Pay Attention!
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Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk—not as unwise people but as wise— making the most of the time, because the days are evil.
God acts Strategically and Sovereignly
God acts Strategically and Sovereignly
… to reach people.
God is strategic. A Church exists strategically for God’s glory and mission. Think of Phillip the Deacon. He was in Jerusalem, and then whisked off to Gaza, to talk with 1 Ethiopian. God was already at work in the heart of the Ethiopian, and Philip led him to faith in Jesus. He went home and history tells us that the Gospel penetrated Ethiopia.
God is sovereign. The Bible is clear that He uses all kind of things for His purposes. The Philippian jailer and his whole family came to faith in in Jesus because God sent and earthquake to open the jail doors where Paul was being held.
That means that every person who walks through the doors of our church is brought here by God for a purpose.
WE NEED TO PAY ATTENTION to new guests, knowing that God is both strategic and sovereign.
We have a Command to Love
We have a Command to Love
.... that extends to the guests whom God sends our way.
Jesus said people would know we belonged to Him by our love John 13.35
Peter called us to love others unconditionally 1 peter 1.22-23
There is much instruction given in the Bible about how to treat the stranger among us. We need to pay close attention to loving those God sends our way. This within itself will be a shift for many of who see church as consumable service, rather than a gathering of God’s people for His Glory and His Mission.
This doesn’t mean that we forget about serving each other. Paul said in Romans to outdo one another in showing honor.
Practical ways to love.
Greet guests. (there is a growing “push-back” to the “go hug someone” time in church services because it is seen as contrived.) If you walked in and sat down and no one spoke to you until 10 minutes in when they were told to.....
Have a process in place to follow-up on the guests that God sends us. (This is what I am working hard on and I need everyone to plan and be hear on Sunday night the 26th)
WE NEED TO PAY ATTENTION to opportunities to practically love on the people God sends us.
We have an Opportunity to Join God
We have an Opportunity to Join God
.... in building His Church.
Paying attention to people around us and what is going on around us provides the opportunity to walk, to live, to conduct ourselves in a Spirit filled and Spirit led way.
Ephesians 5.15-16
Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk—not as unwise people but as wise— making the most of the time, because the days are evil.
Paying attention to people increases God’s household. IT should always be about “one more”
WE NEED TO PAY ATTENTION to opportunities God puts in our path to help people come to faith in Jesus, and become a part of our faith family to help them and us grow in faith and strength and love and unity.