It came to pass - The power of giving
Matthew 2:1–12 (ESV)
1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” 3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; 4and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. 5 They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet: 6 “ ‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’ ” 7 Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.” 9 After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. 11 And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. 12 And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.
One must be careful in allowing Christmas songs to shape your theology:
They were not kings (not stated)
There weren't necessarily 3 of them (again, not stated)
In this passage, we discover something so vital to our understanding as a church:
WORSHIP & GIVING are tied together.
Are you bringing your gifts to the kingdom?
What do we mean by GIFTS?
Time, resources & talents
“I never meet a ragged boy in the street without feeling that i may owe him a salute, for I know not what possibilities may be buttoned up under his coat.”
― James A. Garfield
For the follower of Jesus - it is NORMAL to have SUPERNATURAL potential inside!
The challenge for the believer is getting that potential out!
Using our gifts for the kingdom takes
Courage
Commitment
It takes courage because you're attempting to do something that is outside the norm and outside your comfort zone!
It takes commitment because sometimes we have to use our gifts to refine our gifts
Hebrews 5:14 (ESV)
14 But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.
If you're having trouble with your spiritual disciplines - You have to be honest with yourself and admit if you're not practicing them.
That's why some people have such a hard time with generosity - they've never spent time practicing.
So what does PRACTICING my giving look like?
Tithing & offerings -
Offerings: Giving other than tithes
Tithe: 10% of my income - I give to God - I give it in faith to the church.
Why? It’s Biblical! This is how the church stays viable! See scripture below.
RADICAL Generosity is TITHES PLUS OFFERINGS
God said: “TRY ME”
Malachi 3:8–10 (ESV)
8 Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In your tithes and contributions. 9You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you. 10 Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.
Here, giving is tied to blessing!
It is through my practice of giving that I learn the provision and the abundant blessings of God!
So here's where the practice comes in: God says, PUT ME TO THE TEST!
I give - in faith
Then I watch God do a few things:
He blesses what I have left and it goes further than the whole would have.
He increases the blessings in my life.
To see the vision of Hub City Church come to pass - we need people who are giving radical gifts!
That want to do more than:
Tip God
Bring an offering to God
Tithe to God
We're talking about supernatural needs that need supernatural provisions!
It requires supernatural generosity!
These men worshipped - THEN their gifts were opened!
Your worship will make room for your giftings & your gifts will bring depth to your worship!
Here’s how I know it brings depth:
Each gift was unique! Gold, Frankincense, Myrrh
They weren’t just bringing different amounts of the same thing - they brought something different-
So many times we wait on someone else to do what we were gifted to do:
We want them to bring a gift that looks like the gift that we feel called to bring
Don't wait on a consensus!
Stop waiting for a “for-sure” result - take a chance!
It came to pass - The power of expecting
Luke 1:35–41 (ESV)
35 And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. 36 And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her. 39 In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah, 40 and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit,
As a follower of Jesus - What's inside of you is enough to make a difference!
Through the OT, prophets and followers had an external relationship with God
Their interaction with the Spirit started externally and worked it's way in.
They sensed God around them - then he would work in them
She was the first person to carry Jesus from within.
As she sensed God within her, she knew he was going to work around her.
John 7:38–39 (ESV)
38 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’ ” 39 Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
The power of expectancy
Hebrews 11:1
Hebrews 11:1 (NKJV)
1 Now faith is the substance (or realization) of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
If faith is the vehicle of the supernatural in our lives, expectancy is the engine!
The vast majority of us have set our expectations far too low!
Ephesians 3:20–21 (ESV)
20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us,
We’re fighting for abundant expectations!
THE ACTIVITY OF GOD IN MY LIFE IS NOT LIMITED BY MY ABILITY TO PERFORM IT BUT BY BY ABILITY TO BELIEVE IT!
This is what happens to Mary in Luke 1:
Gabriel:
Luke 1:28–32 (ESV)
28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” 29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. 30 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David,
What was her response?
WAIT - that can't be, I'm not married and there's literally no way that I can be pregnant
His response to her:
Luke 1:37 (ESV)
37 For nothing will be impossible with God.”
So, Mary:
As unlikely as it might be:
She's expecting the supernatural
She's expecting to make a difference
She's expecting to leave a legacy
Watch what happens to Elizabeth when she hears Mary:
Luke 1:41 (ESV)
41 And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit,
When you're carrying supernatural expectations: you change the atmosphere of the room
When you're carrying supernatural expectations: you'll be put in position to change future generations
When you're carrying supernatural expectations: you'll have supernatural encounters
Pilgrims: James - Obedient
James, the brother of Jesus - not originally one of the 12 disciples, but becomes a prominent leader in the early church.
Historians say that James was pretty much in the lead role of the church after Peter is gone.
Paul, on his thoughts of James:
Galatians 2:9 (ESV)
9 and when James and Cephas and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given to me, they gave the right hand of fellowship to Barnabas and me, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised.
He goes so far as to imply apostleship of James:
Galatians 1:18–19 (ESV)
18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and remained with him fifteen days. 19 But I saw none of the other apostles except James the Lord’s brother.
He's only mentioned 8 times in the New Testament, and by far the most meaningful is Acts 15 where he is a voice for the Gentile believers.
Outside of that, we have the book of James.
Here's what I love about the book of James - it is PRACTICAL
It's the proverbs of the NT
There's such a focus of applicable truth!
Obedience is living out applicable truth.
James 1:22–25 (ESV)
22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. 24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. 25 But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.
James 2:21–26 (ESV)
21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; 23 and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God. 24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25 And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? 26 For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.
Obedience is the fruit of faith
Understanding obedience: 3 ways we create obedient lifestyles
These are concepts, not steps (for the practical steps, read James!)
Obedience means following God in HOLINESS
1 Peter 1:15–16 (ESV)
15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”
That's simple enough, right? Just be holy!
Just so we're on the same page, what does that mean?
There are competing ideas, most accepted is:
being separate, consecrated
In the context of this verse: it is taking on the character and nature of God
You BE because I AM
This is Bible. It's not even a suggestion - it's a directive - BE HOLY
We can't quite achieve perfect holiness, but that shouldn't keep us from working toward it!
People use their inability to master holiness as their excuse to avoid the pursuit of holiness.
That would be like:
I could never be a PGA Tour golfer so why even bother going to the golf course
I'm not a world-renown chef so why even cook
I'm not fast enough or strong enough to win the crossfit games, so I'm not even working out!
You aren't going to master holiness here on earth, but the pursuit of holiness is the prep for eternity!
Obedience means following God in HUMILITY
Philippians 2:5–11 (ESV)
5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
This is why serving is such a part of our culture here!
If I'm not living in humility, I'll never live in obedience
Jesus was never too:
Busy
Good
Important
He didn't have this religious "untouchable" heir about him.
He was approachable
He was interested
He was willing to get involved
Humility is the character of someone who understands where their "holiness" came from.
When you think that YOU are holy - you'll be too good to SERVE anyone else.
Obedience means following God in LOVE
John 13:34 (ESV)
34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.
Whenever holiness and humility meet - this right here is the product - LOVE
As it relates to obedience:
Obedience is a choice
Love is a choice
Motivation for obedience:
The motivation and the empowering for the task are for the current assignment not the next assignment!
Obedience is learning to take the next step
Psalm 37:23 (NKJV)
23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, And He delights in his way.
You don't have to know the whole plan - obedience is taking the next step!
If God isn't giving you anything new lately, did you obey the last assignment he gave you?
Is there an area in your life that you've neglected obedience?
Are you pursuing holiness?
Are you carrying yourself in humility?
Are you living your life in love?
Pilgrims: Timothy - Discipled
Acts 16:1–2 (ESV)
1 Paul came also to Derbe and to Lystra. A disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek. 2 He was well spoken of by the brothers at Lystra and Iconium.
Who is Timothy?
He was a son of a Jewish woman and Greek father who lived in the city Lystra
Scripture indicates that his family was saved during Paul's first missionary journey that we see in Acts 14
Eunice - Mother
Lois - Grandmother
Paul's writings to Timothy point to the fact that he looks to Timothy as a direct son of the faith.
The short story here is that Paul becomes his primary mentor, his pastor, his teacher and Paul ultimately trains Timothy to be a leader of the church as he grows more mature in his faith.
