May 28, 2017

Equipped: The Results

When we use our gifts and are connected to Christ with health, the church grows into maturity.

Sermon prayer – 8:55am

-Pray for new people returning

-Memorial Day

-Baptism Class

-GATM

BumperIn

Hook – Powered to Serve (5min)

In 1972, NASA launched the exploratory space probe Pioneer 10. According to Leon Jaroff in Time, the satellite's primary mission was to reach Jupiter, photograph the planet and its moons, and beam data to earth about Jupiter's magnetic field, radiation belts, and atmosphere. Scientists regarded this as a bold plan, for at that time no earth satellite had ever gone beyond Mars, and they feared the asteroid belt would destroy the satellite before it could reach its target. But Pioneer 10 accomplished its mission and much, much more. Swinging past the giant planet in November 1973, Jupiter's immense gravity hurled Pioneer 10 at a higher rate of speed toward the edge of the solar system. At one billion miles from the sun, Pioneer 10 passed Saturn. At some two billion miles, it hurtled past Uranus; Neptune at nearly three billion miles; Pluto at almost four billion miles. By 1997, twenty-five years after its launch, Pioneer 10 was more than six billion miles from the sun.

And despite that immense distance, Pioneer 10 continued to beam back radio signals to scientists on Earth. "Perhaps most remarkable," writes Jaroff, "those signals emanate from an 8-watt transmitter, which radiates about as much power as a bedroom night light, and takes more than nine hours to reach Earth.'" The Little Satellite That Could was not qualified to do what it did. Engineers designed Pioneer 10 with a useful life of just three years. But it kept going and going. By simple longevity, its tiny 8-watt transmitter radio accomplished more than anyone thought possible.

So it is when we offer ourselves to serve the Lord. God can work even through someone with 8-watt abilities. God cannot work, however, through someone who quits.

Philippians 3:12-14 Hebrews 12:1 Mark 10:45

Craig Brian Larson, Pastoral Grit: the Strength to Stand and to Stay, Bethany.

The Results of Being Equipped (12min)

Ephesians 4:1-16 (p.979)

1Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God.

2Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. 3Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace.

4For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. 5There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6and one God and Father, who is over all and in all and living through all.

7However, he has given each one of us a special gift [grace] through the generosity of Christ. 8That is why the Scriptures say,

“When he ascended to the heights,

he led a crowd of captives

and gave gifts to his people.” (Psalm 68:18)

9Notice that it says “he ascended.” This clearly means that Christ also descended to our lowly world. 10And the same one who descended is the one who ascended higher than all the heavens, so that he might fill the entire universe with himself.

11Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. 12Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. 13This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ.

14Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. 15Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. 16He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.

Last week:

-Jesus has gifted every Christian (through His victory and ascension).

  • We are His Body on earth, filled with His Spirit.

-The gifts listed are leadership gifts. Leaders are to EQUIP God’s people to do God’s work.

  • Pray for your spiritual leaders.

-The goal is to use your gifts to:

  • Build unity in the church (not superstars)
  • Become more like Christ – see bold above
  • (NOT grow a large church, finances, buildings, etc – those ALL happen when the Body is rooted in Christ. Simple.)

(At least) 5 results (vv.13-16)

-This will continue = God gifting leaders and the leaders equipping the saints and the saints using their gifts to strengthen the church and become more like Christ

1.Unity in faith and knowledge of Christ

  • Serving together, knowing Him more (revealed as we serve)
  • I will not leave the Body of Christ and I will be in God’s word.

2.Closer to the measure of Christ (true maturity)

  • Don’t compare yourself to anyone else
  • Don’t envy the gifts of others – singing, preaching, backstage, etc. YOU are gifted.
  • (truly human, new humanity, the work God is doing in us)

3.No longer immature – tossed by trends and false teaching

  • False teaching about who God is, who we are, how the world works, what is the good life. BIG THING NOW!
  • Show some silly trends – fashion, movies, etc.
  • When you are rooted in the timeless truth of God’s word, you can see through the lies of false teaching.

4.Speak the truth in love – in a world of trends

  • Even as people drift away from God’s truth – we don’t force them but love them with truth.
  • This willingness to speak truth in love with firmness and gentleness and not bending the truth – we become more and more like Christ.

5.AS EACH PART DOES ITS WORK: church body that is healthy and growing and full of love.

