Look At What God Can Do Through You!

Introduction

I have a question for you this morning. It’s a penetrating question that I want you to be honest with yourself about.

Do you limit God?

Think about this for a minute and ask yourself - “Do I limit God?”

For me, this is a quite convicting question because if I am to answer it honestly, I would have to say,

“Yes, there are many times that I do limit the limitless God of the Bible.”

Jeremiah 32:27 ESV

27 “Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is anything too hard for me?

And do you know when I am most tempted to limit God? When life gets difficult. When the circumstances around me crush in and it seems as if all hope is gone.

Do you ever feel that way?

Well I am here to tell you that God is still on the throne. That Jesus still saves, and the best is yet to come.

What I will not tell you is that it will be easy.

Sam Rainer just wrote an article titled -

“Five Reasons Why 2021 Will Be Harder - But Better - Than 2020

Momentum is gone

Bad habits are entrenched

Uncertainty Remains

Church leaders are exhausted

The numbers are off

So, it is hard. There are a lot of things stacked against the success of the church. But the good news is the churches survival is not up to us! Jesus told Peter this before the church had even officially started!

Matthew 16:18 ESV

18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Politics won’t stop His Church

Viruses won’t stop His Church

Money (or the lack of it) won’t stop His Church

False teachers won’t stop His Church

Persecution won’t stop His Church

Apathy won’t stop His Church

Nothing, and I mean NOTHING will stop His Church

So, if you are a believer, you are on the right side of history by being in His Church.

Christ has won not only the battle, but the eternal war!

So, in light of this, what kind of people/Christians are we to be?

Bold! Fearless! Unflappably optimistic!

What are we to do?

We are to remain faithful regardless of the circumstances around us, regardless on how we feel, we are to stick to the stuff that God has given us to do. And we are to pray for and believe that God will give us the grace to be His people.

My friends, the world is in a fearful upheaval. Life for many is seemingly out of control.

But for us, even though it may feel this way, it isn’t. Not if the Sovereign God of the Universe is in control. How can life be out of control when our heavenly Father is in control? It can’t be. The question is, do you believe this is true?

I pray what the man with the demon possessed son said to Jesus in Mark 9:24

“I believe, help my unbelief!”

It’s time for us to believe that God wants to do some amazing things through you! Through us! Not amazing by the world’s standards, but by the standards of God.

It is time for this church to become laser focused on what God wants to accomplish through us. And He does want to accomplish much through us.

Did you know that before COVID-19 approximately 6000 churches closed each year? I know that number has most definitely has increased this past year.

By God grace, that will not happen to us.

But here me, if we are not faithful in what God wants us to accomplish, if we do not roll up our sleeves and get to work on what God wants us to work on, if we have a laze fare (hands off) attitude toward this church, if we fail to realize that each one of us plays a vital role in this church, we will struggle to move forward and accomplish anything of eternal value for the Lord.

Here is the vision for the year. God wants to strengthen this body through your faithfulness.

Now, to be clear, God doesn’t need any of us. But He does, in his infinite wisdom choose to use each one of us in this body to accomplish His will for this body. This is made clear in 1 Corinthians 12...

1 Corinthians 12:12–27 ESV

12 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit. 14 For the body does not consist of one member but of many. 15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? 18 But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. 19 If all were a single member, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, yet one body. 21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22 On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, 24 which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, 25 that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. 26 If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. 27 Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.

The point? You (take your phone out and take a selfie - you are an “indispensable” part of this body. God has big plans for this Church! And you are part of those plans! Collectivley we are a part of His plan for this community during this point in history.

So, those of you that are older, don’t look back on the glory days!

For those of you that are younger, don’t wish we were something bigger, better or grandiose.

We must roll up our sleeves, dig in our heals, and get to the business the Lord has for us.

And I tell you my friends, what He has for us to do is not complicated. It’s difficult, but it is not complicated.

So, like I do every year I dream a little about what I think God wants to accomplish through this church.

And every year I come up with a theme and a target for us to collectively shoot at.

Last year was a tough year in many respects and so our goals got set aside a bit. Yet, as I mentioned last week, God moved greatly among us!

Last years theme was “Body Building” Building the Church through the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

This year’s theme is “Strengthen This Body Through Your Faithfulness!” And the emphasis is your responsibility to this body as a memeber of this body.

And in light of this focus, I’ve set some goals for us.

But before I share theses goals with you, I’d like to address another topic. It is the topic of culture.

What is culture?

Why is Chick Fil-A the fastest growling fast food chain in America? Why do you want to go there? It’s more than just the excellent food, it is the culture. “It is my pleasure” the standard response doesn’t just happen, it is ingrained in the employees. Customer service, The customer is their top priority! And you can tell! They bend over backwards to ensure that you, the customer is satisfied. That is the cultrue they have developed and want to perpetuate.

There are other resturants that cook chicken sandwiches. However, no other fastfood resturant gives the same experience that Chick Fil-A gives.

A preferred culture doesn’t just happen. It is acheived.

Samuel R. Chand an author and church consultant says,

When it comes to a church, what is a church’s culture? “culture is the strongest force in any organization. The best way to understand culture is the statement: ‘This is how we do things here.’”

He goes on to say...