Here’s some clarity to what we’re talking about when we say that we are here to be disciples who make disciples:
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO MAKE AND BE A DISCIPLE?
ONE: Discipleship takes time:
How much time do you think passed between Paul's first missionary journey to Lystra and the journey that Timothy accompanied Paul? (Acts 14, Acts 16)
About 2 years
Meanwhile, Timothy's faith and walk with the Holy Spirit had been maturing (In Paul's absence)
Discipleship is investment
Investments take time
There is no get-discipled-quick scheme
It is a process of walking with the Spirit and Spirit-led people
Here's a look at a couple of disciples
“Passive” Disciple vs. “Active” Disciple
Passive Disciple
Hears the word occasionally - regularly (typically during Sunday attendance)
Seeks to avoid sin
Enjoys spiritual atmosphere but sometimes struggles to make spiritual application
Likes Worship, but is not seeing much life-change
Interested vs Invested
Active Disciple
Seeks the scripture daily
Seeking wisdom
Seeking the Spirit
"Stirring" the gifts
2 Timothy 1:6–7 (NKJV)
6 Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
2 Timothy 1:6 (ESV)
6 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,
We have the ability to cultivate the gifts in our life
Do you ever have situations where you've got:
Filet Mignon taste on a pork chop budget?
Granite taste on a formica budget?
That's being discipled:
We want the blessing
We want the wisdom
We want the overflow in our lives
BUT ARE WE WILLING TO INVEST FOR IT?
The time
The discipline
The hard conversations
The more I "INVEST" into becoming a disciple - the less it costs!
My heart and my desires changes
My time in prayer and in the word yield greater results
It's like an interest earning account - the sooner I invest, the quicker it begins to yield
TWO: Learning to lead is learning to follow
How many times do I want the Lord to give me a different kind of disciple than me?
I want a disciple who is disciplined - and when my life is unraveling
I want a disciple who gives radically - and I'm guarding every dollar
I want to disciple someone who exhibits all the fruit of the spirit, and I'm not cultivating that in my life!
We want FAT people!
FAITHFUL, AVAILABLE, TEACHABLE
As a disciple-maker - I can teach what I know, but I will reproduce what I am!
If I am going to make disciples, I have to continually put myself in a place to be discipled
PUT MYSELF
I can't pour out of an empty tank
Learn to ask questions - not pretend to have the answers!
John 4:25–34 (ESV)
25 The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things.” 26 Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am he.” 27 Just then his disciples came back. They marveled that he was talking with a woman, but no one said, “What do you seek?” or, “Why are you talking with her?” 28 So the woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people, 29 “Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?” 30 They went out of the town and were coming to him. 31 Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.” 32 But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.” 33 So the disciples said to one another, “Has anyone brought him something to eat?” 34 Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.
Nobody asked
Failed discipleship moments happen when we don't ask questions
Some of the most impactful prayer moments in my life have happened when I asked questions.
James 1:5 (ESV)
5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.
Sometimes we have a perception that God has all of the answers and. keeps them in some kind of proprietary vault that's none of our business.
The instructions were to ask!
Matthew 7:7–11 (ESV) Jesus:
7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!
This still works!
ASK!
Pilgrims: The Apostle Paul - Sent
Acts 1:8 (ESV)
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
The coming of the Spirit to empower the church was actually a RESPONSE to the assignment that was given:
Matthew 28:18–20 (ESV)
18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 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, 20teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Here is the reality: We are SENT
Where my feet are is a mission field!
The tension of being SENT is learning that where I am at is as important as where I'm going
Today, we want to take a look at the most "sent" guy we see in the New Testament: Paul:
Acts 7:58–60 (ESV) - (STEPHEN’S STONING)
58 Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
Acts 8:1–3 (ESV)
1 And Saul approved of his execution. And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. 2 Devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him. 3 But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.
Paul becomes one of the most violent activists against the church of his day
He was trained in Old Testament scripture
He was well-respected by the pharisees
He was feared by followers of Jesus
Through all of this - Paul's life is such an excellent example of a disciple that is sent:
Today, I want to give you three things we learn from him, first:
*******PAUL WAS ALWAYS IN THE MOMENT******
He had a prestigious academic background - he was present in his training
He had an excellent reputation as a religious leader - he was present on the job
He was feared among the Christian church - He was present in persecuting the church
If we were to look at these events in the context of Paul being called as a missionary, we would say that he had gone too far!
He'd never fulfill his purpose!
What about you? I'm sure some people (if they knew your whole story) would say that you'll never fulfill the plan of God in your life!
God makes good things out of messy moments
Paul has a moment with God
Acts 9:1–9 (ESV)
1 But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. 3 Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. 4 And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” 5 And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 6 But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” 7 The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. 8 Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. 9 And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.
This is why the previous moments cannot be taken as isolated events!
*******PAUL'S MOMENTS MAKE THE STORY******
The messy moments are not the final outcome, they are pieces of the puzzle
The moments with God are what give my other moments meaning
I can't make anything of all the messy details without an experience with God
That's why the people around you might not understand you - they've not had the same experience with God that you've had.
*******PAUL'S STORY WAS MEANT TO BE TOLD *****
- Paul wrote 13 of the 27 books of the New Testament, not counting Hebrews which the author is unknown for sure.
Over and over you find Paul doing something: telling his story
Acts 9: His story happens and he immediately goes into Jerusalem to tell it
Acts 22: Addresses the church in Jerusalem, recounting his story
Acts 26: Before King Agrippa He again rehearses his Acts 9 story
Here's the founding church principle that we are discussing today:
As followers of Jesus - we have been SENT
Last week, we talked about being empowered, and we are empowered for the purpose of advancing the kingdom by SHARING OUR STORY.
Lies of the enemy about your story:
Your story doesn't matter.
Your story isn't good enough
Your story is already over.
But let me remind you: The enemy is a liar!
Your story matters, you're going to come into contact with someone this week who needs it!
Your story is as good as it's author!
If you're still breathing, your story isn't over!
Here's the challenge this week:
Tell your story to one person
You don't have to be theological & hyper spiritual
You have been sent to the place your feet are!
JUST TELL YOUR STORY
Your story matters:
You were made for INTENTIONAL moments
Those moments MAKE the story
The story was made to be TOLD.
Pilgrims: Peter, a comeback story
Acts 1:8 (ESV)
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
This is a principle that the church of Jesus Christ was founded upon
AFTER the Spirit comes, you will receive POWER
Empowered to stand
Acts 2:14 (ESV)
14 But Peter, standing with the eleven,
This is the same guy who couldn't take a stand just days before when he was being recognized as one of Jesus' disciples
Empowered to speak
Acts 2:14 (ESV)
14 But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words.
........ He kept preaching ...........
Acts 2:37–41 (ESV)
37 Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” 40 And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” 41 So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.
Peter preached the most powerful message that city had heard!
3000 get saved that day!
It's not because he had prepared a great sermon, it was because he was empowered by the Holy Spirit to preach!
I'm not telling you this to tell you that you need to be a better preacher - I'm telling you this because we need to Spirit to empower us to speak in everyday life!
I need the Spirit to take control of my mouth!
This mouth can be negative
This mouth can be passive aggressive
This mouth can speak words that are hurtful
We need the empowering of the Spirit to help us speak life and not death
Spirit empower me to speak light into darkness
Spirit empower me to speak healing into the pain
Empowered to give
Acts 3:1–8 (ESV)
1 Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. 2 And a man lame from birth was being carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple that is called the Beautiful Gate to ask alms of those entering the temple. 3 Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked to receive alms. 4 And Peter directed his gaze at him, as did John, and said, “Look at us.” 5 And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them. 6 But Peter said, “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!” 7 And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. 8 And leaping up, he stood and began to walk, and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God.
This isn't just a story of healing
The spirit-empowerment of the church enables and causes crazy generosity
So many times we believe that what someone needs is something that we don't have
here's a powerful statement: WHAT I DO HAVE, I GIVE!
You may not have possessions, but you've got talent
You may not feel like you've got ministry skills, but God has blessed your occupation and you can give financially
You may not have "stuff" but you are gifted with the ability to talk to and pray for people
GIVE IT!
We're not talking about what you don't have - God is looking for you to give what you've got!
