Make Him Known (3)

Team Players

Good morning.

Welcome back. I hope all had a good week.

How did you see God move or work this past week?

Have you ever been a part of a team?

Sports, social issue group, service club, military

I played a lot of team sports growing up, which is why I think i easily got into the Army.

The idea of me going into battle alone is ridiculous

Man on donkey story

“I can do things you cannot, you can do things I cannot: together we can do great things.”– Mother Teresa

That is the heart of being on a team.

You accomplish more together than you would ever do alone.

It is a theme through out scripture also.

Adam - not good to be alone

Noah and his family

Abraham - build a nation

Hebrews are God’s chosen people - when disobeyed raised anew generation.

Jesus chose disciples

The Church is God’s vehicle to spread the Gospel around the world.

Acts 1:8 ESV

8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Team Players

That was not one that was you all

Yes God used individuals, but it was almost always to lead a people to fulfill God’s plan.

The Church is God’s plan to reach the world.

We are part of that plan.

So the question becomes,

“Am I good team player?”

That is what I want us to look at today. How do we fit into this plan of God.

Let’s pray

Part of the Plan

We are going to look at the Church in Corinth this morning.

1 Corinthians 3:1–9 ESV

1 But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. 2 I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready, 3 for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way? 4 For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not being merely human? 5 What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. 6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. 7 So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. 8 He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor. 9 For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s field, God’s building.

The church in Corinth had a lot of issues

Moral issues, disregard for biblical principles, lack of unity.

There are a couple of things I want us to see about our roles and actions in God’s plan.

We meet people where they are, not where we think they should be

1 Corinthians 3:2 ESV

2 I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready,

We meet people where they are, not where we think they should be

We cannot expect people to act like they know Jesus if they don’t.

This does not mean we condone or overlook

It means we understand.

The other half of this is we must be growing an maturing.

We would think a baby not growing has an issues - same with followers of Christ.

2. Reaching our community is a team sport.

1 Corinthians 3:5–6 ESV

5 What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. 6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.

2. Reaching our community is a team sport.

We each play a part in leading someone to Christ.

It very rare that it is a one and done.

You may tell some of your story, someone else tells their, and so on.

We are commanded to plant seed.

We may never see the fruit.

We plant and trust God for the rest.

That leads us the number 3

3. We can do everything, but it is God who changes lives.

1 Corinthians 3:7 ESV

7 So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.

We can do everything, but it is God who changes lives.

You and I cannot save anyone.

It is Jesus who has done all the work.

We are simply invited to join where God is already working.

That should take the pressure off.

We are in it together

1 Corinthians 3:9 ESV

9 For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s field, God’s building.

Team Players

David Platt once said the church is Gods’ plan A there is no plan B

We are part of that plan.

Hebrews 10:24–25 ESV

24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

We are to encourage or and spur each other on.

Alone we will make some impact

Together we can change our community.

You don't need to go to Bible College or seminary, you just need to be obedient.

Give me 100 men who hate nothing but sin and love God with all their hearts and I will shake the world for Christ! - John Wesley

Next week - Putting it all Together

Let’s pray.