Part 6: A Growing Family
This morning cuz we are family and we're looking at the nature and mission of the church the church Capital C God's church and all of his people in all of our church lower case seal the local church in the we spent six weeks looking at this week. I chosen this title of We are family because of metaphors for the church in the Bible. And one of the best ones is that a family in this together that were working together growing together living life together as his people on his mission and I would mention the lot that we're part of an extended family known as the Evangelical Free Church of America. We don't always make a big deal about that. But that's who you are. That's our extended family and so is we've been working through this series. We've actually been kind of unpacking the mission statement of our extended family.
The fca's mission is this week's Us to glorify God by multiplying transformational churches among all people. And so we've we've looked at we had some friends here from another Free Church plants planting free churches in this inner city of Detroit a few weeks ago. We looked at God's glory and then we looked at what it means to be a transformational church rooted in the word of God and transformational in our communities in transformational for All Peoples. We look at some of our own Prejudice last week, didn't we But today we're going to look at that idea of being a multiplying movement and a multiplying Church. What does it mean to be a church? That's about multiplication. When is that really in the Bible or is that just like somebody wanted to grow a big church and have a lot of people and Call ego. What we're going to do that today, we're going to dive in we're going to ask the spirits help and then we're going to look at a whole bunch of scripture today. So let me pray father again. We thank you for Jesus. That's all because of him that we're here. And I pray the Lord that is jump around in your word. I looking at how your plan and your mandate for the church for your people your family that you might motivate us to live that out that you might continue the nourishment of Foster and even to swell some of the desires and good things you put in our heart to see more churches for more people that you might receive more Glory. And so today Lord, I pray that Holy Spirit you teach me even as I teach you to speak through me for against the enemy of servants works and facts that he wouldn't confuse us. But instead are your word to be clear and spirit you would guide us in truth since Jesus name we pray. Amen.
This whole idea of being a multiplying church or multiplying movement. Kind of a stigma for some people to think of you and we there's are prejudiced associated. I'm really the key isn't one of the other the key is his health transformational health and that results in some form of multiplication of numbers. But ultimately a multiplication of God's glory as well to be fruitful and to multiply did, you know, where is family and he's designed us he's created us and mandated for us to be fruitful and to multiply I'll see you in a few weeks ago as we started this series. We looked at a couple parables in Matthew Mark and Luke and Jesus teaching about the nature of the kingdom of God and of his people and he says this and Mark Chapter 4 verses 32 32. He said with what can we compare the kingdom of God, Jesus asks, what terrible should we use for it? He said it is like a grain of mustard seed which one stone in the ground is the smallest of all the seeds on the Earth. It won its own it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants and puts out large branches so that the birds of the air can make nests and its shade with latent within this tiny little seed is incredible power. incredible multiplicative power to grow into a huge tree that brings glory to its creator that brings good to others that the birds of the field could Nest vs. Nest and its branches. Brings joy to God's people more than they are saying here but part of what he's teaching is that his plan for the kingdom and for his people his family is multiplication. And we actually see it from the very beginning of the Bible multiplication was part of God's plan from the very beginning in the beginning. You know, if you how the Bible starts if you've read your Bible or at least the beginning of it, you know that out of out of nothing God created everything out of nothing there was nothing but God and he came into being And at the Pinnacle of his creation will look at this in a bit as well. But was Humanity the only piece of his creation U&I bearing His image. Decreator that's male and female. The Bible says isn't in his own image and likeness and he stamped His image on us and then the Bible says that the very first thing God does after that as he gives them after giving them an identity In His Image. He gives them a command to go and live out and it was a command that other parts of his Creation in Genesis 1 and God bless them. I got sent to them. Be fruitful and multiply. I fill the Earth and subdue it have dominion over the fish of the Sea and the birds of the heavens over every living thing that moves on the earth be fruitful. And what's the word for his people?