Empowered to go
Acts 5:14–16 (ESV)
14 And more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women, 15 so that they even carried out the sick into the streets and laid them on cots and mats, that as Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on some of them. 16 The people also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all healed.
There is a reason this book of the Bible is called "ACTS" - it is the recording of the acts of the Spirit and of the early church.
Here's what I love about the early church: The early church's success was based on God's Spirit and not man's performance
People were drawn to the church based on the supernatural wonders happening in their lives!
If we are going to reach this city, we have to tap into something supernatural - we need more of the Spirit moving in our lives!
Turn on the light - Stuck
Psalm 119:105 (ESV)
105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
Today, we are going to shine the light at our feet
Psalm 40:1–3 (ESV)
1 I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry. 2 He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. 3 He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord.
Do yo ever feel stuck?
Maybe in moments where you are trying to get "past" a particular thing
What about in your thinking, do you ever just feel bogged down?
Sometimes I think i'm ready to move into a new season, but I look around and the scenery doesn't change
3 Things That I Learn From Sticky Seasons
Being "Stuck" teaches me that I'm not in control
I'm learning in my sticky moments that God controls the times and seasons
In those moments - sometimes God is not trying to teach me that HE CAN -
He's letting me find out that I CAN'T!
The longer I lie to myself that I can FIX IT MYSELF - the longer I stay stuck!
"Mercy sakes alive I'm a girl!"
Being "Stuck" is an opportunity to wait well
When you're stuck, you have no choice but to wait - but HOW are you waiting
Do you know how i wait?
Franticly
Irritably
Angrily
David said: I waited patiently -
I prove my faith and trust in God in the sticky moments!
Being stuck was never meant to define you - it was meant to refine you.
When I tell my story - do you know what the really good parts are?
They are the moments when it seemed hopeless
They are the times when I had almost given up
God loves you enough to make your story interesting
Hebrews 12:2 - "The author and finisher of our faith"
When the story of your life is told - it's not going to be a boring one!
But when I'm like David - stuck in the pit of destruction and in the miry bog
God shows up and pulls me out!
When it's over - I have something to stand on
From sticky feet to stable steps - He... set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure.
From a cry of distress to a song of praise - He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God.
The moments that I am stuck make freedom feel so good
Turn on the light - In my feels
2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV)
7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
If my following Jesus is a free pass to an easy life - everyone chooses that
It ceases to be a faith choice and becomes an insurance policy
We follow God by faith - in the midst of that we are trying to reconcile our emotions with the truth
Jeremiah 17:9–10 (ESV)
9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? 10 “I the Lord search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.”
Your heart will lie to you
Here's what I've found: Many times my feelings aren't right - but they are real
I'm not telling you not to have feelings - we are people of feelings and passions
I have to learn to process my feelings through faith and not process faith through my feelings
ACTS 1:15: They start the process of Judas' replacement
Matthias and Justus
What we have here are two men who were equally faithful, equally dedicated to Christ.
They were so much equals, that the disciples couldn’t choose one over the other.
What you ended up with is a decision that was so split, they couldn’t make a decision on their own.
So, they pray that God would (Through His divine, providencial will) select the next apostle
Acts 1:26 (ESV)
26 And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.
Let's talk about Justus:
Justus was the loser
He didn’t get picked
Have you ever experienced the heartbreak of someone who didn’t get "picked"?
That very thing happened to David
2 Samuel 12
David finds himself crying out for mercy - asking for God to spare the child
We have documented the actual prayers that David was praying during this time in his life:
Psalm 51:10–12 (ESV)
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. 11 Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.
When David's feelings and faith didn't line up, David:
Realigned his heart
Restored his joy in God's presence
Received a willing Spirit
Do you know what we have in common with David?
Our heart gets misdirected
We make bad decisions
Sometimes we get in our feels
But do you know the difference between us and David -
The judgement for our sin has already been payed for
David had to pay for his sin - but we live in a day of grace - Christ paid for ours
I have the blessing of skipping the repayment for my sin - I just have to come face to face with repentance!
Like David - when I come face to face with the struggle between my faith and my feels
I need God to:
Realign my heart
Restore my joy in His presence
Receive a Spirit that is willing for obedience
"Part of Christian obedience, right from the beginning, was the call to play (apparently) great parts without pride and (apparently) small parts without shame." - NT Wright
Turn on the light - Am I alone?
Elijah is trying to follow the leading of God in his life:
Spiritual obedience is tiring when we become too distracted by the other voices in our lives
4 QUESTIONS TO ASK WHEN THE VOICES BECOME TOO MUCH:
1 Kings 19:1–18 (ESV)
1 Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. 2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “So may the gods do to me and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by this time tomorrow.” 3 Then he was afraid, and he arose and ran for his life and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there. 4 But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he asked that he might die, saying, “It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers.”
1.How am I dealing with distractions?
Don't fool yourself into thinking that you're going to "get away" - GET OUT!
You need a rhythm, not a vacation
Jesus would withdraw himself so that his ministry was sustainable
It takes discipline to beat distraction
5 And he lay down and slept under a broom tree. And behold, an angel touched him and said to him, “Arise and eat.” 6And he looked, and behold, there was at his head a cake baked on hot stones and a jar of water. And he ate and drank and lay down again. 7 And the angel of the Lord came again a second time and touched him and said, “Arise and eat, for the journey is too great for you.” 8 And he arose and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the mount of God.
2.What am I being filled with?
This is important - what are you "filling" yourself with?
IG, social?
News?
Appointments?
Trips and distractions?
We have the New Testament option of being filled with the Spirit!
BE FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT (Ephesians 5:18)
9 There he came to a cave and lodged in it. And behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and he said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 10 He said, “I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away.” 11 And he said, “Go out and stand on the mount before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 12 And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper. 13 And when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave.
3.Am I receiving a Word from the Lord?
What I think is going on may not really be the thing that is going on?
Elijah is mad about being alone, and God is preparing him for the most meaningful relationship of his life
God sends Elijah to the mountain to wait for Him
A wind!
An earthquake!
A Fire!
The Low Whisper - draws him out of his cave!
Acts 17:27 (ESV)
27 that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us,
Here's the key to getting a Word from the Lord - LEAN IN
And behold, there came a voice to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 14 He said, “I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away.” 15 And the Lord said to him, “Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus. And when you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael to be king over Syria. 16 And Jehu the son of Nimshi you shall anoint to be king over Israel, and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah you shall anoint to be prophet in your place. 17 And the one who escapes from the sword of Hazael shall Jehu put to death, and the one who escapes from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha put to death. 18 Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.”
4.Do I remember why I'm here?
Verse 13 “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
When I get out, get filled, get a Word it's time to get back to my purpose!
How are you dealing with distractions?
What are you being filled with?
Are you receiving a Word from the Lord?
Do you remember why you're here?
Turn on the light - I fear the unknown
In today's text, we are catching the story of Israel on their way out of Egypt heading to the land of promise
They knew where they had came from: THEY WERE SLAVES
They knew what they were promised: MILK & HONEY
The problem was they didn't know what all stood between them
Numbers 13:17–20 (ESV)
17 Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan and said to them, “Go up into the Negeb and go up into the hill country, 18 and see what the land is, and whether the people who dwell in it are strong or weak, whether they are few or many, 19 and whether the land that they dwell in is good or bad, and whether the cities that they dwell in are camps or strongholds, 20 and whether the land is rich or poor, and whether there are trees in it or not. Be of good courage and bring some of the fruit of the land.” Now the time was the season of the first ripe grapes.
Numbers 13:25–33 (ESV)
25 At the end of forty days they returned from spying out the land. 26 And they came to Moses and Aaron and to all the congregation of the people of Israel in the wilderness of Paran, at Kadesh. They brought back word to them and to all the congregation, and showed them the fruit of the land. 27 And they told him, “We came to the land to which you sent us. It flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. 28 However, the people who dwell in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified and very large. And besides, we saw the descendants of Anak there. 29 The Amalekites dwell in the land of the Negeb. The Hittites, the Jebusites, and the Amorites dwell in the hill country. And the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and along the Jordan.” 30 But Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, “Let us go up at once and occupy it, for we are well able to overcome it.” 31 Then the men who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we are.” 32 So they brought to the people of Israel a bad report of the land that they had spied out, saying, “The land, through which we have gone to spy it out, is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people that we saw in it are of great height. 33 And there we saw the Nephilim (the sons of Anak, who come from the Nephilim), and we seemed to ourselves like grasshoppers, and so we seemed to them.”
