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(In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth? He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
INTRO….
Wrap up the Start Strong and transition to “where is the finish line?” – Maybe use the Super Bowl as an illustration. Those guys knew when the season started that this was the finish line.
Transition to text…
- Read 1-10 quickly.
All of this that God has done in verse 10 - all of what He has called us to is heading somewhere. It has a purpose and a direction. Christ did not go to the cross and to the grave for no reason. He won the victory over the grave with an end in mind!! As the triumphant king at this point, He had a plan for His kingdom! He had a desire to see His kingdom expand and fill the earth. And that plan involved every citizen of the kingdom. He had desires for those who were now a part of this new kingdom… For me and for you!
That’s what we are going to see today in verses 11-16. It’s the trajectory of your life in Christ. Many often wonder “What is God’s will for my life?” Well… this is it!
He didn’t win the victory and decide to just sit back and receive all the accolades and say “bring me, bring me”… instead HE GAVE!!
God’s purpose for you in Christ is “to equip” you. “To equip the saints for the work of the ministry”. Some translations might even say, “for the perfecting”.
- This word in classical greek was often used as a medical term for the “setting of a bone”; it was used at times to describe the “mending of nets” by fishermen.
- As Paul closes 2 Corinthians, in 13:11 he says, “Finally, brethren, rejoice, be made complete”
- In , the author of Hebrews closes his letter with these words… “Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, equip you in every good thing to do His will…”
- This is God’s plan for you! What God has in mind here is a restoration in your life to what He originally created you for! He wants to “build you up” and through you He wants to “build up the body”… He wants to make you into something that is beyond what you could imagine and do things through you can that you could never dream possible.
There are 3 components to what God wants to accomplish in this “setting” in your life. Jesus wants ALL OF US “to attain” some things in our lives. He wants us “to reach” some new levels…
1. To the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God
a. God wants you to come to faith and knowledge of the Son of God.
i. Christ’s invitation to us is to believe on Him in faith! To come to a place of trusting Him with the entirety of our lives and our eternities, but He wants so much more than that. He doesn’t just want us to believe on Him in faith for our eternal salvation. He longs for us to come to the full knowledge of the Son of God! The epignosis, the full knowledge that is complete and accurate. He wants us to REALLY AND FULLY KNOW HIM!
ii. Paul… after many years as an Apostle in Christ’s church, still said, “7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— 10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.” – Phillipians 3:7-11
iii. The goal of God’s equipping in your life is for you to KNOW HIM! Do you know Jesus more than you did on Feb 5th 2016?
iv. He has gone to great lengths to provide a pathway for that to happen in your life.
1. The Cross
2. The Word
3. The BODY
b. Notice that he says, “unity of the faith” - Unity comes in community
i. If you haven’t gotten into an eGroup yet… now is your time. You can jump into an eGroup or an Equip Class today.
1. Brochure or mark it on the welcome card
2. To mature manhood… to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ…to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ…
a. God wants you to develop, to grow, to be made like His Son!
b. – “28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.”
c. Illustration – there are things my 6 & 7 year old can do on their own that my 3 year old can’t.
i. BUT IN THE CHURCH… we often times see it as ok if someone doesn’t grow up. We play the grace card or we make excuses put it off on circumstances. This is a tragedy. For the sake of the person!
ii. We can’t let this go on. The New Testament speaks of our need to put aside childish ways, that we should grow up in our salvation. Paul was speaking to the Corinthian church and said he had to give them milk like infants because they were not ready! Because they were immature.
iii. It’s not “Grow up… get your act together!” It’s an invitation… I have more for you!
d. This is a word to ALL OF US! Not just some of us. Why? Because Paul says, “ to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ”. Christ is our measuring stick! None of us have arrived. God wants to grow each one of us and will continue to grow each one of us until the day we meet Him face to face. You never graduate from this.
i. Ill. – Bill in d-team prayer.
e. Where are you right now? Are you progressing in your Christlikeness? Have you stalled out? Plateaud?
f. God wants to keep you growing!!! Because He has a purpose even in your growth…
3. When each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
a. Again, we find medical terms here and they are all in the present participle tense meaning that the action is continuous progress. – All the parts of the body are continually being integrated together (notice the unity described in verses 1-6 and how we are to attain to the unity of the faith) AND kept firm be each separate ligament!
b. Every single part of the body is working together so that the body is supplied or furnished with all that it needs.
i. Each one has been given grace (vs 7) according to the measure of Christ’s gift.
c. I love the picture here that each single member of the body is in continuous motion, growing individually, functioning in its own unique role, and the result is that the WHOLE body is built up in love!
d. We grow as one as each one grows!
e. Illustration – trampoline spring. – the agent of many a dad’s sanctification.
f. God has a role for you to play and when you don’t… guess what?? You are quenching the Spirit!
This is God’s desire for you! This is what He wants you to attain, it’s what He wants to equip you for life, to reset you towards a greater purpose.
And it’s what we want for you as The Summit Church. It’s why we say we want you to be fully devoted. It’s why we paint the picture of fully devoted with E3… Experience, Equip, Engage.
Illustration – I want you to see it in this passage- E3.
This is why our mission is to “cooperate with God in developing multiplying communities of FULLY DEVOTED followers of Jesus Christ.”
We want to provide a pathway for you. That’s why we are introducing our new GROWTH TRACK!
- Replacing our BaseCamp/ AdvanceCamp process. Expanding on that process.
- STEP 1 – Experience – Join the Family – Become a Member + Get in an eGroup
- STEP 2 – Equip – Find Your Purpose/ Discover Your Part – Help you find a Point Team
- STEP 3 – Engage – Discipleship/ Join the Mission – Put you on a path towards leading/ discipling others
Your NEXT STEP…
- If you’re not a member or not in an eGroup… Come to the Growth Track starting Next Sunday Feb 12th at 4:15.
- If you’re ready to serve and not sure where… you need to sign up for the Growth Track. Step 2 – come on Feb 19th.
