Seasons Part 3

Welcome

Youversion

Toy Drive

United and Awana

Prayer

Intro

Ecclesiastes 3:1 NIV

1 There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:

We’ve talked about how in life there are seasons and in the same way in the life of a church there are seasons

There have been really good fruitful seasons in Cornerstone and some difficult but I would argue still fruitful seasons of Cornerstone

But as seasons come and go it’s better to prepare than compare

We walked through the life of Peter and saw how many different seasons and changes he went through

We talked about the first church last week and how they were seen as little Christ’s walking around which is how we ultimately landed on our vision

Intentionally equipping each other to be more like Christ

Intentionally: It isn’t something we are passive with. We are actively searching for ways to become like Christ and help others achieve it as well

Equipping: We want us to have every opportunity to be successful

Each other: the church building up the church

To be: It’s not a hobby but our lives

More like Christ: It’s a journey that we are all on

So, that is our vision. This morning we will discuss our mission. How we accomplish our vision

This week I want to go back to the Acts 2 church again as a launching point for every mission statement we have.

This morning I want to show us biblically why each mission statement is important.

So there will be a lot of Scripture that we read and cover this morning and next week we will talk with some of the other elders how Cornerstone practically does this

Acts 2:42 NIV

42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

Mission Statement #1: Sharing Biblical Truth

We become more like Christ by sharing biblical truth

Not what you want to hear but what you need to hear to become more like Christ

We will not shy away from the truth of the Bible.

The Scripture will be our guide in all things.

We believe these verses to be true.

1 Thessalonians 2:13 NIV

13 And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is indeed at work in you who believe.

It is the Word of God written by men spanning thousands of years with one congruent message from Genesis to Revelation

Hebrews 4:12 NIV

12 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

Although it dates back thousands of years the Word of the Lord is still active today.

It still teaches and challenges us

It still confronts our sins

It still marvels at the wonder-fullness of God

It’s still relevant

John 6:63 NIV

63 The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life.

In His word there is life!

Acts 2:44–45 NIV

44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.

Mission Statement #2: Serving Generously

We become more like Christ by serving generously

1 Peter 4:10 NIV

10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.

We have all been gifted differently and we have been called to use those gifting’s accordingly for the edification or the building up of the body

2 Corinthians 9:7–9 NIV

7 Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 9 As it is written: “They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor; their righteousness endures forever.”

We serve and we give cheerfully not out of reluctance because it’s what God loves!

Galatians 5:13 NIV

13 You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.

We serve one another because we have been made free by Christ and because of Christ

Mark 10:45 NIV

45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

We serve because it’s what Christ did for us

Acts 2:46 NIV

46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts,

Mission Statement #3: Daily Discipleship

We become more like Christ by choosing Him daily

This isn’t a Sunday morning religious activity that we take part in it’s a daily devotion

Luke 9:23 NIV

23 Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.

There is no such thing as a half-hearted Christian. We are either all in or not in at all. So, we must choose every day what is more important. Ourselves or Christ?

The more that we choose Christ the more we become like Christ

1 Chronicles 16:23–31 NIV

23 Sing to the Lord, all the earth; proclaim his salvation day after day. 24 Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples. 25 For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; he is to be feared above all gods. 26 For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the Lord made the heavens. 27 Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and joy are in his dwelling place. 28 Ascribe to the Lord, all you families of nations, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. 29 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; bring an offering and come before him. Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness. 30 Tremble before him, all the earth! The world is firmly established; it cannot be moved. 31 Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let them say among the nations, “The Lord reigns!”

We choose to worship him day to day because He and He alone is worthy.

We also see that they continued to meet together. Both in the temple courts and in their homes.

Mission Statement #4: Meaningful Gatherings

We become more like Christ by being the church. Having meaningful gatherings.

We know that the fellowship of believers is really important. Although we know our journey is not tied down to a Sunday morning or a night when our group meets, we also know the importance of those gatherings and we want those gatherings to have biblical meaning

Matthew 18:20 NIV

20 For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”

We know there is power in our gatherings. Jesus promises us that when we gather together in His name that He will show up

Hebrews 10:24–25 NIV

24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Colossians 3:16 NIV

16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.

1 Thessalonians 5:11 NIV

11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

We don’t give up on gathering but use the gathering to spur one another, challenge one another, admonish one another, sharpen one another, worship with one another, remember with one another, pray with one another, and encourage one another and serve one another.

It is important to have gatherings so that the body can accomplish all of these things Scripture commands of us and fulfill the meaning behind being the body of Christ.

Lastly, we see that by doing all of these things the church in Acts 2 was modeling after Christ obeying what He had commanded them to do

Mission Statement #5: Modeling obedience

We become more like Christ by doing what He says

James 1:22–25 NIV

22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.

We obey because His law, His commands, give life and freedom. Because He is the giver of life, the creator of all things and He knows. So, when His Word says to do something we do it and when it says don’t we don’t because He knows what’s best and wants what’s best even when we can’t see or understand why

And if not for any other reason than for this reason alone

John 14:15 NIV

15 “If you love me, keep my commands.

We obey because we love Him

And we love Him because He first loved us.

Outro

So that is it. Here at Cornerstone we want to be:

Intentionally equipping each other to be more like Christ

By

Sharing Biblical Truth

Serving Generously

Daily Discipleship

Meaningful Gatherings

Modeling Obedience

You will hear this a lot.

You’re gonna see it on our website and SM

You’re gonna see it when you come in the lobby and in our services

You’ll hear it from the stage

At the beginning of the year we will begin having Next Steps classes that everyone will go through and you will see and hear it there

We also will share our 8 Core Values in that class and so those are really who we want to be known and seen as. Think of it as our DNA. Who we are.

Hopefully you and your family can buy into this vision and mission that God has given us as a church. We would love for you to be a part and help us carry it out

We want to really focus on these things in the coming years.

We want to improve and get better

We want to rethink how we do some of these things

We want to continue to grow and be fruitful

We believe that if we are doing these things right then the result will be that as we go we are being like Christ to those around us

As we do that and we share Christ to those around us that we begin to have favor of all the people as they did in Acts 2

And that because of that people hear the truth and they see that we are real and that there’s something different about us

and we begin making disciples in our community

And ultimately we begin making our community a better place to live because our community is full of people who are intentionally equipping each other to be more like Christ.