After the flood we know that Adam and Eve, you know, a couple chapters later totally mess everything up in their sin and everything. I just gets messed up but God promises a redeemer right away in Genesis 315 and then but in their wickedness in the lack of a redeemer yet and it left to their own devices send increases and so God wipes out the world with a flood and he innocent start over with a new family and Noah What do you know what the first command to Noah was when he got off the boat? Fruitful and multiply and fill the Earth has the same command and we can go on and on if you go to his plan and eventually he zeros in on a family to create a nation this this guy named Abraham. We're going to look at him a little later as well and Abraham God's promise to him is that he's going to make his descendants as numerous as the stars in the heavens as the sand on the seashore like tuna crust account. He's going to his people
It's to see his kingdom and his people and His glory increase. That's God's plan and healthy churches. coffee churches X the X mean by that look at the growth of the church in Acts Han Solo versus here in action. We could we could zero in on even more than these acts 2:47 praising God and having favor with all the people the Lord added to their number day by day those who are being saved. They're multiplying aren't they? Play multiply. I'm not talking like a strict mathematics sense, you know like 2 and then 4 and then ate and then 16 and then 32 and 64 in like increase foot, but more than just simple kind of we do it ourselves Edition, but the work of the spirit increasing People and followers of Jesus looking for 6, then in these days and it says when the disciples were increasing and number down and verse 7 and the word of God continues to increase the growth of the church with the growth and and progression of God's word that he says, it's the word that's increasing. You'll see that again the word of God continue to increase the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem. A couple chapters later and acts 9:31. So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee Samaria headpiece and was being built up and walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit the word of the Lord acts 12:24 the word of God in tree stand. Give me a few more and the word of the Lord acts 13 was spreading throughout the whole region 16. So the priests the numbers daily acts 19:20. So the word of the Lord continue to increase of this verse and prevail.
Power in God's word has to say but in Everything Jesus has to say amen. And so the word of the Lord X God's people multiply as they're healthy.
What needs to be said here though, is that growth and multiplication isn't always like a hundred miles an hour foot on the gas accelerating the entire time. Sometimes our seas it's it's it's seasons of growth of you. Remember a few weeks ago. We were talking about churches needing to be rooted in God's word threw up a picture of our logo on the screen and I said that actually there's a lot of symbolism in our little tree did you know that is rooted in an outline of the open Word of God that we want to be rooted in God's word at Jesus of course, of course was said to have died on a tree and it said too but you know, they use that metaphor of a tree he did die on a cross was raised again. Don't misunderstand how I said that And the tree itself is a metaphor that God uses to describe his people. She's used to different places in scripture to represent people represent growth and Jeremiah 17:8 talks about being rooted by the river with Rich that go down deep that are nourished and during fruit even in the dry seasons. Paul and Jesus talk about our wives bring spiritual fruit like that of a tree and got two people collectively referred to as a living organism. But an olive tree for the Gentiles are grafted in. Here's the metaphor of this idea that I want to talk a little bit about just briefly. Is it a tree gives us a picture of slow steady growth? And it goes through Seasons doesn't it? Some Seasons a tree is budding and is fruitful and there's all kinds of life that you see in it and around it and among it. used wow And then there's some Seasons where there's times for pruning because some of the girls goes a little bit out of control and then sometimes it gets pruned down so far that it's like is that really a tree anymore? And then it goes into the season often times of dormancy or it might even looked dead.
Three Audis are still alive dormant within it. And there's coming a season where again things will the evidence of that life will bear fruit and it'll come to life again in that certain sense. The lifespan of a church can often be like that when we talked about the church and multiplying sometimes we have to go through seasons of dormancy to store up for got to work so that we're going to be ready for this time of fruitfulness. And sometimes there's pruning that's really hard and really painful but it allows for the best things to grow. high temperature and this happens really with any healthy Church. There's tons of pruning of dormancy of fruitfulness. But this image of a tree really shows us that multiplication is more than just like pedal to the metal a thousand miles an hour. But it's it's it's the long game. building God's Kingdom Sometimes that speed and that increases just so exciting and huge and sometimes it's just the slow keep the Lord. Hand to the plow Don't Turn back trust in a man. That's for a church. That's for us as individuals.