  • Health comes before growth, but it is not the focus – Christ is the focus (health can become an idol, too)
  • Love is not the center – or we will just change the definition of love (we have) and leave out truth, hard conversations, and – most of all – Jesus.
  • Each part has a job to do

Story – The Violin (3min)

The great violinist, Niccolo Paganini willed his marvelous violin (the “cannon”) to city of Genoa, where it is now considered a national treasure. Every month the violin would be taken out and played by the caretaker – because if it would not be taken out it would cease to be playable. Even today, there is a competition held every year to play one of Paganini’s works, and the winner gets to play his violin. The instrument must be played to retain its usefulness.

Be willing to serve! God wants to use you to make a difference in many lives and in the church.

-Our goal – we want these 5 results with everyone serving.

Our Future (Results) (10min)

What an amazing year!!

  • Growth!! 100 new people in last 2 years - and growing
  • YG almost doubled in last 4 months
  • CG2 taking new adventures, big decisions for Christ
  • NEW YOUTH and Young Adult Pastor
  • Sun morning - experiences, art, construction projects
  • Vitality - office, and team growing
  • Strategic Operations – facility, parking lot, sermons and testimonies through media

Scott on sabbatical - we are the church

  • Many pastors are given, every 7-8 years, a special time off – called a sabbatical.
  • I am going to take a sabbatical, for 7 weeks, starting June 19.
  • I am not burned out or anything – I am doing this to follow the advice of some godly people in my life, to have good rhythms.

Why? Personal: a time to focus on my identity in Christ.

  • Pastors are asked to care for people in unique ways.
  • I get messages from 6:00am to 11:00pm – many days. (I only answer them during “normal” hours!)
  • I have about 15-20 non-staff meetings per month, often pastoral care or counseling related.
  • I care for many people’s spiritual needs – and I love caring for people.
  • Some people tell me I need to do less things – and then tell me 3 more things “the church” should be doing!
  • A sabbatical is a time to focus on Christ, personal soul care, and family.
  • It is a time to remember my worth is not based on results or people’s opinion of me.
  • The goal is to come back focused on Christ and ready for more serving.

How I see God using this.

  • We are a church plant. We are the church – what is really our DNA? This is our living out God’s dream together.
  • As I am gone, people will need to care for each other. People will need to step up.
  • Greeting – go the extra mile. Dive deep into Scripture on your own.
  • Giving – set up online or text giving, recurring helps our body.
  • Not uncommon for churches to GROW while their pastor is gone – brings in a much stronger church.
  • Have more questions?
  • Ask Shirley or me.
  • Pray for me, our staff, and our church as we continue to follow Christ.

Next Year – whoa in prayer!!

  • What happens when you have a church that is equipped, leaders step up, staff that is strong, and lead pastor that is refreshed??
  • ARE YOU READY??

-Story – meeting with some new people (love to do that!). Man says to me, “I love hearing the story of where you have been. But I also want to know where you are going.” So here is where I see God leading us – in the results of Ephesians 4…

  • Can ONLY happen as we love Jesus
  • Can only happen as leaders step up and equip others
  • Can only happen as we serve together.
  • Where we are going – moving forward as a church
  • Next Gen – “love the focus of your church”
  • Life Groups doubling
  • Events – all of the fun stuff we love to do together – from Advent Dinners, God at the Movies, Kickoff events, and One Day – coming July 9. Whole day at church together.
  • Serving
  • Crossroads Elementary
  • Kids Against Hunger – last year: over 17,000 meals packed in 1 hour and $1000. I want to do even more this year – got to do it together. October.
  • Mission trips – adults and youth
  • HS to CHIC
  • 3 services, as those fill – getting ready for a …
  • BUILDING PLAN – might start this year. We are already saving and raising money and talking with people.
  • The real goal – closer to and more like Christ
  • Evangelism
  • Deeper in the word
  • Bringing HOPE (suicide on the rise)
  • PRAY AND SERVE.
  • Where will you serve?

-Celebration!

  • We are Celebrating those who have served – and the difference it has made in so many lives.
  • We are looking forward to this year and all God has in store for us – as we get closer to Him (#1 goal)

Close in PRAYER.

TODAY – baptism class, and GATM.

-Ways people have used this for evangelism

-This will be fun

-Showing today, 4:15pm at Regal – seating issues? Buy your tickets with others so you don’t sit alone…

-Show video…

Bumper Out:GATM

“To transform religious and irreligious people into Fully Devoted Followers of Christ.”