 100% from my heart...next week starting series “Built to Last”

Who are we? Yes, we are a church, and we have 3 campuses…but who are we?

Church of His Presence, Church of His People

Core Values: 4 E’s (Engage, Encourage, Empower, Enjoy)

How We Got Here

50+ years of ministry at the Tabernacle

Metairie supernatural birth and growth

P Carl and Dawn dream

Coffee shops, houses, other churches, hotels, now W. Napoleon

Lots of laborers to get to this point

I believe God used P Carl to plant to seed in the heart of Metairie.

Lee & Rachel calling to be a good steward and to lead us to the next level.

I do feel like we are at a critical juncture as a church...

I See a Church

Tabernacle has been through alot, most notably Katrina. We are still here.

P Carl says nothing can destroy this church.

God has a mandate on it that will be fulfilled.

Mandate definition: an official order or commission to do something.

Look:  Let’s look at some biblical mandates:

1. Jonah and God’s Compassion on Nineveh

Quickly recap Jonah.

God sent Jonah, Jonah rebels, Whale, Nineveh, repentance, Jonah pouting...

Jonah 4:11 NLT

But Nineveh has more than 120,000 people living in spiritual darkness, not to mention all the animals. Shouldn’t I feel sorry for such a great city?”

East bank JP is double that.

Not saying God is going to destroy JP, but it’s actually worse than that.

Everyone is destined for destruction unless they repent

Luke 13:3 And you will perish, too, unless you repent of your sins and turn to God.

John 3:3 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.”

Incredible God used one man to lead that whole nation to repentance.

And a man that didn’t even want to be there!

But God had compassion on a city, on wicked people that didn’t even want him.

And God’s people despised them.

2. Esther - for such a time as this

Quickly recap Esther

King seeking new queen, Esther wins, Haman’s plot, Mordecai’s plea...

Esther 4:14 NLT

If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?”

We are here together for such a time as this.

God sent you here - for a purpose.

Esther risked her life, and God used Esther to expose the plot and saved Jews

Esther didn’t realize God made her queen for the purpose of saving a whole nation.

You may not have realized when you were born again that God has a mandate on you to partner with us to save a city.

3. Jesus sends the 72 “other” disciples

Luke 10:1–2 NLT

The Lord now chose seventy-two other disciples and sent them ahead in pairs to all the towns and places he planned to visit. These were his instructions to them: “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.

Harvest is great, but laborers are few

We are in the middle of a great harvest

This is our mandate

Be the laborers, be the deliverers that JP needs

4. Not by might, not by power

Zerubbabel led the rebuilding of the Second Temple in Jerusalem after the Jewish exiles returned from captivity in Babylon.

Zechariah 4:6–10 NLT

Then he said to me, “This is what the Lord says to Zerubbabel: It is not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. Nothing, not even a mighty mountain, will stand in Zerubbabel’s way; it will become a level plain before him! And when Zerubbabel sets the final stone of the Temple in place, the people will shout: ‘May God bless it! May God bless it!’ ” Then another message came to me from the Lord: “Zerubbabel is the one who laid the foundation of this Temple, and he will complete it. Then you will know that the Lord of Heaven’s Armies has sent me. Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin, to see the plumb line in Zerubbabel’s hand.” (The seven lamps represent the eyes of the Lord that search all around the world.)

It’s going to be by God’s Spirit that we fulfill the mandate He has on this church!!

Do NOT despise small beginnings...

Took: Breaking the Brass Ceiling!!

Part of this church’s identity is its white hot love for God and people, believing for great and mighty things from God.

I believe we are called to lead…lead by example of faith

1 Corinthians 4:20 NLT

For the Kingdom of God is not just a lot of talk; it is living by God’s power.

Ordinary isn’t going to get anything accomplished.

Coasting won’t advance the kingdom of God.

This church has the potential, the capacity for GREAT FAITH!!

Mission: Like Jonah, like Esther, like the 72, like Zerubbabel, we have a mandate in JP.

Vision: I See a Church:

I see a church with 4 campuses, one in each district, with a mandate for that district.

I see a church leading a team of churches bringing life strategically touching everyone in JP with the Gospel

One to one, but also shared events (Christmas celebrations)

Do: By faith (not by might, not by power), let’s link arms and be all in for what God wants to do here in Metairie!

Lukinovich family is all in!

Push:

Ask God to show you where you’re operating in unbelief

If you’re letting the old man have his way, stop it. Let the new man come out!

Only as we link arms as the new man that Jesus died for you to be can we succeed.

Be faithful in giving: we can’t afford the bills today or for what God wants to do tomorrow without faithful givers

Come to prayer at 3pm - commit to praying for the church, the parish

Landing: Music…

Know: God has called you for such a time as this.

Do: By faith, let’s link arms and be all in for what God wants to do here in Metairie!

B-line for the cross!

Acts 2:37 Peter’s words pierced their hearts, and they said to him and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?”

Peter’s reply same as what Jesus said:

Luke 13:3 And you will perish, too, unless you repent of your sins and turn to God.

Closing: would you bow your heads...

“In a moment, I’m going to give you an opportunity...think about it…”

“You may be in here…”

Invitation: Drawing the net (BELIEVE they’re getting saved!!) (Stand & come -or- Sit & raise hand??)

Repent of unbelief

Commit to letting the new man come out

PUSH: Come to prayer at 3pm!