G.R.O.W. THE KINGDOM

INTRO

The story of the Body Family.

Body family had four people named Evert Body, Samantha Body (Sam), Nothon Body (No) and Andrea Body (Annie).

When there was an important job to be done,

Evert body was sure that Sam Body would do it.

Annie Body could have done it, but No Body actually did it.

When No Body did it, Evert Body got angry because it was Evert body’s job.

Evert Body thought that Sam Body would do it. But No Body realized that No Body would do it.

So it ended up that Evert body blamed Sam Body when No Body did what Annie Body could have done in the first place.

Pretty sure that the Body family might have been the core membership of their local Baptist Church.

What is G.R.O.W.?

Grow is an outreach opportunity for everybody to do what everybody ought to be doing.

Mark 4:26–32 ESV

And he said, “The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground. He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how. The earth produces by itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. But when the grain is ripe, at once he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.” And he said, “With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable shall we use for it? It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when sown on the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth, yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants and puts out large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.”

1) Planting the Gospel is Our Job!

If we do nothing we should not expect to see meaningful growth in our church.

We cannot just sit idly by and expect for God to bless our stagnation.

Stagnate water stinks…we have living water inside us…it’s time to let it flow.

We must be active in God’s Kingdom Work.

2) Kingdom Growth is God’s Job!

We plant the seeds, but God is the one who brings the growth.

Here is the beauty of being involved with God’s Kingdom work: You don’t have to be an expert!

The Father draws people to the Son (John 6:44 “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.” )

No one comes to the Father except through Jesus (John 14:6 “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” )

Our job is to simply go and tell. (John 4:28-29 “So the woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people, “Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?”” )

If you have had an encounter with Jesus, you have a story to tell!

When you set out to be a part of God’s Kingdom work and reach out through His Church into the community, God will give you Divine appointments.

I remember when we were canvasing the community around Easter a few years back with The Jesus Film DVDs.

Divine Appointment

God sets those things up… He works in the heart of people… (Luke 10:1-12)

Jesus sends out the 72...When you come to a place, if the peace of God rests upon it, then enter…If you are not received, then go on.

3) We will Reap What We Sow!

Matthew 13:53–58 ESV

And when Jesus had finished these parables, he went away from there, and coming to his hometown he taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished, and said, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works? Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?” And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own household.” And he did not do many mighty works there, because of their unbelief.

Galatians 6:7 ESV

Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.

If we sow nothing, we reap nothing.

If we sow little, we reap little.

If we sow with apathy, we reap with apathy.

If we sow joyfully, we reap joyfully!

Being a part of God’s Kingdom growth helps to not only grow the Kingdom, but it helps to grow the Kingdom in us!

As we serve together we build stronger relationships with one another.

As we serve together we build unifying trust in God and His Spirit who is in us and goes before us.

CLOSING

COMMITMENT CARDS

I SURRENDER ALL