The Responsibility of Influence
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
New Series of Change Your World.
God wants us to make an impact… He wants us to Change Our World.
We have learned in previous series How to live in a changing culture, and our culture is changing. God doesn’t want us to to JUST be strong in the culture, he wants us to make a difference in our culture. He wants to use his church to make an impact in our world.
19 This is how the Lord responds: “If you return to me, I will restore you so you can continue to serve me. If you speak good words rather than worthless ones, you will be my spokesman. You must influence them; do not let them influence you!
13 But we will not boast beyond limits, but will boast only with regard to the area of influence God assigned to us, to reach even to you. 14 For we are not overextending ourselves, as though we did not reach you. For we were the first to come all the way to you with the gospel of Christ. 15 We do not boast beyond limit in the labors of others. But our hope is that as your faith increases, our area of influence among you may be greatly enlarged, 16 so that we may preach the gospel in lands beyond you, without boasting of work already done in another’s area of influence.
God assigns us our sphere of influence. He has put you where you are with the people you are with so that you can influence the people in those area.
God gave us the assignment to reach you guys… I hope that you are being blessed and impacted by this church, but there is more. He wants you to grow… but there is more…
He has a hope that as our faith grows, our area of influence will grow to more and more people. This church is a miracle.
God has given us influence. The other day Pastor Kathy and I were walking around Pailet … way down there. The older people down there had heard of our church and love what we are doing.
God is giving us influence and growth “so that” … we can reach more with the Gospel. God wants to use us to see people come to faith in Jesus.
To much is given, much is required…
Everyone of you have been given influence in your area of life…
1975 - Bill Bright and Lauren Cunningham (YWAM) - in same city and God gave them a vision during the night. When they had lunch the next day the paper they wrote the vision down was identical. God showed them that society is influence by 7 principalities or mind molders … or spheres of influence.
There are 7 centers of power and influence that influence culture. They decided that the only way to change the world was to get into these streams of influence... to get God back into these Streams of influence.
Seven Streams of Influence
Seven Streams of Influence
1. Church
1. Church
The church is to impact the world. In our country, people have bought into the idea faith is to be private. In our culture, people say the church should be private… Christians should stay out of the public sphere. Separation of Church and State. The protection was to keep the government out of the church not church out of government.
2. Government
2. Government
3. Arts & Entertainment
3. Arts & Entertainment
This part of culture influences us in so many ways. Saints…
4. Education
4. Education
This shapes generations. Until the mid 20th Century this sphere was primarily Christian but now has become liberal and non-Christian. Education is spreading a humanistic ideology to our young people.
5. Business
5. Business
6. Media
6. Media
TV, Print, Internet… many social media platforms are censoring Christian messages…
7. Family
7. Family
Any time the family was strong in any culture, the society flourished. Anytime the family institution was weak, the society crumbled.
The way we can influence these areas is by serving these area. When these areas turn back to God, our society will flourish. This is what the Body of Christ needs to do… become an influence in each of these areas. Our church can’t reach all of these at this point, but we can influence them...
The Church is central.
The Church is central.
The only problem with this is that the picture here is really of the church in the middle and the rest of these are spokes off of the church. We need to see how the local churches can serve these areas. How can we serve and impact these.
The local church mobilized is the hope of the world. When we take the area we are involved in, when we let the principles of God come into our lives, then we can impact that area of our world.
13 “You are like salt for the whole human race. But if salt loses its saltiness, there is no way to make it salty again. It has become worthless, so it is thrown out and people trample on it.
We are to go every where and be salt and light.
We are not to go and condemn… turn or burn, etc. We go and speak life.
Salt - provides traction / provides flavor / melts hard hearts…
We need to ask people how we can serve them… What would happen of we can be salt for these areas?
Jesus then said…
16 Make your light shine, so that others will see the good that you do and will praise your Father in heaven.
The result is that they want our God… because he is awesome. We want to look at this as we go into the Fall. We will be all over the place interacting with people
Three Important Questions
Three Important Questions
1. Why?
1. Why?
1. Why? God really likes it when we love his other children.
1. Why? God really likes it when we love his other children.
Why should we go and share… to serve.
God really likes it when his people go out and do something for him.
Because God leaves the 99 and looks for the one...
If you ever want to know how to love someone, love what they love.
16 Don’t forget to do good things for others and to share what you have with them. These are the kinds of sacrifices that please God.
He likes it when we are the hands and feet for Jesus.
“We are the hands and feet of Jesus.” Mother Teresa
“We are the hands and feet of Jesus.” Mother Teresa
The second reason we go and share is …
Why? It is your destiny to impact others.
Why? It is your destiny to impact others.
10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
If you are bored with your life, you need to get your life inline with what God wants you to do. You have to have something bigger than YOU to live for.
He leaves you here so you can make a difference in someone els’s life. Smile at someone… give a hug… give a word of encouragement… let someone know you will pray for them… girl at Zea that came to thank us for praying.
We have to slow down so we can see the needs… Hurry is the enemy of love.
2. Where?
2. Where?
Where? Your World!
Where? Your World!
My World… your world. If we will all influence our world, we will influence the whole world. He is not going to ask you do something that you are not equipped to do. He has put you in an area for you to influence your area.
Moses....
2 Then the Lord asked him, “What is that in your hand?” “A shepherd’s staff,” Moses replied. 3 “Throw it down on the ground,” the Lord told him. So Moses threw down the staff, and it turned into a snake! Moses jumped back.
Home… work… restaurant … snowball stand… movie… playground… wherever you are.
Tip well - Ask servers how they are… pray for them. “honking tip” act of kindness card
“I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do something that I can do.” Helen Keller
“I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do something that I can do.” Helen Keller
4 Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that. Don’t be impressed with yourself. Don’t compare yourself with others.
3. How?
3. How?
Be sensitive to the Spirit’s prompting.
Be sensitive to the Spirit’s prompting.
Ask God to show you who to speak to… he will. Listen to the Spirit’s prompting.
Find a need and fill it. Find a hurt and heal it.
Find a need and fill it. Find a hurt and heal it.
27 Do not withhold good from those who deserve it when it’s in your power to help them. 28 If you can help your neighbor now, don’t say, “Come back tomorrow, and then I’ll help you.”
10 Feed the hungry, and help those in trouble. Then your light will shine out from the darkness, and the darkness around you will be as bright as noon. 11 The Lord will guide you continually, giving you water when you are dry and restoring your strength. You will be like a well-watered garden, like an ever-flowing spring.
Bow in prayer -
REsponse
Some need to be nudged to go and change your world…
Some need to receive Jesus into your hearts.