- If you’re a member and not in serving on a Point Team… you can come to Step 2 OR you can simply fill out the Connection Card in front of you.
o We are about to send out 158 people (80 adults 78 kids) to Saline County. And that’s going to leave a hole in our local expression of the Body here in LR. We need some of you who aren’t serving to step up and serve!
o Some of you are on the fence about going to Saline County and you need to go! The Body there needs you!
Possible illustrations:
- Super bowl – team; what if the defense decided not to play? What if the special teams decided that because they don’t get to be QB, they are just gonna sit this one out? NO! Each player does his part.
- Football illustration - third string running back. Other two players get hurt and he gets to play and the coach is absolutely astounded! He says, "Where did that come from?" He said, "My dad died yesterday. He was blind and he has never seen me play. Today… my dad got to watch me play for the first time and I wanted to make him proud!"
- “Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what He is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on; you knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised. But presently He starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make any sense. What on earth is He up to? The explanation is that He is building quite a different house from the one you thought of - throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards. You thought you were being made into a decent little cottage: but He is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it Himself.”
― C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianit
Phil 2:6-7
Phil 2:6-7
So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy,
Jesus began with an attitude that led to an action that ultimately led to an alter.
Vs 7 - our beliefs are what shape our actions. It was Jesus' belief about His identity that led him to action.
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation. By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.
By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks. By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.
By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised. Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.
These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.
Faith brings us into relationship with God.
Faith allows us to live eternally.
Faith allows us an impact beyond our life
Faith allows us to draw near to God
Faith brings God's rewards into our life.
Faith allows us to be used by God to save other.
Faith takes us places we could never go on our own.
Faith gives us comfort in the midst of the unknown
Faith unlocks miraculous power
Faith stands on the promises of God
Faith defies the odds
Bill elliff- Multiply
Bill elliff- Multiply
And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so. And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.
1. God's Plan for the World
- God's desire to see his glory fill the earth
- be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth - Genesis 1:28
- Romans 3:23- we have masked the glory of God with our sin
- 2 Cor 3:18- from glory to glory
- mt 28:19
- Habakkuk 2:14
2. God's plan for The Summit
- spiritual multiplication EXPLODES when it happens simultaneously on multiple levels
MULTIPLY FAMILIES
MULTIPLE FRIENDS
MULTIPLY GROUPS
- Jesus modeled this with concentric circles
- Acts 2
- if discipleship happens we will have to multiply because we couldn't meet otherwise
MULTIPLY GATHERINGS
MULTIPLY. CHURCHES
Defining US. 5.-1-16. Bill elliff
Defining US. 5.-1-16. Bill elliff
Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.
And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so. And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.
Satan is attacking the family!
We are confused because of unwillingness to accept the Creator's definition of his creation
1. God created Us on Purpose
Vs 26-27-- God designed us with a specific purpose
- when we deviate from God's design we miss out on God's purposes for us!
SO WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF MAN?
- MEN ARE TO LEAD!!
- Men are uniquely called by God to lead in such ways that things around them flourish as God designed
1. Men are to lead by REFLECTING GOD'S IMAGE.
- when the world looks at a man they should see the reflection of God.
- leadership is sacrifice
- - we are being confirmed to the image of Christ
- the manliest thing a man can do is to listen to the Word of God and obey it!
2. Men are to lead by ruling over God's creation.
Vs 26 & 28
- man was called to care for the garden
- man was given the responsibility to name the animals
- Satan hates this because he wants to rule
- illustrations of where we should rule but they rule us... Finances, business, work, entertainment,
- is there anything ruling you?? God did not design you to be ruled!!
3. Men are to lead by reproducing a Godly seed!
Vs 1:28
- have kids!
- raise children God's way! (When we do this, creation flourishes!)
- you are never more manly than when you are hugging your kids, loving your kids, disciplining your kids... Because you're reflecting God's image!
Healthy Relationships. Bill Elliff. 4.8.18
Healthy Relationships. Bill Elliff. 4.8.18
Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
Verses 26-31
YOUR LIFE IS DEFINED BY HOW YOU HANDLE YOUR RELATIONSHIPS.
1. God created relationships and he can make them work.
- 5 times in this passage it speaks of God creating and making mans and making relationships between God and man and between mankind and mankind
- if God designed relationships then there is a divine design for relationships
- if you want this you must SEEK it in the Bible
- God said it was VERY GOOD... Do you believe in God's plan and that it will result in very good relationships
2. God's design is 2- directional
- let us make man....God is relational
- He starts with a relationship between God and man
- them he adds a relationship with the woman
- a relationship triangle
- the most important piece is the relationship with God... If that falls, the whole thing collapses
- but also if you don't have the horizontal part right it grieves God ()
- so the closer we each get to God the closer we get to each other
-
3. God's design for relationships is missional
Vs 27- first command in Scripture (which he never revoked) was to....
- REFLECT... The image of God
- This is God's purpose for every relationship in your life
- God is trying to restore us to his image
- RULE... bring God's order to creation
- on earth as it is in heaven ... Look at how the groom treats his bride in heaven
- REPRODUCE... Others who reflect, rule, and reproduce
- this is first physical .... Have babies who you will teach and disciple to follow Jesus
- this is also a command to us about discipleship
Bill Elliff. 7.19.26
Bill Elliff. 7.19.26
Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing.
The Crazy Cycle - vs 9- not returning evil for evil or insult for insult
- the cycle hurts
- this cycle creates distance and disrespect
- this cycle escalates
It's not just that you stop the crazy cycle... It's INSTEAD!!
You bless and give instead.
Replace the insults with blessing!
A blessing is....
- unexpected
-'undeserved
- given or spoken
- something given/ done to help
- listen before talking
- understanding/ patience
- grace for their past
- forgiveness
- release the past, don't highlight it
- give faith when they worry
- kindness
- attention (more interested in you than me)
Personal
- write songs together
- pray together
- laugh together
1. You're never more like Jesus than when you bless the undeserving (1 Peter 2:21-25)
- he kept entrusting himself to Him who judges righteously
2. You were called to inherit a blessing!! - this concept opens the door for full blessing
Will you be an instead dad? An instead husband?