Have you ever had to reconcile what God was telling you, with how you felt about it?
Too hard
Too big
I'm not able
I can't see it
Numbers 14:1–4 (ESV)
1 Then all the congregation raised a loud cry, and the people wept that night. 2 And all the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The whole congregation said to them, “Would that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or would that we had died in this wilderness! 3 Why is the Lord bringing us into this land, to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will become a prey. Would it not be better for us to go back to Egypt?” 4 And they said to one another, “Let us choose a leader and go back to Egypt.”
When Fear drives your response:
1. Your fear will cause you to prefer a predictable prison over unfamiliar freedom
They were choosing the slavery of Egypt over the promise of God because of the uncertainty ahead
They refuse to go into Canaan because of the fear of the uncertainty
What if you chose to take control of the fear of uncertainty today?
How would your life change?
- The whole nation is ready to go back to Egypt to return to slavery -
So Moses and God have a talk - Moses pleads with God not to take them back to Egypt
Numbers 14:20–24 (ESV)
20 Then the Lord said, “I have pardoned, according to your word. 21 But truly, as I live, and as all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord, 22 none of the men who have seen my glory and my signs that I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and yet have put me to the test these ten times and have not obeyed my voice, 23 shall see the land that I swore to give to their fathers. And none of those who despised me shall see it. 24 But my servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit and has followed me fully, I will bring into the land into which he went, and his descendants shall possess it.
Here's what we see:
The reason they wouldn't go into Canaan and take the land God promised them was because they were scared of dying
Through their disobedience to God the only thing that they experienced for 40 years was death.
For FORTY (40!) years they wandered in the wilderness until that entire generation died
Here's what we need to understand:
2.Decisions made in FEAR always cost more than decisions made by FAITH
The thing that you use to justify your disobedience will likely be the thing that you ultimately lose
"Obedience failed brings better results than obedience avoided"
I would rather try and fail than to have never tried
This is a New Testament concept, Jesus said:
Luke 17:33 (ESV)
33 Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will keep it.
It is through submission that I learn about the abundance of life
Ultimately, it is the will of God to bring abundance into our lives (John 10:10)
Not a single person actually says "I don't want that"
We make decisions every day that allow fear of uncertainty to steal that from us
Here's how God ultimately responds to their disobedience:
Numbers 14:33–34 (ESV)
33 And your children shall be shepherds in the wilderness forty years and shall suffer for your faithlessness, until the last of your dead bodies lies in the wilderness. 34 According to the number of the days in which you spied out the land, forty days, a year for each day, you shall bear your iniquity forty years, and you shall know my displeasure.’
When I let fear control my decisions - ultimately
It delays the blessings of God in my life
God is so good, and He's constantly working to realign us with his will and purpose
In the meantime, we’re living so far below our potential
It's because of fear
But, here's what he offers:
2 Timothy 1:7 (ESV)
7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.
1 John 4:18 (ESV)
18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.
We're not trying to be LESS fearful - we just need MORE of his love & His Spirit
God has more for us than a predictable prison!
LAUNCH DAY!
Mark 2:18–22 (ESV)
18 Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. And people came and said to him, “Why do John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” 19 And Jesus said to them, “Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. 20 The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in that day. 21 No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. If he does, the patch tears away from it, the new from the old, and a worse tear is made. 22 And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins—and the wine is destroyed, and so are the skins. But new wine is for fresh wineskins.”
The disciples in this passage were having to wrestle with the same struggle that we are still facing today: How do we follow Jesus WELL?
The context of what Jesus was talking about here is religious practices - more specifically: fasting
How do we reconcile "Following Jesus" and being good at practicing Christianity?
It's a struggle between what is religion and actually being a follower of Jesus
THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN THIS PASSAGE -
The pharisees of Jesus' time had taken the point of the law and twisted it to be something that brought them notoriety
Jesus cuts to the heart of the matter here and says:
21 No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. If he does, the patch tears away from it, the new from the old, and a worse tear is made.
Jesus is talking about their religious system:
Jesus did not come to patch things up
He was not there to give them Judaism 2.0
The purpose of Jesus hasn’t stopped:
Jesus didn't come to patch things up in my life
He came to make all things new
So many times I want Jesus to make me better before I ever allow Him to make me new.
It means that I don't have to get all the "holes" patched up in my life before Jesus can save me
It means that I don't have to be good at religion before I can begin my relationship with Jesus
WHEN YOU BEGIN THE RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS - THE PROCESS IS JUST GETTING STARTED
This is what Jesus said about it:
22 And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins—and the wine is destroyed, and so are the skins. But new wine is for fresh wineskins.”
New wine in old canteens:
So let's understand what he's talking about:
"Wineskins" were leather canteens
After using them, they would dry out and lose their elasticity
They were fine for something like water - but grape juice is different
Grape juice (as it sat in that canteen) begins to ferment
His point: The religious system of the day could not handle what He was about to do.
We are good at creating comfortable systems that leave very little room for anything Supernatural
Let's go back to what Jesus was saying:
I didn't come to patch something old up - I came to start with something new
That old canteen can't handle the violence of the process that is about to happen
2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV)
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
There is this underlying spiritual truth here in this passage -
The old garment tearing:
The old wineskin ripping:
EVERYTHING HAS A BREAKING POINT
You can't push these garments too far - they will break
You can't push these wineskins too far - they will break
Earthquakes are caused when the PRESSURE around a plate-line becomes greater then the RESISTANCE
It's friction that holds them together - keeps things from slipping
But when the pressure is greater than the resistance earthquakes happen
Sometimes that happens to us
We try to keep it together
We try to brace against the things happening around us
But when the pressure I'm facing becomes greater that my ability to hold it back - BREAKING POINT
What if we flip that around -
What if the moving of the Holy Spirit in your life becomes greater than the forces that you're facing?
What if God does something so significant in my life that it breaks out of Sunday morning and becomes part of my lifestyle?
What abundant life becomes my reality and the resistance I've been facing has to break because of the pressure of the Spirit!?
Jesus told us in John 10:10
John 10:10 (ESV)
10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.
You're facing a very real enemy this morning - Some of you are under pressure - you're facing some resistance
Jesus made a way for your breakthrough
He has come so that you could have life abundantly
But for every battle that you're facing - every piece of resistance that the enemy can throw at you - there is an source of power that is greater than anything this world has ever seen -
Ephesians 3:20–21 (ESV)
20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
The Shift To Micro-Church
Jesus had a Micro-Church (even apart from his 12 Disciples!)
Lazarus, Mary, Martha
If you don't think they were close: Jesus Wept (John 11:35) - They saw an aspect of Jesus that hardly anyone saw
One of the most Intimate moments of the disciples lifetime happened in a home: The passover (The last supper)
It's no surprise that Jesus left a church that was accustomed to meeting and worshipping in homes.
The New Testament church was centered on meeting in homes!
Biblical Evidence:
Acts 12:12 (ESV)
12 When he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose other name was Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying.
Philemon 1–2 (ESV)
1 Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our beloved fellow worker 2 and Apphia our sister and Archippus our fellow soldier, and the church in your house:
1 Corinthians 16:19 (ESV)
19 The churches of Asia send you greetings. Aquila and Prisca, together with the church in their house, send you hearty greetings in the Lord.
Colossians 4:14–15 (ESV)
14 Luke the beloved physician greets you, as does Demas. 15 Give my greetings to the brothers at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house.
Why would we take that lifestyle and make it a lecture and song on Sunday morning?
Corporate gatherings like this one were not meant to REPLACE what was already happening in homes but rather to AMPLIFY what was already happening in homes.
To really wrap our minds around this we have to deconstruct hundreds of years of tradition!
Why did we strip the church from the homes!?
My answer: Priesthood
The church went through a period of time where they believed that they had to have SOMEONE else go to God for them.
