Mission: Encounter God (cont)

OOS

I. Welcome

A. P. Dustin

II. Opening Prayer

A. Beth B.

III. Worship

A. Songs

a. “Our God (Water You Turned Into Wine)”

b. “See A Victory”

c. “Way Maker”

d. “Trust In You”

e. “What A Faithful God”

IV. Announcements

A. Food Pantry - “We Need U”

a. describe the need

b. Pray to the God o the Harvest

B. Tues. Bible Study 6:30pm

a. Sept 1 Ithis Tues) we will Begin the 8week study “If” Mark Batterson

1. If is a pwrfl little word.

i. Some people r stuck in "if only," trudging through lives marked with regret.

ii. But God wants us 2 live lives marked w/ possibilities, w/ the "what if" attitude that looks forward 2 the future w/ confidence — Why?

iii. Because, 4 Jesus Followers, the answer 2 "If God is 4 us, who can b against us?" is

-"No one."

-4 the Jesus Follower, God is always on our side. Every day, in every way.

b. I wanna encourage u 2 gather in person if at all possible (if u can’t I understand)...

1. but the fellowship & interaction is so vital to our spiritual well being

2. It also makes the class more interactive which will be so much more enriching

C. Teen Worship Night:

a. Lead by Jess & her team o teens

b. Sun Sept 13, 6-8pm @Harvest Min. on main st.

D. Next week: Communion Sunday

E. Norm’s Praise Report

V. Sermon

VI. Offering

A. Close in prayer

B. Song: “I Have Decided”

SERMON

INTRO

I. Where We’ve Been

A. God has a vision 4 GMCC

a. Our Vision: Ea. person would come 2 encounter, trust & love Jesus w/ all they r.

1. How do we reach the vision?

B. 2 Reach the vision we must accomplish the mission

a. Mission defined as important task(s) that people r sent 2 carry out

1. If vision is the picture o where we’re going, our mission is the God given tasks that must b carried out 2 get there.

i. If vision is the destination, mission is the turn-by-turn directions

2. Lets focus on the mission!!

C. GMCC’s God Given Mission:

a. Encounter God

b. Touch the poor

c. Reach the Lost

d. Build Community

e. Equip Leaders

II. Where We’re Headed

A. This week our Focus is 2 continue discussing how we encounter God

a. Where we focused on encountering God personally through

1. Prayer

2. Fasting &...

3. Studying

b. 2day is about encounters while gathering

III. Pray

IV. Transition

A. If we want ea. person 2 encounter God, we must

a. Be encountering God ourselves &…

b. Create environments conducive 4 others 2 encounter HIM

B. What r some ways u encounter God?

a. 1 o the ways I best encounter God is during preaching (I’m not talking about my preaching)

1. Illust: middle o a sermon by a Natalie Grant

i. God spoke directly to my heart

2. Illust.: It doesn’t even have 2b good preaching

i. A Chaplain preaching at NU

b. Illust. Rebekah Encounters through singing songs 2 Jesus

C. What do the folks who wrote scripture have to say about encountering God while Gathering

BODY

II. Gathering Encounters

Acts 13:1–3 ESV

1 Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a lifelong friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. 2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 3 Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.

A. There is value in gathering

a. While God’s kids @ Antioch were gathered 2gether, God Showed Up!!

1. Worship here means 2 minister 2 the lord

2. So, the idea o worship here is 2 serve God in a corporate setting, similar 2 what we do Sun. mornings

b. In the season of COVID-19 there’s a temptation 2 continue watching church frm the comfort o our living rooms

1. Those o us who’ve been watching frm hm, r ya glad we’ve been live streaming our services?

i. I sure am!!

ii. While called 2 quarantine & w/all gatherings under 10people suspended the Church had 2 figure out how to operate & function during troubled times

-& GMCC did a great job

*We figured out how to continue being generous: online & text 2 give

*We needed to reach more people in a variety o ways: simultaneous live streaming

~youtube live

~facebook live

* & God met us in our need & poured out his presence so that even though we weren’t gathered in 1 space we we'd b gathered in 1 name (so we were/r 2gether)

-But we’re not required 2 isolate anymore (75people allowed in our space)

2. There’s a temptation 2 continue watching church frm the comfort o our own homes

i. I mean why gather in person @ all

-it’s just easier (& any1 w/kids can completely relate 2 this reality)

3. But the thing is, when God’s kids gather 2gether God gathers up his presence in that space

i. When we gather 2gether & focus on him & not our “stuff”

ii. When we gather 2gether & focus on him & not those around us

iii. When we gather 2gether & make much o Jesus 2gether & less o ourselves

-GOD. SHOWS. UP!!!

4. We need 2 gather…

i. its refreshing 2 our souls when we r gathered 2gether…

ii. it’s how God refills us!!

5. God designed the christian life 2 be shared

Ephesians 5:18–21 ESV

18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, 19 addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, 20 giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

i. This is what GMCC’s church gathering does & should look like 2 greater depths

-addressing ea. other in & w/the wisdom o God

-Making much o Jesus & less o ourselves

-Thankfully praying & praising God!!