Kyle Reno. 7.19.15
Kyle Reno. 7.19.15
Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing.
Unity of mind.... The foundation of our marriage has to be a unification of our hearts around the mission.
If you focus inward and only inward you will end up driving each other crazy
If the end goal of your marriage is to have a good marriage you are setting yourself up for failure.
SO WE....
Supernaturally strive for unity of mind around what matters
Time will suck the compassion out of you and will wear down your tender hearted nature
Remain by the Spirit's power tender hearted.
Psalm 51:10
- ask the Holy Spirit to do His work in your heart
- Romans 12:2
- Break the crazy cycle by blessing
Vs 10-11
IF YOU WANT TO LOVE YOUR LIFE...
1. Speak life (proverbs 18:21)
2. Turn to life - in your marriage, see your sin and not your spouses.
3. Give life-- Pursue peace
8.23.15- Bill Elliff
8.23.15- Bill Elliff
Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
1. God wants to exalt you...so humble yourself under him.
- exalt-- to bless, to lift high, to honor
- humble- admit your sin and acknowledge your need.
- when you humble yourself, He pours out His power on you.
2. God wants to care for you, so cast your care on Him
- God really really cares for you!!
3. God wants to protect you so stand firm in Him.
- Luke 22:31-32
- 1 john 4:4
- eph 6:10
- resist the devil and he will flee from you
4. God wants to complete you... So put your hope in him
- God will finish his work in you
- perfect you - like mending holes in a net
- confirm you- like a Supreme Court judge being confirmed at the end of your process
- strengthen you- like Sid is now in heaven
- establish you- lay a foundation like a firm rock that can not be moved
Southwestern Seminary Chapel
Southwestern Seminary Chapel
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us— that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.
A Testimony....
1. Must be personal.... We have seen and heard (vs 1)
2. Must be focused on Jesus - (ch 4)
- don't make yourself the hero of your testimony. Jesus!!
- you're not finished telling your testimony until you have told them about Jesus!
3. It is shared....notice all the times he uses the phrase WE
“And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: ‘The words of the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and whose feet are like burnished bronze.
Prov 7- as the bird hastens towards the snare, he does not know that it will take his life.
- sm group- challenge people to memorize this verse.
passage...
- she was leading others astray!
- we can not tolerate people leading others away from Christ.
- mathew 7:1-5
- I Corinthians 5-is there none among you who can make proper judgments
we must fight like Jesus for those we love...
1. Loving private conversation- Jesus says he went to her and gave her time. Also see mt 18:15
2. Speak with graceful truth- rev 2:20- Jesus put it very clearLyons put the consequences for her and others in clear terms
3. Appropriate time- 2:21- Jesus gave her time to repent
4. Increased accountability- Jesus brings the whole church into the picture - mt 18:16-17
5. Release them to their chosen consequences- rev 2:21-
why do this?
1. For the reputation of God
2. Fr the protection of r church
3. For the restoration of those he loves
To the Church in Philadelphia
To the Church in Philadelphia
“And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: ‘The words of the holy one, the true one, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens.
Todd West Sermon - 9.9.12
if we will all be who we are supposed to be individually, we will be who we are supposed to be corporately.
1. God favors us when we are together. See acts 2:47.
2. God favors us when we are generous. (I know your works)
3. God favors us when we are adventurous (I set before you an open door)
(sometimes its more adventurous to stay where you are than it is to go somewhere new)
4. God favors us when we are needy (I know you have but little power). - an attitude that says, "if anything good is gonna happen, God is gonna have to do it."
Questions....
- which one of these do you struggle with the most?
- what are one or two steps you can take in that area before October 1?
Relationships Week 2. Bill Elliff
Relationships Week 2. Bill Elliff
The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”
Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.” Now out of the ground the Lord God had formed every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. The man gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper fit for him.
Two common scenes:
1: reacting to your families weaknesses
2. Putting your family on a performance treadmill
THE REMEDY? Unconditional Love
1. Realize Your family has been given to you by God
Vs 18 & 22
- some ask "well yen why did God give me such a bad father?" --- they are not bad because of God. They're bad because of sin!
2. Accept your family as God's gift
Vs 19- not suitable
- even in their weaknesses our family is designed to complete us
Acceptance worksheet
3. Verbalize your acceptance....often!!
- confess your wrong responses
- make a commitment to right responses
- give thanks for them
- verbalized your commitment to permanence
RESULTS?
1. Releases you from acting to your family's weaknesses
2. Relates them from the performance treadmill
3. Greatest key to effecting change in your relationships
1 Peter 3:1
Living like this lets them see Jesus
After His Heart. 6/2/18. Bill Elliff
After His Heart. 6/2/18. Bill Elliff
Then Samuel went to Ramah, and Saul went up to his house in Gibeah of Saul. And Samuel did not see Saul again until the day of his death, but Samuel grieved over Saul. And the Lord regretted that he had made Saul king over Israel.
The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you grieve over Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go. I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons.”
1. God Has a Plan for Your Life
- God had a plan for Saul but he missed it! and 15 are prime examples
- he didn't follow God's instructions and Samuel said, "God can't trust you!"
- he wanted his own way
- - Saul missed God's plan for his life
- - God selected David!!! GOD had a plan- FOR MYSELF God said
-
2. God sees you even when others may not
- nobody thought about David- not even his own dad
- don't make judgments based on outward appearance
- you focus on the DEPTH of your life and God will take care of the BREADTH of your ministry
3. God looks at your heart above all else
David had a humble faithful heart
David had a pursuing heart
- as the deer
A willing heart- willing to do all my will
HOW'S YOUR HEART??
4. God's plan requires God's power!
The Humility of David. June 17, 2018. Bill Elliff
The Humility of David. June 17, 2018. Bill Elliff
And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David, and his armor, and even his sword and his bow and his belt. And David went out and was successful wherever Saul sent him, so that Saul set him over the men of war. And this was good in the sight of all the people and also in the sight of Saul’s servants.