Now: Let's keep in context : CHURCH LEADERSHIP IS BIBLICAL
Ephesians 4:11–12 (ESV)
11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,
BUT THAT WAS NEVER INTENDED TO EXCLUDE THE BELIEVER FROM PERSONAL ACCESS TO GOD
We call this the "Priesthood of Believers"
1 Peter 2:9 (ESV)
9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
Hebrews 4:14–16 (ESV)
14 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
There is nothing that happens here on a Sunday morning that cannot happen in the home of believers!
So we have to shift our mindsets to allow for the fullness of Christianity to happen in our Micro-churches
THE SHIFT TO MICRO-CHURCH
From: Some people are called (Pastors and Staff).
To: All are called, gifted and empowered by God's Spirit.
From: I choose my church based on my needs and preferences.
To: I choose my community based on a shared gospel mission.
From: The Sunday gathering is the main event and for my personal enjoyment.
To: The Sunday gathering is for equipping, encouraging, and inspiring to GO.
From: Community and mission is an interruption, optional, a threat to my schedule.
To: Community and mission is a priority and integrated into my daily rhythm of life.
From: The programs and events of the church institution exist for the benefit of the believer/member.
To: All efforts of the Body of Christ are focused on following/obeying the Lord, and the systems exist to love others, make disciples, and reach the unreached.
From: Our greatest assets are buildings, pastors, and programs.
To: Our greatest asset is the sent people of God living on mission.
From: We measure success by attendance on Sunday, money given, and programs developed.
To: We measure success by the spread of God’s Kingdom Culture throughout the city by a movement of disciples made, disciple-makers released, and new churches started.
From: Certain pastors, ministries, and church leaders are called to love and serve the poor, oppressed, and marginalized.
To: We are all called and equipped to bring the kingdom of God to any and every place.
From: Church finances should be spent on better Sunday production, nicer facilities, and more programs.
To: Church finances should be used for maximum kingdom impact such as disciple-making, micro-churches, church planting, needs of our city/world, etc.
Church Stories
Acts 12:1–17 (ESV)
1 About that time Herod the king laid violent hands on some who belonged to the church. 2 He killed James the brother of John with the sword, 3 and when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. This was during the days of Unleavened Bread. 4 And when he had seized him, he put him in prison, delivering him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending after the Passover to bring him out to the people. 5 So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church. 6 Now when Herod was about to bring him out, on that very night, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries before the door were guarding the prison. 7And behold, an angel of the Lord stood next to him, and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him, saying, “Get up quickly.” And the chains fell off his hands. 8 And the angel said to him, “Dress yourself and put on your sandals.” And he did so. And he said to him, “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.” 9 And he went out and followed him. He did not know that what was being done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. 10When they had passed the first and the second guard, they came to the iron gate leading into the city. It opened for them of its own accord, and they went out and went along one street, and immediately the angel left him. 11 When Peter came to himself, he said, “Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.” 12 When he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose other name was Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying. 13 And when he knocked at the door of the gateway, a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer. 14 Recognizing Peter’s voice, in her joy she did not open the gate but ran in and reported that Peter was standing at the gate. 15 They said to her, “You are out of your mind.” But she kept insisting that it was so, and they kept saying, “It is his angel!” 16 But Peter continued knocking, and when they opened, they saw him and were amazed. 17 But motioning to them with his hand to be silent, he described to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, “Tell these things to James and to the brothers.” Then he departed and went to another place.
Have you ever had the very thing that you were praying for come knocking at your door?
That is exactly what happened here - and it was so unexpected that they couldn't believe it!
This story is a hopeless story
It's a really bad situation!
Peter is in prison and being guarded by FOUR squads of soldiers!
Herod was "about to bring him out"
That means he was up against the clock and about to be executed!
It's easy to look past the difficulty of the position that he is in because we know the end of the story
Don't dismiss the beginning just because you know the ending!
We cannot celebrate the victory of the ending without embracing the hopelessness of the beginning
That's why we so easily dismiss each other - you can't appreciate where I'm at, if you don't know where I've been
Therein lies the value of living this faith journey out together:
We both learn the value of the struggle
God has always done his best work in the worst situations:
Gideon's army
Woman with the issue (Mark 5)
Woman at the well (John 4)
Blind Bartimaeus (Mark 10)
Feeding the multitudes with 5 loaves and 2 fish (Matthew 14)
This story is hopeless... But not for long
God is about to get involved in the worst situation Peter has ever been in!
Peter never saw it coming!
God may be about to do his best work in the worst areas in your life!
You may not even see it coming!
This story is a God-sized
It is a story that cannot be told without God getting the credit
There's no way that "This just happened to work out"
There should be some things happening in your life, that are just unexplainable without God getting the credit.
Verse 5 is so powerful for us to understand:
5 So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church.
It was prayer that brought him out of prison
"Prayer is such a powerful tool, and so often we use it as merely a crutch." - Krista Shay
2 Corinthians 10:3–6 (ESV)
3 For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. 5 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, 6 being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.
Peter’s freedom is a result of God working through the power of prayer
Prayer is the open invitation for the supernatural to take place
It isn't a reciting or chant of theological words
It is an invitation!
“The power of prayer doesn't rest in the ability of the one who prays, but in the ability of the one who hears!”
This story is a Micro-Church story
When Peter left the prison, he didn’t go to a church building - He went to a christian home where the church was gathered!
It is an unmistakable, undeniable fact, that the Biblical New Testament church of Acts looked more like a Micro-Church model than a Sunday Service model.
We have a vision and heart to shift our thinking back to the model of the early church.
That shift turns everything upside down!
When we shift the focus away from macro-church to micro-church
The couch becomes the new pew
The coffee table is the new pulpit
The living room becomes an altar and a place of worship!
When we make that shift, the entry point to Hub City Church is not the foyer of our building at 625 Main, it becomes your front door!
What we see in this story:
A church
gathered in a home
making fervent prayer
A person
Who was in a bad situation
Had a need
A God
Who hears the prayers
Shows up in bad situations
God-sized things happen when these three intersect.
If I have a need I don't want to have to wait for Sunday for the Church to be effective
A micro-church is the New Testament solution for shackles to fall and prisons open!
Meeting Place - The Provision of God
Hebrews 11:17–19 (ESV)
17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, 18 of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” 19 He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back.
Genesis 22:1–14 (ESV)
1 After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 2 He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” 3 So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac. And he cut the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. 4 On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from afar. 5 Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you.” 6And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. And he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together. 7 And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” He said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” 8 Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together. 9 When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built the altar there and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10 Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son. 11But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 12 He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” 13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 So Abraham called the name of that place, “The Lord will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.”
Most of the time we read this story in the context of Abraham:
We associate with him because we are the parents:
When we read this story this is what we see:
Sometimes we read our Bible with pre-conceptions of what is and what isn’t
You need to make sure your theology is not base on a misconception
Most historians agree that Isaac, at this time, was between the age of 25 and 35.
That means Abraham was somewhere around 125 years old
That changes everything!
That means, that Isaac had the OPTION to refuse to get on that altar!
Who is going to stop him?
THIS BRINGS ME TO A FEW QUESTIONS IN MY SPIRIT:
Why would Abraham go through with this?
He believed in:
The goodness of God
The faithfulness of God
The ability of God
When we won't go through with the plan God has given us, check these three beliefs!
Why would Isaac go through with this?
He loved the one He was sacrificing for
He believed Abraham had taught him about God
3 important aspects to raising a child OR raising a disciple OR being a disciple
******** Contextualize this ********
The same concepts that apply to raising disciples apply to raising children
They are the most important disciples you will ever make
NUMBER ONE:
Abraham had shown Isaac what it means to worship
Whether it is kids or disciples, we cannot expect them to replicate something we have never shown them
Clearly, Isaac understood the concept of what was happening
"We have everything, but where is the sacrifice?"
That is the importance of corporate worship
We lift our hands (thats what heaven will look like)
We lift our voices (thats what heaven will sound like)
We exalt the person of Jesus! (that is what heaven will be!)
NUMBER TWO:
Abraham had created an atmosphere for Isaac to experience God
Abraham was walking out faith WITH his child
Let them see God’s faithfulness without the pressure of faith.
One day (today) Isaac is going to feel the pressure and need to have already seen the faithfulness
Are you creating an atmosphere for your child to experience God?
Is your home a place where God can be known and be made known?