God's design is for us to be fruitful and multiply now and talking about multiplication. I said, sometimes you're there can be like kind of a negative stigma attached storage that especially when you hear Pastor up here talking about multiplying and more people and what's his agenda. Let me share with you God's agenda God designed his family to be fruitful and multiply and I'll give you three reasons why number one and we could really stop here cuz the others fall under this but it's for his glory god designed as people to be fruitful and to multiply for his glory. Jenna Lyn and habakkuk, the prophet says for the Earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. The church is about God's glory and God's design his family to be fruitful and multiply and in God's economy that multiplication is ultimately I believe I could hear the ceiling of the Earth with the glory of the Lord. What's back up again? To where this all started in Genesis 1 this idea of multiplication and in God created everything in Genesis 1 and then you get to chapter 2 verse 26 and we see the creation of mankind. There's something unique about Mankind and how God created US male and female he created us in His image. Do you know that all God's creation?
You and I are the crown jewels of his creation. That we have an inherent worth about us. That's greater than anything else got created. because we bare His Image and work to rule and Reign and care for creation is his Stewart's it's great glory and you and I it says it here in chapter 1 verse 26, let us make man in our image and it means mankind after our likeness. Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea birds of the heavens over the livestock all the Earth every creeping thing that creeps on the Earth.
Where do you need it? And then look at the mission? We already read this but look at the Mission Again with me that God gives. God bless them. He said to them be fruitful and multiply and fill the Earth.
She showing the Earth is the showing of the Earth with the glory of our creator. Image would be spread to the ends of the Earth that his worship would be spread to the ends of the Earth and Adam and Eve messed that up. But thankfully God's promise. In Jesus comes and restores us and that's going to happen if you compare that Genesis 1:2 Revelation 2122. You see God's original plan of being fruitful multiply fill the Earth being totally fulfilled the city where there's great worship and great joy and great glory to the Lord. 2 multiplication is about God's glory is agenda is his glory. So what would bring in more Glory followers of Jesus Christ more people meeting Jesus and trusting and living for him and knowing him think of it the crown jewel of his creation inhumanity meeting the crown jewel of all existence Jesus. Christ of God's glory and then the crown jewel of anything that's ever happened in all of those things coming together to give God glory as people trust Jesus.
Multiplication is about God's glory about God being magnified and in Revelation 19. There's a great multitude in there crying out Hallelujah Salvation and Glory and power belong to our God.
Not just where Jesus followers but more churches are needed to bring God glory how many people are starting more services more churches. For more people to meet Jesus. Did you know the Earth's population? Is growing by 82 million people right now every year. That's over six million people a month. That's like 234 thousand people a day. By the time that our service is complete they'll be approximately another 10,000 people net gain in this world on this Earth. When you consider that.
And you consider the need for the gospel the need for people to know Jesus guess what's needed? more churches what churches are needed friends that's like six milford's every hour.
We need more churches for more people.
It's what is sometimes it saddens me a little bit when she was more glory for his salvation churches is adding those more services. And did you know that let's just bring this home a little bit in the last 2 years. Let's get excited about what God's doing here for a second, do that. That's two years. Comparing some numbers like from September to November one in 2017 to 2018. We grew by about 14% 2018 to this year. We've grown by about 11% over 2-year. It's close to 27% growth.
What's the man has nothing to do with me has nothing to do with any of us has everything to do with Jesus getting glory and more people meeting Jesus worshiping Jesus bringing honor and same to his name a man. I love you. You know that right? We just preface what I'm about to say. I love you, right you know that okay.