As they were coming home, when David returned from striking down the Philistine, the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with songs of joy, and with musical instruments. And the women sang to one another as they celebrated,
“Saul has struck down his thousands,
and David his ten thousands.”
And Saul was very angry, and this saying displeased him. He said, “They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed thousands, and what more can he have but the kingdom?”
1. The Proud will always fall
- prov 11:2
- prov 16:18
- prov 29:23
-
This is the certain outcome of a proud heart!
A PROUD MAN...
-can not rejoice in the success of others
- easy prey to jealousy (vs 8)
Which manifests itself in anger (8), displeasure, suspicion(9), opening the door to the enemy (10), fear (12), distance (13), tries to destroy what he fears might replace him (17)
- misses his destiny
- loses God's presence
A HUMBLE MAN WILL ALWAYS RISE
- prov 11:2- wisdom
- prov 29:23- honor
- - grace
A HUMBLE MAN...
- sees all he has as a privilege (1 chron 29:10-12)- the mark of a humble man/woman is gratitude
- trusts his life into God's hands and timing
- forgives, and honors and even loves his enemies
- never takes his own revenge
- is filled with God's presence
- leaves a visible godly legacy
True Friendships. 7/01/18. Bill Elliff
True Friendships. 7/01/18. Bill Elliff
As soon as he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.
1. True friends are knit to each other
- Johnathan loved David as himself.
- selfish people don't make good friends
Vs 4- Johnathan gave David his royal robe
2. True friends enjoy each other
19:1- greatly delighted in David
- delighting in friends takes time
3. True friends protect each other
19:2-3 -
4. True friends speak well of each other
- 19:4
5. True friends have no secrets
- 19:3-7
- this takes transparency
6. True friends encourage one another
- 23:16-17
7. True friends keep their promises
- -7
8. True friends are a picture of Christ
-
Prayer. Kyle Reno
Prayer. Kyle Reno
And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. 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.”
The apostles had to WAIT before they could WORK!!
They had to wait for the Spirit's Power!!
We will wait on Him if we want Him!
For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.
RELATIONSHIPS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
AUGUST 19, 2018
INTRODUCTION
- State of the Church – New Season – School Starting Back (Can I get a witness?)
- It’s a great time to reevaluate your life and your priorities.
- Kobe Bryant speaking to the Bama players, “At the beginning of each new season, you gotta edit your life. What’s most important to you? When you do that, things become clearer rather quickly.”
Question at the beginning of a new season for us: How do we make our lives count? Because there is much more than football at stake in our lives!!
There is a pattern in Scripture that gives us a blueprint for making our lives matter and we are going to look at that in the Bible today and hold it up as a mirror. This pattern is found in every single letter Paul wrote to a church in the New Testament. You can run down the list, Romans, Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Thessalonians…. In every letter that Paul wrote, he has the same pattern. Today we are going to see that pattern in the book of Romans.
Paul spends 11 chapters walking through the most profound theological explanation of the gospel ever written, describing how we rebelled against God and how God saved us. At the end of chapter 11 he can’t help himself and he explodes into a moment of praise. And then when he regathers himself, he begins again and says,…
VERSES 1-2 - read verses.
in light of what God has done for us… why we would not offer ourselves as a living sacrifice on the altar before him.
Often times we read that/ hear that and say, “of course that’s what I want.” But we can’t stop there. But are we willing to go down into verse 3 & following where Paul further explains for us what that looks like…. And it starts a lot more basic than we probably think it would. And this is exactly what we see in all of Paul’s letters.
VERSES 3-5 – RELATIONSHIPS
3 For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. 4 For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, 5 so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.
You were wired for relationships. Relationships are at the very core foundation of who we are as people. And even more so who we are as the people of God! And if we want to make our lives count, we have to push headlong into biblical relationships.
- Vs 3 – “everyone among you” – Paul wants to make sure nobody sits this one out. No one is immune. From the most mature to the brand new Christ follower… EVERYONE!
- NOT TO THINK… -- FIRST STEP… we must admit that we CAN NOT make it on our own!
o This is hard for us. We think it’s a sign of weakness or that we might come across as needy. But the simple truth is that… WE NEED OTHER BELIEVERS IN OUR LIVES! We have to be willing to humble ourselves and admit this.
♣ Hannah’s line from the video this summer
- Instead… think with “sober judgment” – think “reasonably” with a sound mind.
- Truth is… you were not designed to live this life alone! You were wired for relationship!
o – God put Adam was placed in the garden. It was not good that he was alone. God made animals…. Not good! He made the woman! Man was in need. And this foundational need is hardwired into who we are.
- Verses 4-5 – the body!
o You need people in your life and you need people who are different than you.
o Like a body developing with all of the systems.
o This is the picture he expands on in
- There are 59 “one anothers” in the New Testament!
o Encouragement; people to help us when we are weary
o People who are going to greet you with a holy kiss! (4 times) – no lie! You need people who are going to be glad to see you coming!
o Who are going to love you! (out of the 59, 19 of them involve love)
o Instruction
o Warning
o People who will forgive you AND people that will make you mad so that you need to forgive them! Relationships are sanctifying (trust me… 5 kids!)
o People to confess your sins to.
o People to bear life’s burdens with us
o People who will pray for you
o To help us; to literally hold us up when we are weak!
o says, we need other believers “to motivate us acts of love and of good works!”
- We need relationships with believers who can help us!!!
- Some of you are struggling. You’re floundering. Your discouraged. You’re lonely. You’re trying to fix it on your own. And God doesn’t want you too! That’s not the way He designed you.
PRACTICAL… SMALL GROUP OR EQUIP CLASS
This can’t be limited to a SMALL GROUP or EQUIP CLASS but it can’t be less than that! You need some sort of regular group of believers that you are meeting with beyond just this Sunday gathering!
- Busyness can not be an excuse.
- Season of life can’t be.
