It's time to Activate for Christ
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Intro and Tension
Intro and Tension
New Year - New Series;
2 Timothy 1:6 (ESV)
For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands,
Christmas Time - So Much Food - Last thing I need | I looked like Matt Lamp before Christmas |
Question; We may be Physically full, but are we spiritually full? Do you feel like an instrument of Christ
Jesus was with woman at the well - When he had finished, His disciples came up and said;
Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.” But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.” So the disciples said to one another, “Has anyone brought him something to eat?” Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.
His Food was to do the Will of the Father | Maybe you are not Spiritually Filled because you are not activated for Christ - Where you are.
Title: It’s time to Activate for christ
My Hope: You will understand that you have been marked for Purpose where you are, and start to take the steps to get there, today - This year will not be behaviour modification for you, but rather personal transformation.
*Prayer*
One of our values as a Church; We are not Spiritual Consumers, we are Spiritual contributors, because we truly believe it’s more blessed to give, than it is to recieve. Church is not somewhere we go, it’s who we are - we are the church and the church doesn’t exist for us, we are the church and we exist for the world.
This is not just in Church, but in Life, in everything that we do, and I want to talk about that today.
So Counter Cultural from Jesus;
Consumer Society
What actually fills me, is filling others.
I have food you know nothing about. What fills me, is filling others.
Disciples: We need to consume
Jesus said: No, let’s contribute.
Parenting example; Get what you’re given | Kids have become so fussy. It’s no wonder - Netflix, choices choices choices-
We know, decisions we make today become the stories of tomorrow - Scared of making an imperfect decision, so we don;t make a decision at all
its so hard because we are trained to think about the do.
What do we do? New Year | What does God want me to do?
Point 1: God cares about the Who, before the Do.
but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,
Holy = Hagios = Set Apart for a divine purpose | Dedicated | Saints
God’s will is for you be holy first | Set Apart | Different | Conformed to the image of Jesus | Jesus spoke about Careers a couple of times | When he told them to leave them and Follow Him | Touched on this last week | This is where we start | We choose Character, over Career.
Who does God want me to become - Start there - If you become the Who…God will bring you to the DO.
This is why leadership will be out of relationship in this Church - It’s about your heart - Do you want growth? | Who you are, is more important than what you can do.
Point 2: God cares about the Why, before the What - Your motivatons matter to God.
All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes,
but the Lord weighs the spirit.
2 Reasons we do something, The reason we tell people | The real Reason
Why are we doing something? Buying a car to have reliable transportation or to show off? Posting that photo to genuinly show people a part of your life, or because you’re happy that you’re beating someone at life #blessed #whataholiday #myholidaywasbetterthanyours | Why complimenting someone?
What is your motive behind it? What is the Spirit behind it? Worlds? or God’s?
Psalm 139 is just beautiful on this. It should be our prayer to search our heart because God already knows;
Search me, O God, and know my heart!
Try me and know my thoughts!
And see if there be any grievous way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting!
Why, before the What.
And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Worship Him in all that you do. ALL that you do | Faithful with a little | Be faithful where you are |
Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.
So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
Mowing the Lawn - Straightest ever | Cooking a meal for someone - make it tasty | a Mum - Be the best mum you can be |
GET ACTIVATED!
God’s not chasing your perfection, but he is chasing your motivation
Me and Emma at the end of our life - Not talk about starting a business, or becoming a pastor - we will share details about our relationships, the times we shared, the people we helped, we will talk about our love
Chase the Who before the DO | The Why before the What |
point 3: Spiritually Contribute, before you Spiritually consume - Are you actively looking at how you can contribute where you are?
Honor the Lord with your wealth
and with the firstfruits of all your produce;
then your barns will be filled with plenty,
and your vats will be bursting with wine.
It’s wise to fill. It’s wise to give. it shows spiritual maturity.
We are created to serve AS HIS Church - We will unpack this later in the year, but for now, remember what Jesus said?
My food is to do the will of the father .
See, the practical result of everyone serving, is rest - Jesus said this, to serve will find rest - Why? Because a weight is lighter if we lift it together
Babysitting Example
Jesus showed us the way - My Food is to the WILL of the father - To be sefless, to be generous, to be givers, to love,
The weight is lighter if we lift it together
ACTIVATE IN HIS CHURCH AND SERVE AS HIS CHURCH
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.
Not saved BY Good Works, Saved FOR Good Works for the people around you, and you have been equipped with everything you need.
do you know you have been equipped?
Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.
Apple Pie Example
Someone spilles | “ill clean it” = Serving | “If you just put the apple pie closer to the table” - Teaching | “Of course that was going to spill” - Black and white = Prophesy | “Oh that’s fine haha” = Exhort/encourage | “I’ll buy you another “ Giving | “You get a clothe, you do this etc” = Leadership | “Oh that’s fine” = Mercy
There is a real enemy who will say your gift is STUPID.
you have a shield. You have a community.
Conclusion
Conclusion
You have been given everything that you need, to be activated exactly where you are to do God’s will right now.
Not in 4 years, not when something gets right or you have it together.
What did Jesus say (Key verse)
But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.” So the disciples said to one another, “Has anyone brought him something to eat?” Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work. Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then comes the harvest’? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest. Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. For here the saying holds true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’ I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor.”
The time is NOW - the time is NOW to be activated WHERE YOU ARE | The time is now to work on your WHO instead of your DO | To examine your WHY | to examine what GOD HAS GIVEN YOU TO SERVE HIM WITH |
We have a Vision to have activated CHRISTIANS | Actively walking in God’s Calling fulfilling God’s Purpose | Actively Transforming - not beheaviour modification but WHOLE PERSON TRASNFORMATION | Actively motivated by the things of God FOR the things of GOD | Actively digging deeper for change | Actively serving in OUR community | Actively giving | Actively understanding that God has big and GOOD plans for them |
If you are becoming the right WHO
God will help you to the right DO
If you are driven By the right WHY
God will lead you to the right WHAT.
If you are being a Spiritual Contributor and Serving
God will take care of the Receiving and the filling.
Think about JESUS - How could he Endure what he endured on the cross - He knew WHO he was , he was the saviour of the world, he knew WHY he came, he came for you and he knew that he was here to spiritually contribute to the lives around Him, not consume from them.
This year, let’s move closer to christ together.
Let’s get active.
*Altar Call* - if you need to make room for Jesus! Now is the time.
*Prayer*