You seen the girl that was experience for the last four years and if you walked under orchids when you'll see it there, too. And I also know that some of your scared to death about the possibility of adding more services.
You just got a little Twitchy. I saw it. Feel like I don't know how that's going to go like things are going to change. It's going to be different well. Do we want more people to meet Jesus? We want more worship of our savior and our community. Something has to happen. Is running out of space here. We either need to plant more churches, which I'm all in favor of that be awesome. We need to maybe the simple fix right now. Is that more services and more people can come to the door and more people. Can we do this and it doesn't just happen here. It's us going out to right but collectively we need that you need to be connected in community and people need Jesus and they need community in a local church. So all that to say it's not if we need to go to two Services, it's when are we going to I love you. I know it freaks you out some of you. But listen, we're going to have to know exactly when that'll be but I do believe that's coming and I believe it's probably coming somewhat soon. But hear me it's going to be different. It's going to be okay.
But we also say no sacred cows right? We're not holding on to our preferences. We want to see people meet Jesus Christ. We want to see him receive great glory and one of the things Jesus says in the beginning of his the birth of the church just before this one thinks he's what he says. He says this in Matthew chapter 9 what's going to be needed for the kingdom to advance? Its Jesus draw the cities and Villages teaching in their synagogues proclaiming the gospel of the Kingdom healing every disease every Affliction and when he saw the crowds he had compassion for them. Because they were harassed and helpless like sheep without a shepherd. And he said to his disciples if you you know these words, I believe the Harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few therefore pray earnestly to the lord of the Harvest to send out laborers into his Harvest.
Bring it back here if we're going to take that step. Guess what we need. My name or laters. We need more workers. We need more more Partners in our Nursery in our kids ministry leading worship teaching leading small groups working in the AV boost back here. This is a family a family. You help you serve. I mean imagine what we talked about this sometimes in our Discovery class the difference between a business and a family right you go to a restaurant you get a meal and you can sit there and you can be like
mashed potatoes are too salty today. Can you take these back? Please? Try again you do that at a restaurant, right? If we don't do it quite like that.
living in a couple weeks What's going to happen you're going to say to you? It's in the kitchen go get it. We need you to step up. We need you to serve we need to get involved and you can be thinking about that and praying about it. But here's the deal. You're not sure. That's okay. Here's what Jesus tells us to do what he say to do. Let's look at his words again. He has to ask the Harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few there for what should we do? pray earnestly So here's all we ask of you today. We pray. You pray about how you might serve. Will you pray that God would raise up more workers. Would you pray that Jesus would receive more Glory that more people would meet him through the ministry of our church, whether that's our church here or efforts of our church to see churches multiplied in other places. We did that. Can you do that? Let's pray together earnestly like Jesus commands see because multiplication is about God's glory. It's all about Jesus.
And that you have some passages there that depict Jesus Glory. I'm not going to take the time to read through them all but I would encourage you to look him up Isaiah chapter 6 Isaiah gets thrown and the same in Isaiah 11 9 and 10 and then in Philippians 2 Paul writes that God has highly exalted Jesus. It's all about him. His name every knee will bow. This is about Jesus in his glory. Not about us.
But part of him receiving Glory, there's two otherwise for multiplication. The first one is for God's glory II is for others good that Parable Jesus told of the mustard seed that grew into the tree new member the final verse of it. What what happened? What what what did that tree? Do it provided good for all those around it? Birds came to nest and its branches. It provided good and it's Community through one of the many times is god mentioned multiplication and scripture. I'll give you another example what's to this guy named Abram his name means exalted Father which is really kind of ironic because he has no kids and he's 70 years old. His wife is Barren and God shows up to Abraham and he makes a promise to them. He says in Genesis 12, the Lord said to Abram go from your country from your Kindred your father's house to the land that I will show you. 70 years old Abram packs up moves out of town follow the lord and leave this promise. I will make of you a great nation to talk about this already. I will bless you make your name great notice. It's all about God is worried. I will I will I will do this.