- It just can’t! You need this! If you’re a parent… your kids need this!
VERSES 6 -8 – RESPONSIBILITIES
You were built for responsibility!
And just like we saw with Relationships… It’s part of God’s original plan and the way He created us in His image!
Illustration – – “The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.”
Everyone has a gift and everyone has a part to play. (back to verse 3… everyone among you) God has given each one of us a gift according to His grace! It is not because of anything we have done.
And he has given us DIFFERENT gifts!
- 4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5 and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; 6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. 7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. – .
He has given us these gifts for the building up of the body!
-
- 10 As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: 11 whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. –
o Illustration- 2 people this week talking about God’s gift to them as writers.
o A man who builds grills. Some who give (I know several people in this church that just have the spontaneous gift of giving and they get so much joy out of it.).
So… USE THEM!! - “let us use them” – I love the simplicity of that!
We must do it and do it with all of our heart – each of the verses
And the bonus is… you are also most fulfilled when you’re doing what God has designed you to do… Paul told Timothy to “fan into flame the gifts that were given to him.
- Illustration – Kevin Keithley – successful contractor; solid kids; great life; but he said he has found his greatest fulfillment in life when using His gifts.
God has given you a gift…. USE IT!
POINT TEAM! -- everybody on a Point Team!
If are a member of The Summit… you need to be in a Small Group and on a Point Team!
Application
You will never be full satisfied in this life unless you embrace these two foundational building blocks. You can get one right but if the other is messed up, you’ll always find yourself struggling.
TODAY… Make adjustments in our lives to MAKE THIS NEXT SEASON COUNT. Take a step!
PANEL… John, Kory, & Connor
App… Signup for a group or class.
App or Card… Sign up for a Point Team
Leaving a legacy. Bill Elliff. 8/12/18
Leaving a legacy. Bill Elliff. 8/12/18
David assembled at Jerusalem all the officials of Israel, the officials of the tribes, the officers of the divisions that served the king, the commanders of thousands, the commanders of hundreds, the stewards of all the property and livestock of the king and his sons, together with the palace officials, the mighty men and all the seasoned warriors. Then King David rose to his feet and said: “Hear me, my brothers and my people. I had it in my heart to build a house of rest for the ark of the covenant of the Lord and for the footstool of our God, and I made preparations for building. But God said to me, ‘You may not build a house for my name, for you are a man of war and have shed blood.’ Yet the Lord God of Israel chose me from all my father’s house to be king over Israel forever. For he chose Judah as leader, and in the house of Judah my father’s house, and among my father’s sons he took pleasure in me to make me king over all Israel. And of all my sons (for the Lord has given me many sons) he has chosen Solomon my son to sit on the throne of the kingdom of the Lord over Israel. He said to me, ‘It is Solomon your son who shall build my house and my courts, for I have chosen him to be my son, and I will be his father. I will establish his kingdom forever if he continues strong in keeping my commandments and my rules, as he is today.’
1. Lead them in Great Moments of Great Vision - vs 1-7
- David was listening (vs 6)
- God is speaking to His people through David
- if you don't get God's vision, you'll love a small self consumed life
- this is why we have big moments of vision for the church
- this was also a great moment for Solomon personally
2. Call others to seek God first
Vs 8-9- seek, know, let you find Him
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3. Do what you can to prepare and pave the way
- David knew Solomon couldn't pull this off on his own
- Assess their abilities (29:1)
- set them up for success by providing what you can (28:11; 29:2)
- call them to courageous action (28:20)
4. Model unhindered generosity
29:2- with all my ability; in my delight; over and above
- David knew he would never see this on this earth
- through vs 9
5. Lead others in prayer!
- prayer was not David's last resort but it was his first response (vs 10)
6. Leave others a heavenly perspective
- 29:11-16
- vs 12- it lies in God's hand
Vs 13-16- gratitude and generosity go hand in hand because we know it all comes from God
- vs 14-15- humility
All these things my hand has made,
and so all these things came to be,
declares the Lord.
But this is the one to whom I will look:
he who is humble and contrite in spirit
and trembles at my word.
At that time Jerusalem shall be called the throne of the Lord, and all nations shall gather to it, to the presence of the Lord in Jerusalem, and they shall no more stubbornly follow their own evil heart.
Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it, for their evil has come up before me.” But Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish. So he paid the fare and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish, away from the presence of the Lord.
But the Lord hurled a great wind upon the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship threatened to break up. Then the mariners were afraid, and each cried out to his god. And they hurled the cargo that was in the ship into the sea to lighten it for them. But Jonah had gone down into the inner part of the ship and had lain down and was fast asleep. So the captain came and said to him, “What do you mean, you sleeper? Arise, call out to your god! Perhaps the god will give a thought to us, that we may not perish.”
And they said to one another, “Come, let us cast lots, that we may know on whose account this evil has come upon us.” So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah. Then they said to him, “Tell us on whose account this evil has come upon us. What is your occupation? And where do you come from? What is your country? And of what people are you?” And he said to them, “I am a Hebrew, and I fear the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.” Then the men were exceedingly afraid and said to him, “What is this that you have done!” For the men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of the Lord, because he had told them.
Then they said to him, “What shall we do to you, that the sea may quiet down for us?” For the sea grew more and more tempestuous. He said to them, “Pick me up and hurl me into the sea; then the sea will quiet down for you, for I know it is because of me that this great tempest has come upon you.” Nevertheless, the men rowed hard to get back to dry land, but they could not, for the sea grew more and more tempestuous against them. Therefore they called out to the Lord, “O Lord, let us not perish for this man’s life, and lay not on us innocent blood, for you, O Lord, have done as it pleased you.” So they picked up Jonah and hurled him into the sea, and the sea ceased from its raging. Then the men feared the Lord exceedingly, and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows.
And the Lord appointed a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.