“Consultant Sam Chand has written Cracking Your Church’s Culture: Seven Keys to Unleashing Vision & Inspiration (Jossey-Bass, 2010, a Leadership Network publication), and says, “It is the atmosphere in which the church functions. It is the prevalent attitude. It is the collage of spoken and unspoken messages.”

“The strongest force in an organization is not vision or strategy — it is the culture which holds all the other components,” says Chand. Every leader at some time or the other has asked the same question: “Why is it that we are not where I know we should be as a church?” Now, you know the answer — it’s your church’s culture.

https://churchexecutive.com/archives/a-church’s-culture-is-the-atmosphere-in-which-the-church-functions

Now, Chick Fil-A has a amzing preferred culture for sure!

But as believers, we have an advantage over the world’s organizations. We already know what kind of church we are to be. The Bible is our source for that information.

What kind of culture do we desire based on God’s Word?

Kind/Loving/Gracious

Friendly (eyes to see people standing by themselves)

Bible saturated

Truthful

Holy

Service minded

Pursing growth in Christ

Pursing people for Christ

Problem solving

Faith in God’s promises

Meaningful relationships

Prayer focused

Community focused

Evangelistic

Discipleship focused

We must answer this question, “What kind of church do we believe God wants us to be?”

And so, I want to today and over the next several weeks cast a vision of what our preferred culture should be at ABC. Not based on my ideas, but based on the word of God.

And so, I have some Goals that I believe will help us, as a church, achieve the kind of culture that is most pleasing to God.

Goals for ABC in 2021

The goals I will lay out for you today lead us in a particular direction. In other words, there is a flow to them that will, if followed will perpetuate itself. You will find that it is very simple. But I am telling you, if we purpose to pursue this kind of culture at ABC, we will fulfill the Great Commission He has given us!

Gather - Create a warm, welcoming, and truth-filled place of worship for those who need a church family (Hebrews 10:25)

Rescue - Intentional, personal and corporate outreach by every member of this body (Romans 10:14-17)

Teach - Robust discipleship available for every new convert as well as all who attend ABC (Matthew 28:18-20)

Encourage - Groups of ABC believers throughout this community meeting together for encouragement, prayer, service and love (Acts 2:44-47)

Now, we are going to take a quick look at each of these this morning and then for the month of January, we will explore each more deeply.

But what I want for you this morning is to feel the pressure that you are a crucial player in this process.

Now, to be clear, God is above all things and needs nothing from us. However, He has chosen to use the likes of us to fulfill His plan for the ages. Simply amazing!

This is why the theme for this year is focused on your responsibility to participate in this process. Because of His Faithfulness to you,

Strengthen This Body Through Your Faithfulness!

Let’s take a closer look at each one...

1. Gather - Create a warm, welcoming, and truth-filled place of worship for those who need a church family (Act 2:42-47)

Acts 2:42–47 ESV

And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

Explain -

Illustrate -

Argue -

Apply -

Emphasis on Church attendance and membership

Review - Strengthen This Body Through Your Faithfulness!

Gather

2. Rescue - Intentional, personal and corporate outreach by every member of this body (Romans 10:14-17)

Romans 10:14–17 ESV

How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

Explain -

Illustrate - Rescue the perishing, care for the dying, Snatch them in pity from sin and the grave; Weep o’er the erring one, lift up the fallen, Tell them of Jesus, the mighty to save.

Refrain: Rescue the perishing, care for the dying, Jesus is merciful, Jesus will save.Though they are slighting Him, still He is waiting, Waiting the penitent child to receive; Plead with them earnestly, plead with them gently; He will forgive if they only believe.

Fanny Crosby 1869

Argue -

Apply -

Train 50% of our people in effective evangelism

Evangelism 360

EvanTell

Scott Klooster (local training)

Other

Develop a culture of expectation

Pray/expect our people to share the gospel with 3 people each month

Pray/expect that 30 people come to know Jesus Christ in 2021

Pray/expect 30+ baptisms to occur in 2021

Online Ministry

Increase online traffic by 20%

Produce weekly video content

Improve Blog Ministry

Improve and promote online services (Share them!)

Review - Strengthen This Body Through Your Faithfulness!

Gather

Rescue

3. Teach - Robust discipleship available for every new convert as well as all who attend ABC (Matthew 28:18-20)

Matthew 28:18–20 ESV

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Explain -

Illustrate -

Argue -

Apply -

Train and prepare a team of people to meet the influx of new believers

Use “Discipleship Essentials,” “Operation Timothy,” and or Elliot’s discipleship material

Systematic Theology Group

Family ministry

52 Challenge – invite people into their home

Get new disciples plugged into a Connection Group

Ensure ongoing relationships between disciple-maker and disciple.

Older ministering to the younger (cultural goal)

Review - Strengthen This Body Through Your Faithfulness!

Gather

Rescue

Teach

4. Encourage - Groups of ABC believers throughout this community meeting together for encouragement, prayer, service and love (Hebrews 10:24-25)

Hebrews 10:24–25 ESV

And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

Explain -

Illustrate -

Argue -

Apply -

Start 3 new Connection Groups

Training for existing and new group leaders

GVSU Ministry

Start 2-3 “Velcro groups”

Money Management

Parenting

Marriage

Young Marrieds

Review - Strengthen This Body Through Your Faithfulness!

Gather

Rescue

Teach

Encourage

Conclusion

So, Do you limity God?

Strengthen This Body Through Your Faithfulness!

All hands on deck in 2021.