The White House for the end of verse 2 so that you Abram will be a blessing. I'll bless those who bless you and him who dishonors God Wilkerson in you all the families of the Earth shall be blessed Gods going to multiply Abraham Abraham's descendants to Abraham and bless him in order to bless the world. Ultimately for God's glory that he's doing this, but it's secondarily for the good of all people like through Abraham. Everybody's going to be us to be a blessing.
Changed but he still calls us to plant search is to multiply to see people meet Jesus for their good even if they never trust you a lot of people that's how we say it right. Who are the hardest to love to love them and then when we get opportunity and fight them to follow Jesus with us and if they don't. but don't but we still love them. We still bring good them because it brings glory to Jesus.
All of this and ultimately results in our July see God designed his family to be fruitful and multiply for his glory others. Good and our joy This is for our joy.
Listen went when Jesus gets a hold of your heart and you start getting excited about serving him and being on his agenda and Living Way. He's designed you introducing other people to Jesus and representing him. Well, that's what I'm telling you. There is no Greater Joy because you're living out who he created you to be now. That doesn't mean you have to be up here preaching to live that those things out. There is no Greater Joy than when you're living those things out according to his plan and his will for Jesus Glory others good. It's your Choy to get that. Is your joy? In fact of Acts 9:31 will close with just a couple more passages from Acts. The church throughout all Judea Galilee Samaria and peace and in the comfort your translation might say the encouragement of the Holy Spirit it multiplied.
What is the holy spirit's working over and over and asks? You see the joy of God's people as he's at work and acts 8? Chapter 8 chapter 8 verse 8 there was much joy in that City, even when things didn't go as planned when they faced opposition like an x 13 they face persecution Paul and Barnabas and they drove them out of their District, but they took off the dust from their feet against them and went to Iconium and the disciples were filled with joy because of the Holy Spirit. When you get on God's agenda for your life and you trust Jesus I surrender all and and serve him whatever your hand finds to do do to the glory of Jesus Christ. There is no Greater Joy.
how much you've been miserable for a long time, you know, I because you're ignoring Jesus Calling Your Life. And that that longing in your spirit is ultimately a longing for him. For his work for his purpose for his Joy. Trust him turn to him.
Choice for you. Jesus said I've come to give you life that you might have it abundantly. A bunch of rules to make your life miserable now that's religion. Have to give you life and give it to you abundantly.
Friends' is we close? We're going to sing again. and them sing with joy to God designed his family to be fruitful multiply for his glory others good and our joy, and we read this earlier from Psalm 107 when we were singing. Oh give thanks unto the Lord for he is good his steadfast love endures forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord. say so What's the application this week one pray to if you haven't trusted Jesus trust him, like what's the holdup and 3 if you have live it out let the redeemed of the Lord say so. There's No Greater Joy, let me pray father. Thanks for Jesus. Thanks again for your grace Lord. I pray for each of us that we would remember ultimately Our lives our Salvation or church is not about us. Jesus it's all about you. And it's not about our name being made grape that Jesus. It's about you receiving Freight Glory. Are you are for what you've done? And Lord I pray to for our church that as that happens is we glorify you in our there Worship in the ways. We live our lives at the others would receive great good from that. And I'm confident and I know I've experienced that. That is we do those things you give us great joy. So I pray for that blessing over everyone here today. I pray for those to Jesus was never trusted you that today might be the day. They turn in faith. Do you listen if that's you don't become a Christian by just being here by coming to church it's by repenting of your sin. I just means to turn to recognize I'm sinful. I need a savior into turn to Jesus. To save you a God's word is clear that if you do that by faith, you believe in your heart and confess with your mouth. Jesus is Lord that God raised him from the dead. It says you will be saved as nothing to do with how good you are or can be or could be but everything to do with how good Jesus is. trust them Father is in Jesus name we pray all these things.
amen