January 13, 2019
Possible introduction…
- I love new years!! It’s my favorite time of year. I know that’s not everybody. Nobody set out at the beginning of this year and said, “I want to create havoc in my life this year. I want my closest relationships to be in a worse place at the end of the year than they are now. I want to blow a ton of money and be in major debt at the end of this year. I’d like to gain 20 pounds of unhealthy weight this year. I want 2019 to be my worst year ever! Etc”. Yet for many of us that is the case when we find ourselves on December 31st. We look back and say, “How did I get here?” But often times our actions are leading us directly down that path.
o Andy Stanley – “Direction, not intention, determines your destination”
And over the next 4 weeks… we are going to look at the story of a man named Jonah. A man whose path took him in the wrong direction!
INTRO THE BOOK AND STORY OF JONAH
- Many of us are familiar with the story of Jonah and the “whale”, even though we know nothing of what type of fish it actually was… we just saw it as a whale in flannelgraphs and pictures as a kid.
- But Jonah is the account of a prophet in the OT. Many have asked at times, “Is this story real? Did this really happen?”
o Well the easy answer is “It’s in the Bible so it happened. As my dad would say, which I call the theology of an Alabama coal miner… If you believe the first 4 words of the Bible you have to believe the rest!”
- But some would ask, “Is this just a parable to help us see a truth?” In as short an answer as I can give… I believe it is a real account of a supernatural event.
o Jonah was a prophet that is referenced in who spoke on behalf of the Lord to the king.
o Jesus himself actually spoke of Jonah and spoke of him right alongside other historical events and cities which leads me to believe that this story is a depiction of a real life event.
There was a real man named Jonah (a person just like me and you, with feelings and fears and hopes and dreams.. highs and lows) and God asked him to do something and he responded in the wrong direction! He didn’t set out for destruction… but it was his destination.
Let’s dive into the book…
VERSES 1-2
Nineveh- the city of Nineveh was the capital of the Assyrian empire. History tells us that the Assyrians were a cruel and heartless people who thought nothing of burying their enemies alive, skinning them alive, or impaling them on sharp poles under the hot sun.
- So you can see here why Jonah was a little skiddish.
VERSE 3 - Jonah rose up to flee
He set out for Tarshish – In three different passages in the OT(; ; ), the full geographical extent of the known world is delineated by Tarshish at one end and Sheba at the other. In other words… Tarshish was the end of the earth! As far away as he could get. In fact, historians would say that in this day, ships going to Tarshish would not return for three years. (Map). It is believed that Tarshish was 2500 miles away from Joppa. And Ninevah would have been only 550 miles… show the map!
Jonah was on the RUN! And some of you may be checking out right now and saying “That’s not me. But I want you to pay close attention to this next phrase…
from the Presence of the Lord…
We may not be saying, “NO God! I’m not going to do what you tell me to.” We may not be defiantly spitting in God’s face… but many of us may be running. We may be headed in the opposite direction of Nineveh… of God’s direction.
That could be big major life decisions. OR it could be that we are just not walking in obedience to things God has instructed us to do. This could be small things. Either way… these decisions lead us further away from God’s presence and take us in the wrong direction.
Running from God COSTS US!
Jonah paid the fare. Some commentators believe that Jonah chartered the whole ship, others that he just paid whatever was left so that they wouldn’t wait on any longer on anyone else but leave immediately. Regardless, we see here that this trip cost Jonah and we will find out that it ultimately costs him a lot more than he bargained for! And the SAME GOES FOR US when we choose to take off in the wrong direction.
What does “running from GOD” do to our lives?
1. RUNNING FROM GOD… Removes us from His presence (His blessing!) (vs 3)
a. Last week we saw in the blessings that God’s presence brings into our lives (Show Bill’s slide)… and when we begin to flee from HIS PRESENCE, HIS BLESSING, HIS NEARNESS… we forfeit these blessings.
b. This has been happening since the garden… - And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?”
c. Running from God’s call on our lives, his direction and instruction for our lives, removes us from the blessings of His presence…. Because His way is best!!
d. God has a way that He has designed for things to work and when we walk outside of that way, we forfeit the blessings of His presence.
e. Illustration – When we look at that list…why would we give that up? If someone is offering you all of that why in the world would you ever walk away?
and more specifically on missing out…
2. RUNNING FROM GOD… Robs us of God’s purpose for our lives. (vs 3)
a. In calling Him to be a prophet, God had a plan and a purpose for Jonah. As we will see later in the story, God had a miracle in store and He wanted Jonah to be the instrument for that miracle. God was going to redeem one of the most wicked nations on earth and do it through one man! And Jonah ran from that!!!
i. As a side note, he did that because he didn’t view PEOPLE rightly.
ii. This is often a marker of that is we are running from God… Our hearts toward “people” are wrong. We begin to pit ourselves against others, certain groups, certain people. We find ourselves isolated or alienated or embittered or in conflict. These are often times indicators that we have been running from God’s best for our lives.
b. God had a miracle in store but Jonah missed out on God’s purposes because he thought God’s plan was going to be too difficult or too dangerous. We so often do the same. We see God’s way as leading to dissatisfaction or boredom or mediocrity.
c. But the truth is God has GREAT PLANS and purposes for our lives and we miss out on them!
d. Illustration – Following God’s path leads to the fullest satisfaction!
i. Seth and Amanda’s post yesterday – leaving comfort and security.
ii. Wally giving Derrick the car. / Wally and the ambulance?
e. So WHAT ABOUT YOU??? Are you missing out right now? Do you feel a sense of PURPOSE? IF NOT… maybe you’re not walking in God’s presence.
3. RUNNING FROM GOD… Often causes unnecessary storms in our lives (vs 4)
a. When we begin to walk away from God’s presence and disregard his purposes… it puts in dangerous situations.
b. Sin creates havoc. It creates havoc personally, relationally, in families, in communities, in cities and nations. It just does.
c. (STOOL) - As I reflect back on 2018, I can think of many situations where I watched sin wreak havoc….
i. Unethical business decisions that destroyed families
ii. Sexual sin that damaged relationships
iii. Hidden sin that disrupted marriages
iv. And some of the worst… sins of complacency that fostered despair and hopelessness
d. Not every storm is of our own doing… BUT often times the storms in our lives can be directly tied to sinful actions we took.
e. All of these things are direct results of fleeing from the presence of the Lord. And they TAKE US DOWN!