NUMBER THREE:
Abraham was staking his spiritual success on what his son would become, not what he would become
if your journey of faith is only about getting you to the top of some spiritual ladder, you may have it on the wrong wall
Faith journeys are not isolated events - they involve those around you
The events leading up to this experience that Abraham, and Isaac had with God in their meeting place were not accidental
God had been preparing them for this
But it wasn't just them that he had prepared
Before God had even called Abraham to take this trip
A little mountain goat was born
He looked just like the other little mountain goats
Something was different: He would be the provision of God, and save Isaacs life
Before you ever existed
A little boy was born
He looked like all the other little boys that were born in that town
Something was different: He would be the provision of God, and offer salvation for your life
Isaiah 9:6 (ESV)
6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Matthew referred to Isaiah 7
Matthew 1:22–23 (ESV)
22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: 23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us).
Here's what I see as we look at the entirety of this story: Abraham, Issac, God, and a ram in the bushes
When you come to the meeting place with:
A willingness to sacrifice
A desire to submit
You will see the provision of God
Meeting Place - The Wait
Isaiah 40:31 (ESV)
31 but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.
The entirety of the OT is framed inside this thought of waiting
If we skip past the garden of Eden, when sin separates humanity from God
Noah: when God is about to judge the world:
He tells him to build a boat
Noah builds it, and then WAITS on something that has never happened in history - rain!
Abraham: When he was first promised a son with Sarah: He WAITS for 25 years before it happens!
Israel in Egypt: They wait for centuries to be delivered
Israel in the wilderness: They wait for 40 years to enter the land God promised them
In almost every single story, we find this sense of waiting for God to show up in the lives of the people
The over-arching story of the new testament is the idea that their deliverer was coming:
Passed down through generations, they understood the prophecies of God to explain that there would be a man, coming from God who would be the savior.
They talked about it openly and knew him as: HaMashiach - "The Anointed One"
Habakkuk prophesied of Him:
Habakkuk 2:3 (ESV)
3 For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay.
To understand this better, we need to understand the religious system that they lived in:
Hebrews 10:3 states that the people of Israel were "Reminded" of their sins every year
Every year, they had to come to the temple and proclaim their sins to the priest
He would then go to God on their behalf and "atone" or make a sacrifice for their sins
But it was never over: You didn't deal with the sin, you dealt with the guilt
Can you imagine having to carry the weight of sin, and having no way to be forgiven?
In their religious system, a man couldn't just go to God, He had to wait for someone to go for Him.
Israel as a people, spent their entire lives waiting on God to show up:
As you look at the OT, I find that God didn't show up terribly often in someone's lifetime!
Usually, there are specific times when God would "Show Up" in the Old Testament:
God would show up in times of transformation & transition
Abram to Abraham
Jacob to Israel
Moses's burning bush & Israel coming out of Egypt
When the temple was built
These are all examples of times when God showed up to explain and cause:
Change of season
Change of identity
God would show up in times of a battle
Moses over the amalekites
When the walls of Jericho fell
David vs Goliath
Gideons army of 300
God would show up when repentance was necessary
In the garden of Eden
Before the judgement in the days of Noah
Before the judgement of Sodom & Gomorrah
In the days of Jonah - before revival came to Ninevah
So they were all constantly in a state of WAITING on God to show up in their lives
While they waited, here's what the prophet Jeremiah said:
Jeremiah 31:31–34 (ESV)
31 “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, 32 not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the Lord. 33 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34 And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”
He prophesied of a day when people wouldn't rely on priest or process or a religious system, but they would have a personal relationship with God
The Temple
The temple was the meeting place between God and man in those days:
The priests, once a year would enter into what they called the "Holy of Holies"
It was the place where the presence of God lived
It was separated from the rest of the temple by a huge, heavy curtain that could only be entered by the high priest
At his crucifixion:
Mark 15:37–39 (ESV)
37 And Jesus uttered a loud cry and breathed his last. 38 And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. 39 And when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”
The significance of the curtain splitting is that it was a symbol that no longer was there a separation between the Holy of Holies and the follower of Jesus!
We have priestly access to the presence of God!
That's what Peter said -
1 Peter 2:9 (ESV)
9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
So no longer are we living in Old Testament days when I have to follow the rules and religion and just wait for a day when God shows up in my life
Waiting on:
A time of transition of transformation
A battle
A time of repentance
We are living in the moments where we are no longer waiting on Him
If anything, I would say that God is probably waiting on us!
Maybe you're in a moment of transition - Don't wait - go to Him
Maybe you're in a battle - Don't wait - go to Him
Maybe you need to repent - Don't wait - go to Him
I wonder if God is waiting on you:
To pray a bold pray
To find a promise in His Word
To spend time lost in worship
To sing to Him in your moments of
The Journey: Authority & Responsibility
Psalm 23
Psalm 23:1–6 (ESV):
1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. 3 He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
As we look into the scripture, it’s clear that we’ve been called to follow and allow Christ to lead us!
Around Hub City Church we talk a lot about building:
"Real Devotional Life, Real Community, and Real Responsibility"
Today we want to talk a bit about what it means to take responsibility.
Namely:
To take responsibilities for my actions
To take responsibility to the Gospel
This is the difficult thing in following Jesus -
By nature, I want to take control
By nature I want to make the rules
I want results that at least match the effort
It's so hard to manage Authority & Responsibility
Sometimes, we live our lives in a way that gives us the authority and God the responsibility.
That happens when I live in a way that:
I do what I want to do
I go where I want to go
I push past the boundaries of the Word of God
I say what I want to say
I let my mind wander into any kind of thought life I want
Once all of that is done, I give God the RESPONSIBILITY of fixing it and blessing it.
Let’s take a look at a story of a man named Samson:
Samson had a massive responsibility:
When Samson was born, it was for a particular purpose
When he was born, God told Samson's parent's to raise him according to a "Nazarite" lifestyle
This required certain parameters in Samson's life
As Samson got older - he falls in love with a girl from a girl who isn't an Israelite
Judges 14:4 (ESV)
4 His father and mother did not know that it was from the Lord, for he was seeking an opportunity against the Philistines. At that time the Philistines ruled over Israel.
God was literally leading Samson this direction so that he could place him at the right place at the right time to overthrow the Philistine rule!
→Samson is a man full of divine strength.
He caught 300 foxes, tied them tail to tail, and burnt down the fields
He tore down the gates of an entire city.
He killed 1000 men with the jawbone of a donkey.
So, we are talking about "Responsibility & Authority" right?
Samson walked with a supernatural authority in his life as long as kept the responsibilities that were given to him.
What we see in Chapters 14, 15 and 16 of Judges is that Samson has some relationship problems
The woman he fell in love with? Ended up marrying the best man.
In chapter 16, he's with a prostitute
In Judges 16:4 - he meets Delilah
Over and over she tries to figure out the source of his strength and over and over he protects it
BUT in a moment of weakness, Samson gives up his responsibility and actually gives the authority to Delilah…..
Judges 16:16–17 (ESV)
16 And when she pressed him hard with her words day after day, and urged him, his soul was vexed to death. 17 And he told her all his heart, and said to her, “A razor has never come upon my head, for I have been a Nazirite to God from my mother’s womb. If my head is shaved, then my strength will leave me, and I shall become weak and be like any other man.”
You can only put yourself in compromising positions so many times before you become a compromising person
Let's look at Samson for a moment to what happens when you compromise your responsibility and God's authority.
When he told her where his strength came from:
Judges 16:19–20 (ESV)
19 She made him sleep on her knees. And she called a man and had him shave off the seven locks of his head. Then she began to torment him, and his strength left him. 20 And she said, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” And he awoke from his sleep and said, “I will go out as at other times and shake myself free.” But he did not know that the Lord had left him.
When you compromise your responsibility and God's authority: You lose your strength
→Samson lost his focus and let Delilah cut his hair. When he went to free himself as usual he found that his strength was gone.
→When we lose our focus to do the things God has called us to do, the strength to do those tasks will be lost as well.
Unused muscles deteriorate after a period of time.
It is the will of God that we be a channel THROUGH which His supernatural abilities flow, not a vessel that is used to store it up.
→ When I find that I don't have the strength to carry out the purposes of God, it's usually because I have compromised my relationship with the person of God.
