Encourage Parents:
As society becomes more and more woke - it’s important that parents make a time to sit with your children and discuss what they are being taught
Not everyone can homeschool or send their children to an expensive Christian School
The only solution is to sit and discuss - show what the scriptures say about gender - sex - abortion - God told Jeremiah He knew him before he was in his mother’s womb - Jeremiah was very alive to God - even before conception
racism - the difference of an individual’s heart and legislated racism - it will always be an individual’s heart
INTRO: On Friday I attended a morning leadership conference
I was encouraged as the minister spoke - on various fronts - one in particular was his main theme
Why are we in this? Why are we doing what we do? What is our long term goals?
He made the comment that Christians must always think “eternal goals”
We have various builders out in society:
Homebuilders, commercial builders, bodybuilders, reputation builders, retirement-nest-egg builders, website builders, infrastructure builders, mailing list builders…
None of those things will last for eternity
One thing that’s going to last for eternity, something we can put our efforts into now that will last forever is…We can be “people builders”
There also ministry builders - in the Christian world - (even a ministry doesn’t last)
If ministries don’t build people they won’t last either
Because all ministry revolves around people
Big Idea Today: “Build a Ministry or Build People?”
I am saying this based on “eternal goals”
We will all stand before the Lord someday
For Christians it isn’t about our sins - because He has washed and cleansed us of our sins
For us it will be about how we served Him
Our works follow us - neither our sins or our things follow us
WHY IS THIS SO IMPORTANT ?
1 Cor. 10:11 Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come. (ESV)
IF I may - REPEAT some scriptures: (the BEGINNING and END)
Matt. 16:18 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. (ESV)
Rev. 1:7 Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth shall gaze upon Him and beat their breasts and mourn and lament over Him. Even so [must it be]. Amen (so be it). (AMP)
These two scriptures are you could say foretell the beginning and end of the church age:
We looked at all the builders out in society: (JESUS SAID I WILL BUILD)
Jesus is in heaven - not on earth
He is a church builder
The N.T. church is made of people
This is all about people - People are the church
It so happens we need buildings to meet in
But WE ARE THE CHURCH
Building the church is building people
HE WILL BUILD His church and WE WORK WITH HIM
In the O.T. we see materials were brought to rebuild a temple
Haggai 1:8 Go up to the mountains, bring wood and rebuild the temple, that I may be pleased with it and be glorified,” says the Lord.
2 PICS
The O.T. was a time where God dwelt among the people
They built a natural material building - so God could dwell among them
Their building materials were natural
OUR BUILDING MATERIALS ARE SPIRITUAL
We have a choice when we build:
We can build a ministry - which doesn’t always mean we build people
The best choice is - to build people - in that process churches and ministries will be built - but they are centred on the mission Jesus gave
They are entered on the mission we see in the epistles
LET’S LOOK AT OUR MISSION LIKE A BASEBALL DIAMOND:
First base - second base - third base - home plate
First Base: Salvation - (Justification)
What is first base?
THE CHURCH is SPIRITUAL
WE USE SPIRITUAL MATERIALS
SPIRITUAL MATERIALS WORK WITH AND COMPLIMENT EACH OTHER
John 1:12 But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.
John 1:13 They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God. (NLT)
PIC
If someone builds a multi billion dollar corporation and is world famous
He can’t take that to heaven with him
BUT - if he uses his resources and influence - and HE GETS SOME PEOPLE to FIRST BASE
THAT IS ETERNAL FRUIT - I don’t say this in order to disrespect a person like that - to bring perspective is why I am saying this
John 3:3 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.”
John 3:4 What do you mean?” exclaimed Nicodemus. “How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?”
John 3:5 Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. (NLT)
Nicodemus only could make heaven by going through Jesus
His religion, education, and money couldn’t buy him entrance
The same thing with Paul - the pharisee of pharisee’s needed Jesus
SUMMARY: First base is entering the kingdom
We exist to bring others in
Second Base: Established and Trained
STORY: Kurt Warner - he was the QB for the St Louis Rams
They won SB 34 - Kurt Warner was their QB
They made a movie about him
PIC - MOVIE
PIC - KURT AND ACTOR
Here is the man who played him - standing next to Kurt
I was in the Green Room of a church in St Louis - I was speaking there on a Sunday morning - I had the pleasure of meeting him and talking to him
The pastor of that church had the task of helping Kurt and his wife get established and trained
HERE IS A POINT: my Ps friend encouraged them to get established and not go big with ministry
Bob Dylan - got out there quickly - he had some real challenges
KURT LISTENED - PIC - KURT USING HIS INFLUENCE
John 8:31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples,
John 8:32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (ESV)
Acts 18:24 Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, competent in the Scriptures.
Acts 18:25 He had been instructed in the way of the Lord. And being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John.
Acts 18:26 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately. (ESV)
Second Base is: when we are established and trained
It helps us to do the LONG HAUL
We have resources
Sunday services - including Sunday PM
iBelieve
Bible School
Small Groups
Third Base: Bearing Fruit
PLEASE NOTE: We can bear fruit immediately - (as soon as someone is saved - they can tell their story - they can lead someone to the Lord
If you receive a healing - you can tell that story
John 15:7-8 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. (ESV)
Jesus said much about prayer: Here He emphasis “asking and receiving”
THOUGHT: It’s common to ask for our needs to be met - and He will meet them
Let’s make it common to ask for “souls” - people to be saved
Home Plate: Eternity
Matt. 6:19 “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal.
Matt. 6:20 Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal.
Matt. 6:21 Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be. (NLT)
One way we can store treasure up in heaven is by investing in getting people there - Why not make the desires of our hearts souls?
Practical Steps for End Time Living
1. Look Up - Our redemption draws near - that is for our COMFORT
2. Love One Another - the world will know us by our love for one another - that is for OUR WITNESS
3. Meet Together
Heb. 10:25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and ball the more as you see the Day drawing near. (ESV)
This is for our SPIRITUAL WELL BEING
LASTLY: 4. ASK for RAIN
Praying for rain - this is OUR RESPONSIBILITY
James 5:7 Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. (ESV)
Zech. 10:1 ASK THE LORD FOR RAIN in the time of the latter rain. The LORD will make flashing clouds; He will give them showers of rain, Grass in the field for everyone. (NKJV)
Hos. 6:3 Let us know, Let us pursue the knowledge of the LORD. His going forth is established as the morning; He will come to us like the rain, Like the latter and former rain to the earth.
Scriptures:
I labour in the grace - (Paul)
I strive Col 1:29
What Paul said about ministry
When you faith increases - we will increase our sphere
You are my crown
Scriptures about maturity
What Jesus said - build your house on a rock
Feed my sheep
Hebrews 6 - you should be - the basic 6 doctrines
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Paul gave some details about his calling
He was most fervent about building people - (verses a ministry)
Dissect a local church
We attend - so there are groups of us who serve on Sunday morning and also our Sunday evening
Then we have small groups -
There are some who serve during the week
So mainly we gather, we serve, and we connect
In doing this we ask ourselves - what are our objectives?
Jesus gave a few and Paul gave a few
INVITATION:
We desire to build people
If you lead any area here - it isn’t to build a ministry - it’s to build people