4. RUNNING FROM GOD… Takes us “down” –
a. In this passage we see Jonah on a journey that is continually characterized by the phrase “going down”
i. He goes down to Joppa (vs 3)
ii. Down into the ship (vs 5)
iii. Down into sleep
iv. Later will go down into the sea and down into the belly of the fish.
b. Sin leads us down!! There’s just no other way to describe it.
i. Notice in verses 5 & 6 that Jonah was sleeping to escape the storms.
ii. Think about it… in the midst of a GREAT STORM (a great wind and a mighty storm) AT SEA and he was sleeping! Have you ever seen a movie where there is a raging storm at sea. It’s loud. Boat creaking. Wind blowing. Waves crashing. Sailors shouting and rowing… and where’s Jonah… asleep!
c. Sin lulls us to sleep. It takes us to dark places of apathy and coldness. It can take us into seasons of depression.
i. No doubt in this moment Jonah is exhausted. He is filled with anxiety. Probably guilt. Fear. All these things and he seeks to escape it through sleep. Have you ever been there? Just didn’t want to get out of bed in the morning? I have. And often times it was becase I had lost site of the presence of the Lord.
ii. “No noxious drug can give such deadly sleep as sin.” Spurgeon
d. He eventually found himself at a place where he was ready to die (VERSES 10-12)…. Ready to be thrown into the sea.
Fleeing from the presence of the Lord takes us in a downward spiral that ends in death.
I realize that this is all pretty grim BUT!!!!!! The reason that I share all of this is because this is not the end. The best news that I have for you today is this…
RUNNING FROM GOD… DOESN’T HAVE TO BE THE END OF THE STORY!!
VERSES 13-17 (summarize the plot first)
Verse 17 – The Lord appointed a fish!!
While this story shows the depths of what our sin can do to our lives… it also shows the magnitude of the GRACE OF GOD!
This story could have ended in verse 16 and been a fitting story of God bringing about good and worship in spite of rebellion. BUT… God!!
Jonah reaches the point of his greatest desperation and that is when God steps in! When Jonah was giving up, God was just getting started. God has a heart for those who are running from Him. He pursues us. He comes after us. He longs for a relationship with us. He appoints salvation for us!
For Jonah, God appointed a fish for 3 days and 3 nights… 3 days of darkness to bring Jonah to light. But when it came to you… God appointed His Son!! “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son…”
His Son lived a perfect life and died a sinners death so that He might be held for 3 days in darkness only to defeat death, hell and the grave and rise victorious so that you might be brought to life!
For Jonah, God appointed a fish. For you, He appointed a Redeemer. A Saviour. A conquering King! God went to great lengths to save Jonah in the midst of his running. But He went to even greater lengths to save you!
And today He is waiting! Waiting for you to come to the end of yourself.
Closing illustration - Lifeguarding in high school. The "one time" I had to actually jump in.
• God has a fish waiting for you! You've walked out of the safe zone. You've stood in line at the diving board. You've climbed the ladder and dove into the water.
• You’ve walked away from God’s presence. You’ve stepped outside of his purposes. You’ve created storms and havoc in your life and are just going DOWN!
• BUT no matter what!! God in His grace is waiting for you! He has a plan for you and something in store!
• Come back!!
Greater. Bill elliff. 8/26/18
Greater. Bill elliff. 8/26/18
“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.
God has GREATER WORKS
If we are saved, we will have good works
Vs 12-14- Greater works come through greater prayer
Jesus said HE WILL DO IT!!
“God waits to be invited to display his power in behalf of his people!”- tozer
God has greater works that bear GREATER FRUIT
- the fruit are the results of the work
- - fruit of the Spirit
- eternal fruit
- both of these kinds of fruit come through prayer!!
-
-
- we can do more than pray after we pray but we cannot do anything but pray until we pray
God has greater works that bear greater fruit and lead to GREATER JOY...
-- so that.... your joy!!
- “The reason we have so many joyless Christians is that we have so many prayerless Christians.”
God has greater works that bear greater fruit and lead to greater joy and GREATER GLORY...
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God has greater works that bear greater fruit and lead to greater joy and greater glory BUT IT ONLY COMES THROUGH GREATER PRAYER!!
- prayer is the foundation
- the apostles devoted themselves to the word of God and prayer!
“Our failures in prayer leave the enemy in possession of the field.”- Tozer
Zac Reno. Path to power in ministry. 9/2/18
Zac Reno. Path to power in ministry. 9/2/18
But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing,
1. A path to power in ministry comes from those who are JOYFULLY CONQUERED by Jesus!
- this was a negative thing in their world because their ancestors had been defeated by the Roman Empire and drug through a triumphal procession
- (heart)
- (mind)
A conquered mind says “it’s not about me”
-
-
“God creates out of nothing. Therefore, until a man becomes nothing, God can create nothing out of him.”- Martin Luther
2. A path to power in ministry comes by being CLOSE to Jesus
- the more conquered you are by Jesus the closer you will be to him
- smells good
- the key to this is KNOWLEDGE of Jesus
- psalm 23- relationship (can you say that Jesus is one of your closest friends that you talk to and spend time with often?)
- also Jesus satisfies us completely and totally
- Jesus leads those close to him and gives them direction
- those who walk closely with Jesus have hope in hard times
- - that I may KNOW CHRIST AND THE POWER OF HIS RESURRECTION
3. We must be commissioned by God!!
- you can easily tell the people who are genuinely seeking Christ and those who are just going through the motions
For he says,
“In a favorable time I listened to you,
and in a day of salvation I have helped you.”
Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.