That's why our own willpower only carries us so far.
What happens next?
Judges 16:21 (ESV)
21 And the Philistines seized him and gouged out his eyes and brought him down to Gaza and bound him with bronze shackles. And he ground at the mill in the prison.
When you compromise your responsibility and God's authority: You lose your vision
→Soon after your strength for the task has departed, your vision will follow thereafter.
→Sometimes we lose our vision and our burden because we have forgotten who we are.
Samson lost his physical vision, but our spiritual vision is much more important than that.
Proverbs 29:18 (ESV)
18 Where there is no prophetic vision the people cast off restraint, but blessed is he who keeps the law.
When I mix up who has the responsibility and who has the authority - it doesn't just affect me, but everyone around me!
→There is a lost community around us that is relying on us not to lose our vision and our burden.
When I take God's authority away and I forget that I had a responsibility I lose the ability to see into the supernatural
I stop believing that the impossible is possible
I stop believing that He can do what He said He could do
Ultimately: - When we lose our strength and lose our vision, we end up just as Samson:
Judges 16:21 (ESV)
21 And the Philistines seized him and gouged out his eyes and brought him down to Gaza and bound him with bronze shackles. And he ground at the mill in the prison.
When you compromise your responsibility and compromise God's authority: You lose your freedom
→It won’t be long after your strength and vision go, that you feel a sense of distance from God.
At the onset of this distant feeling, the enemy will tell you that you are no longer worth anything to God and that you are no longer even a child of God.
Have you ever walked into the church service, and because you feel such condemnation, you can’t worship and can’t raise your hands like you want to?
Whether we become slaves to our habits, our thoughts, or to the lies told to us by the enemy - we are just that:
SLAVES
You may feel like you've lost the liberty to be who God has called you to be, the story is not over yet!
Judges 16:22 (ESV)
22 But the hair of his head began to grow again after it had been shaved.
While he was still without the supernatural abilities he had before
While he was still blind
While he was still in prison
Look how his story ends:
Judges 16 says that the Philistines had a huge celebration to honor one of their pagan Gods:
Judges 16:25–30 (ESV)
25 And when their hearts were merry, they said, “Call Samson, that he may entertain us.” So they called Samson out of the prison, and he entertained them. They made him stand between the pillars. 26 And Samson said to the young man who held him by the hand, “Let me feel the pillars on which the house rests, that I may lean against them.” 27 Now the house was full of men and women. All the lords of the Philistines were there, and on the roof there were about 3,000 men and women, who looked on while Samson entertained. 28 Then Samson called to the Lord and said, “O Lord God, please remember me and please strengthen me only this once, O God, that I may be avenged on the Philistines for my two eyes.” 29 And Samson grasped the two middle pillars on which the house rested, and he leaned his weight against them, his right hand on the one and his left hand on the other. 30 And Samson said, “Let me die with the Philistines.” Then he bowed with all his strength, and the house fell upon the lords and upon all the people who were in it. So the dead whom he killed at his death were more than those whom he had killed during his life.
The Bible is filled with stories of people who
Got ahead of God
Wanted to do it themselves
Tried to speed God's plan up
Whatever the case - over and over - When they turned to God, took responsibility for their actions, and gave the authority back to God - He immediately went to work in their lives!
I don't believe this story ended exactly how it was originally intended, but there is no denying that God took Samson's negligence and disobedience and redeemed it for his glory.
When you look into your life, it may be off track a little
You may have compromised your responsibility
You may have compromised God's authority in your life
Like the Philistines, the enemy is making a mockery of you, but in the midst of that I believe that God can turn it all around for your good and His glory!
Delays & Detours
We are on a journey:
I don't want to end this life as someone who was a believer, but not a follow
Story of Joseph - Genesis 37 - 47
He knew he was called to be a leader, but you can’t lead until you learn how to serve.
So Joseph, who is called to be a leader:
Betrayed by his own family
Sold into slavery
Becomes a servant to Potipher
Accused of trying to rape Potipher's wife after he refuses her
Put into prison, where he spends significant time, but the excellence that he serves with ends up bringing him out
So, as we talk about "The journey" let’s take a pretty broad look at Joseph's life and draw a few conclusions:
Don't stop dreaming about the destination
Joseph was promised the palace, but every time he looked around he was:
In a pit
In Potipher's house as a slave
In Prison
When you are in a situation that doesn't look like your promise (Joseph)
Its easy to:
Get distracted
As in, you forget about everything ahead, and you are consumed with the current struggle
Get discouraged
As in, you assume the current struggle has negated the promises of God
20 For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us. 2 Corinthians 1:20 (NKJV)
29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. Romans 11:29 (ESV)
Become defiant
As in, you throw a fit when God doesn't do it the way you want him to
We have to learn:
To: Process our "now" through the lens of our promise
Not: Process our promise through the lens of our "now"
Don't neglect those who are on the journey with you
I'm not saying that it was enjoyable, but do you know who moved Joseph from each season into the next?
The people around him!
This is why you can't afford to ignore the people around you - God is going to use them to move toward your calling!
If Joseph's brothers hadn't betrayed him, he'd never have made it to Potipher's house
If Joseph had never been falsely accused by Potipher's wife, he'd never made it to the prison
If Joseph had never met the cupbearer in prison, he'd never made it to the palace
In every stage, it was the people around him that God used to move him toward his promise!
Don't be afraid to take the next step
Psalm 119:105 (ESV)
105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
We want the "Waze" version of the Journey:
I want the fastest route
I want to know about every delay before I get there
I want to know about all of the potential hazards
I want to know about all the highway patrolmen ahead
The authorship of Psalm 119 is not known, but the author undoubtedly knew about walking with God:
You may not get the trip overview, but you will get the next step
If you don't take this step, you'll never get to the next one!
I can only get the directions for the next step when I'm connected to the one who guides my steps:
If he gave you the whole journey + the destination you'd never need him again
You must be more committed to the person than the purpose
The only way you'll make it to the promise is by following the person of Jesus Christ
If you’re on a journey with Jesus - it will take you longer to get where you're going than you think and you’ll take a route that you didn’t know was coming
When you're driving - you assume delays and Detours are not optional
What if you gave Jesus the right to interrupt your life
Do you have a “Yes, Lord” relationship or a “gimme a minute” relationship with Jesus?
I want to go back to what we said at the beginning this morning:
I don't want to end this life as someone who was a believer, but not a follower.
The Hub City Journey: Why Are We Here?
We’re on a Journey!
If you think about a road trip, the reason is usually the destination
When we talk about Hub City Church being on a journey - the natural question is
WHERE ARE WE GOING?
So, as a church - where are we going?
If you were my kids, I'd say: "You'll find out when we get there"
In reality, We will discuss that a little more in two weeks
The challenge for us now is to be present where we're at on the journey
The tension for a church plant is managing the "where we're at" and the "where we're going"
There are some things that we just aren't quite ready for
It also creates an easy excuse that we will do certain things when we have X number of people
Sometimes we want to rush past where we're at and assume the next phase or season is where the real fruit will come from!
This happens personally - most of you have probably made the statement:
"Things will be different, when...."
Here's the reality - if we're not doing things now, we won't do them when the situation changes
The scale may change
Our abilities may change
The heart behind (The WHO WE ARE) will not change
In other words:
The process is more important than the product
The being is more important than the doing
If you look at hcc.guide, our values are values of what we want to be
Committed to scripture
Culture of Honor
Radically Generous
Excellent
A Team
Authentic
Here are 3 things that I want to make sure that we are being as we launch Hub City Church
Be disciples that make disciples
There is no attendance requirement to make disciples
We don't have to have a certain income to make disciples
If we don't make disciples now - we won't make them then
In your life, contextualize this - make dsiciples
This is why we do Micro-church, we want to connect people so that this process can happen
Let’s be a church-built church!
Be people that make the goodness of Jesus unavoidable
That's a cute tagline, but what do we actually mean when we say that?
Our goal here is not to be a big church,
Our goal is not to be the "fad" church
Our goal is to fill Hattiesburg with disciples
I want it to be hard to go to hell from Hattiesburg
My dream is that it becomes hard to go to Pyro's or Target without running into someone who is in love with Jesus.
We're not trying to fill Hattiesburg with Hub City Church stickers, we're trying to make His goodness unavoidable.
