Unlocking the Power of Participation

I. Study of ancient gods within the bible

Canaanites gods: Baal and Asherah, Ammonites god: Molech, Greek & Roman gods: Zeus, Artimis, Hermes. The God’s recieved animals/children sacrifices, worship/adoration, and in return gives humans blessings or without hold their wrath.

By definition God is usually conceived as being omniscient (all-knowing), omnipotent (all-powerful), omnipresent (all-present) and as having an eternal and necessary existence. God doesn’t need humanity to function therefore, God is complete in himself.

However, in Christianity, the biblical story tell us how God created the universe and death and sin came into the world through mans disobedience and the one and only God, Yahweh came among us as the incarnate God and dwelt with humanity. To give us a blessing and to save us our destruction. He did not need anything, but we desperately needed him.

II. God operates out of his grace.

Operated out of grace, God cultivated a people to himself forming the nation Israel, leads us to man name Jesus whom is the full expression of the invisible God, the begotten. Rather completing this salvific works by himself he gathered a team. “Work smarter, not harder.”

Then choose ordinary men to share in his life and work of reconciliation for the world. He commissions them to go out preach the gospel of the kingdom, heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. Matthew 10:5-15

This should give us the impression that God is not into doing solo work, but extends you and me to do something too. God wants you to serve other and move! No matter your past, mistakes and weakness. God is using every person to accomplish his mission.

Wouldn’t sharing the gospel be more fun if we could do what the disciples did and perform those miracles? That shouldn’t be our motivator for serving though, but our love for God and how he has changed our occupation.

III. Our service comes because we’re God’s priest.

Reading of 1 Peter 2:4-10, formerly only chosen men from the tribe of Levities could be be ordained as priest in the Old Testament. But now, everyone apart of the church adopted into the priesthood are expected to offer spiritual sacrifices to the Lord.

We are the foundational piece of Christ’s church and everyone person regardless of age, sex, origin, class wants our works to be on display for all to see. Priest were in the business of connecting to God and the people of the nation noticed.

So if we are all priest what does that mean for us? You and I get the opportunity to be apart of something great - minister of the church. Not only Austin’s job, but everyone. We all are working together to connect others to God and help each other in our spiritual journey.

Remembering why we’re priest in the first place is because of God’s mercy. We have to realize where we previous been and where God is taking us. That’s why we are encouraged to carry out the service of the kingdom.

IV. We were created in Christ Jesus for good works.

Read Ephesians 2:1-10, the path from which we were raised to newness of life through faith. Our purpose for spiritual resurrection is to not only make us a new people but to do good works.

Good works, i.e. showing compassion for the vulnerable, blessing our enemies, sacrificing our time and resources for the Lord.

Serving in the church: leadership, youth, Sunday service, outreach, care ministry, being part of a discipleship team. God needs us to carry out his good works so that we change the world.

Participation is necessary for those who are in Jesus. Our motivation comes from knowing how much the Lord loves us and what he did by forgiving all our trespasses.

We get better at it in time at serving one another.

Start small then go bigger - ways of serving people in the church and the community.

His grace compels us to do better. Which then urges serve in the greatest manner.

V. Making disciples

Read Matthew 28:19-20, the heartbeat of the church and reason why we serve God is to spread the news of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection and to proclaim Christ is king and lord.

Evaluate who you’re discipling and if not find someone to train. But to effective we must be trained by the master by knowing his word and filled with the Holy Spirit.

Be passionate about sharing your faith, it the reason why we have eternal hope.

When we disciple one another we assimilate others into the kingdom and we help foster a healthier church.

When we all do our part, we be priest who are filled with good works who create disciple filled with hope in the God who saves.