Kory Hamlin. 9/2/18
Kory Hamlin. 9/2/18
And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts,
1. A church together is always learning
- proverbs 3:1-8
2. A church together is always together
- our gathering as the people of God can’t be segmented to just a one time gathering once a week
3. A church together is always giving
- people are more important than things
They had placed a higher value on the mission that God had called them to rather than their own possessions
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4. A church together is always praying
- we are to rejoice always and pray without ceasing-
Generosity and prayer always spreads the gospel and leads to growth.
5. A church together is always growing.
SEND Relentlessly Sermon
SEND Relentlessly Sermon
Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews. But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who on coming to Antioch spoke to the Hellenists also, preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord. The report of this came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose, for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord. So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught a great many people. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians.
Building a Culture to SEND RELENTLESSLY
Welcome- Guest Card.
20/20 series culminating on our 20th Anniversary on Nov 4th
If you were not here last week- 20/20 Dream – to spiritually influence every county in Arkansas, plant 100 churches in North America, and impact 100 countries of the world through prayer, planting and partnering over the next 20 years!
3 Components of this vision… Pray Unceasingly, Send Relentlessly, and Give Generously.
Today, we are continuing to look at what it takes to SEND RELENTLESSLY.
Last week, we talked about the need to increase our Seating Capacity in CWY & SLN so that we can increase our Sending Capacity. Today, we are going to look at what the Bible tells us about how to become a church that SENDS RELENTLESSLY.
Last Sunday we looked at an incredible picture of a SENDING Church in . Antioch was the model sending church of the book of Acts. But if we want to be this type of church, we have to back up and ask the question: “How did Antioch become Antioch?” “How did Antioch become the model ‘sending church’ in Acts?”
What are the building blocks of a church that sends relentlessly?
To answer this, we simply need to go back to the Scriptures.
1. A sending church is a church where people do not live for their own name.
A church that is not about “ME” – 11:20 – “some men”
Sadly, we have all known churches where everything was inward focused, everything was self-serving. If we desire to be a sending church, that can not be true of us.
From the very beginning, there has been a mantra: “The Summit is not about The Summit”. That is the rallying cry of a Sending Church.
Now don’t get me wrong, we want to meet the needs of the Body and we want to deepen relationships and create health within our church family… BUT we do all of that for the sake of the transforming power of Jesus. That is why we the second ingredient is so crucial…
2. A sending church is a church that boldly lives for JESUS’ Name (11:20)
a. They came preaching Jesus. Now, Luke could have said a ton about them. They probably also came making tents or being a certain type of person. There could have been so much said about them… but what was important was that they PREACHED JESUS!
b. … evangelism is at the foundation of a Sending Church
c. AND… A church that welcomes all backgrounds and people/ with a heart for all nations (11:20) – speaking the gospel to everyone… reaching across cultural barriers!
i. I believe with all of my heart that our society is hungry for what the church has to offer… in today’s society, this is one of the areas that the church has the greatest potential to shine a light into the darkness of our culture!
ii. - 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
d. To be a sending church, we must have at our core the desire to be an evangelistic church… a church where people discover the hope of Jesus.
e. Every time Paul asks for prayer it is for boldness
f. Point back to ALL OUT – Name Wall
3. A church with intentionality in equipping and discipleship (11:26)
a. In Antioch, their intent was to help people look more like Jesus! That is why they were called “Christians” – “little Christs”
b. If a church desires to be a sending church there has to be a burden to both reach people with the gospel AND disciple them in it!
c. When you look at churches throughout history and across the world that are effective in sending, there is always a foundation of equipping! A desire to help people grow up in the Lord and learn to live their lives for Him!
d. This is HOW a church is ready to SEND! If there had been no , there would not be an
4. A church that helps people discover and use their God-given gifts (13:1)
a. Prophets and teachers
b. – gifts given to build up the body
11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,
c. Each person has a kingdom contribution to make… one that will impact the nations!!
d. At the Summit we want to help you discover and grow in that gift.
i. That’s one of the best parts of planting new churches here in CA is that we get to watch people blossom in their gifts.
ii. I look at Ed & Katie Hill and it just fires me up because I remember when they were leading a small group here and learning to disciple well and use their gifts. And NOW… they’re moving to Uganda!
e. This is why as a part of our 20/20 Dream, we will be introducing a new Discipleship Pathway coming in 2018-2019
f. Also a part of intentionality in Equipping…
5. A church that has an intentional strategy to raise up leaders (13:1)
a. They had an abundance of leaders. The Holy Spirit looked down at the need around them and said, “They have an abundance of leaders in Antioch… I’m gonna move some around to other places where people need the gospel.”
b. Chris Hodges was asked “What does it take to poise yourself for a movement of God?” Answer: “God wants to reach the lost. He is looking for churches who have more resources on hand than they’re currently using [gap strategy] and more leaders trained than they can currently utilize [leadership development strategy]”
i. Talk about the 15% in One Fund to fund this.
c. A component of our Discipleship Pathway will be an intentional Leadership Pathway.
6. A church that is ready when the Wind of the Spirit blows (13:2-3)
a. All of these things position us to be ready when the Spirit speaks!!
This is our desire at The Summit… to be this type of SENDING Church!!
75 Counties. 100 Churches . 100 Nations
PANEL
7. It starts back at number 1…
a. 13:4-5 - 4 So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus. 5 When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews.
b. It all comes back to personal.
c. The new dots.
Starting Right. Bill Elliff. 1/6/19
Starting Right. Bill Elliff. 1/6/19
A Miktam of David.
Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge.
I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord;
I have no good apart from you.”
As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones,
in whom is all my delight.
The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply;
their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out
or take their names on my lips.
The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup;
you hold my lot.
The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.
God's presence is meant to be experienced
- refuge (vs 1)
- goodness (vs 2)
- riches (vs 5-6)
- counsel (vs 7)
- security (vs 8)
- direction (vs 11) - this only comes from God
- joy (vs 11)
God's presence must be pursued
- the Word of God
- though prayer- prayer is a conversation between two people who love each other
- through fasting
Why we fast?
- for power ()
- for prayer (acts 13:2)
- for clarity ()
- for greater intimacy ()