Be people who do hard things.
There is too much at stake to play it safe
This fall, we will be officially launching Hub City Church
If we take all the easy roads between now and then, we leave no room for God to move supernaturally
GOD-SIZED-TASKS
Don't get to heaven and have to tell God that I wasn't willing to take a chance so that He could be made famous in my city
We're gonna take risks
We're going to go after things that are beyond our resources
We will bite off more than we can chew
It's called FAITH
We are inviting you to come with us!
We are inviting you to use your gifts
We are inviting you to give radically financially
We are going to invite you to invite the unlikeliest people to be disciples
DO HARD THINGS
Non-Negotiables: The Church
1 Corinthians 12:12–20 (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.
Today, we are concluding our "Non-Negotiables" Series with a few thoughts that we hope are more of an affirmation of what you already believe rather than new ideas that might challenge your belief system.
Most of us know what the church SHOULD do, but we disassociate ourselves from it.
If I'm part of the Church (I'm a follower of Christ)
When I think or say "The church should"....... Really means: "I should"
Usually the things that "matter" to you - the "shoulds" are things that God has placed in your heart to be as your part of the church.
Today we talk about the church: So what is the church?
Established by Jesus:
The Church is the means, the method and the measurement of God’s plan in these last days.
The church is the Means that God chooses to reveal his nature
God's character is too big to be accurately represented by the limitations of our character
That's why we need each other:
Romans 12:4–8 (ESV)
4 For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, 5 so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. 6 Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; 7 if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; 8 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.
Verse 6:
Having Gifts that differ
We need the aspect of things that you uniquely bring
When you look around and feel like you are different - it's because God never made you to be the same
Let us use them
When you don't use the things that God has placed in your heart
We all suffer
Hattiesburg is shorted when you don't use your gifts
Like muscles, when you don’t use them, they don’t grow
We will be talking about the vision of Hub City Church in the weeks to come!
You're going o find places where your giftings and your heart line up - USE IT!
The church is the method that God chooses to reach the world
Through Missions
Matthew 24:14–15 (NKJV)
14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.
To fulfill the plan of Jesus - we are mandated to take the Gospel to the world
Hub City Church is going to be:
A Church-planting church
A missionary supporting church
A missionary sending church
“No one has the right to hear the gospel twice, while there remains someone who has not heard it once.”
J. Oswald Smith
Through Discipleship
Matthew 28:18–20 (NKJV)
18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
We believe that the church (as individuals) have been called to be disciples that make Disciples
Where are you in the discipleship process?
Where are you in the disciple-making process?
The church is the measurement of our world’s response to God
As the church grows, we better reflect Him
We’re not talking about counting "cheeks in seats", we’re talking about hearts submitted to Him.
Here's the end goal:
Revelation 19:6–7 (ESV)
6 Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. 7 Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready;
We exist to see this replicated here on earth!
When we talk about our non-negotiable, we want to state this clearly:
We said last week that WE need more of HIM
Today, we are saying that HE deserves more of US
More people groups
More ethnicities
More Voices
More songs
More prayer warriors
More missionaries
More church planters
He deserves more of my devotion!
The real questions:
Could you give more to Jesus?
Would you give more to Jesus?
Why wouldn't you give more to Jesus?
Non-Negotiables: The Holy Spirit
Genesis 11:1-9 (ESV)
11 Now the whole earth had one language and the same words. 2 And as people migrated from the east, they found a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. 3 And they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly.” And they had brick for stone, and bitumen for mortar. 4 Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth.” 5 And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of man had built. 6 And the Lord said, “Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language, and this is only the beginning of what they will do. And nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them. 7 Come, let us go down and there confuse their language, so that they may not understand one another’s speech.” 8 So the Lord dispersed them from there over the face of all the earth, and they left off building the city. 9 Therefore its name was called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth. And from there the Lord dispersed them over the face of all the earth.
As we approach this story in Genesis, one of the things that sticks out to me, is the power of a united culture
Look at how God speaks about a people who are united:
6 And the Lord said, “Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language, and this is only the beginning of what they will do. And nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them.
They had purposed to exalt themselves, but what if that same unity was pointed toward building the kingdom of God?
If we spoke the same language
If we had the same vision
THIS IS ONLY THE BEGINNING
NOTHING WILL BE IMPOSSIBLE!
When you consider the power of unity, it is no surprise that our culture is under attack
We live in one of the most divisive times in history
Black vs white
Dem vs Rep
Pro vs Anti
Vaccine vs not
What if we had a church where the all races, all political parties, and all socio-economic groups could build the kingdom together!?
THIS IS THE POWER OF UNITY!
Psalm 166
Psalm 133:1–3 (ESV):
1 Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity! 2 It is like the precious oil on the head, running down on the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down on the collar of his robes! 3 It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion! For there the Lord has commanded the blessing, life forevermore.
The Lord COMMANDS A BLESSING among those unified in His name!
But that isn't how this story ends!
The next morning they come to the jobsite speaking different languages
Because of their differences, they left the whole project and went their separate ways
God, in infinite wisdom and love acted PROACTIVELY rather than REACTIVELY (As in Noah's case) in judgement to the sin that was coming.
At that point God - because of sin - had created boundaries to separate people
It is the ultimate “Go to your room”
So, what in the world does that have to do with the Holy Spirit?
To understand, we have to go to the day that we are celebrating right now: PENTECOST
So: What is Pentecost - 50 days after Passover:
In Jewish culture, Passover was/is an annual one-day harvest festival seven weeks, or 50 days, after Passover This festival included extensive sacrifices. At Pentecost, also known as the Feast of Weeks, Israelite farmers would start their journeys toward Jerusalem to present their firstfruit offerings
So this holiday was a point when people from all over would make a trip back to the temple in Jerusalem.
Acts 2:5 says that there were people from all over the world together in Jerusalem that day.
Don't miss this: -
Babel: All people with common culture and language - that God brought disunity and dispersion as a remedy for sin
Out of that - we have cultures and languages dispersed
HERE we have all of those cultures and languages gathered back together in one place!
This is what the Bible says:
ACTS 2:1-11 (ESV)
2 When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.
5 Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. 6 And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. 7 And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? 9 Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, 11 both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.”
That day, the church was born - and when the Spirit came - the first act of the Spirit was to bring unity to the same people who had never known anything but disunity!
The first act of the Spirit was to break down barriers!
The day of Pentecost was the antithesis of the dispersion of Babel!
Here's what we believe -
We believe that the Spirit has been sent to empower believers to live a life that breaks down the barriers that sin has built and bring unity to the believers!
The Spirit unifies me with God
The Spirit unifies me with people
Don't miss the fact that the Spirit is still falling and still filling!
God, fill us again - We want more!
So, for us -
I want to give you three things as it relates to living a life that is full of the Spirit:
A Spirit-Filled life is AVAILABLE for Born-again, IMPERFECT believers
It is for believers: "You will receive power" & "You will be a witness"
The Spirit was not a reward to a group of people who had proven themselves worthy, He was an empowerment for a group who were feeble.
A Spirit-Filled life is CAPABLE of Breaking down barriers and overcoming sin
Romans 8:26-28 (ESV)
26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. 28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
A Spirit-Filled life is CONTINUAL - He will fill you fresh and new every single day
Some people think that the Spirit falling on the day of Pentecost was a one-and-done thing
Here's what the Word says:
Acts 2:4 - 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Acts 4:31 - 31 And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.
Acts 10:45-46 - 45 And the believers from among the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles. 46 For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and extolling God.
Acts 13:52 - 52 And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.
Acts 19:1-6 - 1 And it happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the inland country and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples. 2 And he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” 3 And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They said, “Into John’s baptism.” 4 And Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.” 5 On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying.
This phenomenon happened over and over in the new testament church!
So, my response is: If it was that common throughout the NT church, I want it to be that common in our church!
Heres the non-theological, non-religious answer to what we believe about the Holy Spirit at Hub City Church:
We. Want. More.
We want the gifts of the Spirit that we see in 1 Corinthians 12 in full operation!
We want the liberty and peace that He brings!
We want an atmosphere that is saturated with the presence of the Spirit!
We believe that the Holy Spirit wants to work in the lives of believers to do things that are beyond our own power.