Gathered In Your Name
Inviting Church- Matthew 22:1-14
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Big idea: God invites everyone to Jesus. We must too.
God invites you to Jesus (1-3).
Heaven exists and it’s like a wedding feast
The focal point of heaven is Jesus
It’s possible to be there!
John 3:16
Accept the invitation (4-7).
Reasons people don’t accept God’s invitation:
Indifference
Indecision
Indignation
Philippians 3:8
Invite everyone (8-10).
Sow broadly
Plant intentionally
Water thoroughly
If many of our un-churched friends are ready for an invitation to church, what are we waiting on? -Ed Stetzer
Invite them to Jesus (11-14).
Matthew 7:21
Poised Church- Joshua 3:1-6
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Poised definition for a church = Having a composed and God-assured manner.
A poised church sees God’s work in the past and in the future so we are confident in Him in the present.
Looking back: Know God has led us (1).
God has led us!
1) Saved us
2) Formed us
3) Used us
4) Wowed us
5) Readied us
Today: Enjoy that God is leading us (2-4).
What does poise today look like?
1) Trust God’s timing
2) Enjoy this moment
Looking forward: See that God is ahead of us (5-6).
Consecration = the act of dedicating ourselves to worship and serve God.
What’s our game plan?
- Glorify God by making healthy disciples of Jesus.
- Worship Jesus personally and on Sunday mornings.
- Walk with Jesus personally and in a multiplying small group.
- Work for Jesus personally and on a serving team rallying others.
- Witness about Jesus personally and together toward souls saved.
Unified Church- Ephesians 4:1-16
https://test.harvestraleigh.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Hebrews-1.5-14-slides.001-1024x576.jpeg 1024 576 Patrick Wolf Patrick Wolf https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/8b86c732f3538a8317074562324d64f0?s=96&d=mm&r=g“Unified Church” Ephesians 4:1-16
Big idea: A unified church is Jesus’ design
One heart: walking worthy (1-3).
I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
- humility: God is awesome
- gentleness: power under control
- patience: watering, pruning
- love: commitment without condition
Two Kryptonites to walking worthy: Division and Indifference
One focus: Jesus (4-6).
4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
Many gifts: work ’em (7-10).
7 But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift.8 Therefore it says,“When he ascended on high he led a host of captives,
and he gave gifts to men.”9 (In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth? 10 He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.)
Gifts Myths vs Gifts Truths
It’s for my glory/For church’s flourishing
It’s a church-wide ministry/Works within ministries
It’s unimportant/JESUS gave it to you!
It’s this one, only, forever/Seek the higher gifts
It’s involuntary like a heart/It’s fan-able like a flame
It’s full grown/You gotta grow it
One goal: maturity (11-16).
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, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
- Jesus-anchored not tossed
- Speaking Jesus to build up
- Eagerness to be like Jesus
- One body together for Jesus