-uniting & submitting 2 ea. other

* I believe this is the shared experience o the church in Antioch

ii. Now There’s grace 4 ya if

-u can’t come to church

-but if u can… ur missing out on opportunity 2 partner w/God 2 encouraging ur church family members

ii. Start coming early 2 connect w/others

iii. stay later 2 fellowship & encourage

iv. Let’s get ourselves 2 church

-so proud o the mumfords

-so proud o Rebekah

*kids r tough

-so proud o GMCC for making it ok to raise kids 2gether & not shaming our young families for busy kids.

*Back 2 Antioch church’s encounter

B. notice that they were fasting together & later praying together

a. fasting & praying, though personal (as discussed last week), can b corporate @ the same time

b. Illust: elder meeting WED

C. In the middle of ministering & fasting, God showed-up by his H.S.

a. they encountered God 2gether!!

1. God wants 2 meet w/his gathered people as much as HE wants 2 meet w/his kids individually

2. GMCC is & must b a place where folks encounter God.

i. But it feels a bit like a trickle what if every week, we found ourselves in the presence of God??

ii. I’m not talking about big over-the-top encounters every week,

-but what if ea. week we had times o whispers, encouragement, & correction frm God’s spirit??

-What if THAT was the normative &...

* as God sees fit , HE blows our mind w/powerful manifestations o His Spirit??

b. The encounter @Antioch wasn’t a big blow ur mind kind o encounter

1. The Author Lk doesn’t record how the H.S. spoke to the church…

i. It’s almost like Lk expects his readers 2 know…like this is expected of Jesus followers

2. Maybe it was a prophetic word by 1 o the folks present

i. He does mention in vs 1 that prophets & teachers were in the church gathering

3. Maybe H.S. spoke to several o the folks there, they looked up @ ea. other & knew

i. We Don’t really know how H.S. spoke, but what we do know is that it was evident 2 those present that Barnabas & Saul were 2b set apart.

ii. What’s interesting is that @this point they don’t even know why!

-How did they all respond?

Acts 13:3 ESV

3 Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.

*they pressed in w/prayer & more fasting

-Somewhere in the praying & fasting they understood the H.S. intention:

Acts 13:4–5 ESV

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. And they had John to assist them.

4. the encounter pointed ‘em 2 deeper mission & ministry

i. The H.S. was leading ‘em 2 tell folks about Jesus who never heard b4!

ii. What if God’s intention is 2 gather us on sunday 2 scatter us on mon-sat?

-Maybe H.S. isn’t leading u 2 another country, another state / even another town

-maybe HE’s leading u across the street… / next door

-Take a look @...

Acts 1:8 ESV

8 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.”

c. Jesus is telling his disciples 2 start telling folks about Jesus starting where they live & increasing their Area of Responsibility steadily over time.

1. Who is the H.S. asking u to reach right where u live?

d. Encounters r a part o & the starting place 4 the mission because it’s in our encounters that

1. God points us 2ward the rest o the mission!!

2. God encounters align our heart w/his so we begin 2 care about what he cares about

i. What does God care about u ask??

-People (God so loved the world)!!!

3. God encounters refill us…He uses it 2 recharge & repair us 2 better accomplish the rest o the mission!!

CONCLUSION

I. These ways that we encounter God r not new ideas

A. Reading our bible, praying, fasting, & worshiping 2gether aren’t new ideas

a. But I think we can get so wrapped up in chasing the mundane that we miss the mission!!

1. We spend all day chasing the dollar, the kids, the household chores frm 1 day 2 the next

i. We look back on our day, week, / maybe month & can’t remember the last time

-we talked 2 God

-opened our bible

-gathered w/the church on Sundays

-We don’t remember the last time we fasted

*except forgetting 2 eat cause we’re too busy (that doesn’t count)

2. Then, by the time we get hm we’re stressed out, exhausted, & drooling

i. We turn on the tv & checkout frm reality only 2 do it all over again the next day.

B. What do we do?

a. Start by making 5 min 2 read ur bible & talk to God

1. Maybe that’s @ the beginning / end o ur day

2. Maybe it’s during ur lunch time

b. Make gathering as the church a priority 4 sundays

1. Husbands, dads…I’m talking to u not ur wife.

2. B a man & make the spiritual life of ur wife & kids a priority

i. if the Father/Husband goes 2 church his fam. joins him 93% o the time

3. Start w/ 5min o prayer & bible reading a day & going 2 church

i. & let God grow the time & speak 2 u

ii. Pretty soon, He’ll b interrupting ur mundane 2 point u on the mission

-Cause Guess what…it’s not only about personal encounter There’s more to the mission!!

-Encounters should compel us to

*Touch the Poor

*Reach the Lost

*Build Community

*Train Leaders

Offering

I. Invite worship team up

II. Thank you for ur generous gifts

A. It’s by ur giving that:

a. keep the lights on

b. continue to stream live

c. help those in need

d. continue renovations even through the pandemic

1. God has called us to move forward not hunker down / stall out

III. 3 ways to give

A. online: greenmtn.org

B. text the word “give” to [phone]

a. already gave via text: just text the amount to that same #

C. mail a check to 440 Main St. in Bennington

IV. A continued need above ur tithe & Offering:

A. Building Fund!

a. lots o maintenance & renovation 2b done

1. Can select when u fill out the web based form2. Or put Building fund in the memo line of ur check

V. Close in Prayer

VI. Song: “I Have Decided”