Honoring God Series

Seeing the BIG Picture

October 1, 2006

HONORING God

Intro: (Pictures) It has been said that a picture is word a 1000 words b/c pictures capture time, share a story, stir our memories – some pictures even capture our hearts. If a picture is worth a 1000 words, then a vision is priceless. A vision is nothing more than a picture of what can be and should be.

Trans: On Dec. 17, 1903, at 10:35 am., Orville Wright secured his place in history by executing the first powered and sustained flight from level ground. For 12 gravity-defying seconds, he flew 120 feet along the dunes of the Outer Banks of NC. This single event represented a new beginning in history, but for Orville and Wilbur Wright, it was the end of a long and tedious journey. Their journey began as little boys who dreamed of flying. But instead of only dreaming about it, they determined to make it a reality. Orville and Wilbur didn’t just believe they COULD fly, they believed they SHOULD fly.

Define: This AM as we officially kick-off our series of messages coinciding w/ our capital campaign I’m compelled not to speak about money and giving, but vision – in particular, God’s vision for our church. Over the next (4) weeks I’m going to cast a renewed vision calling us to simplify our lives around God’s will as we consider how we can impact our world beginning in White House.

Insert: What is the vision of our church? Where are we headed and what are we doing? Are we in alignment w/ the Father’s heart?

Note: Our mission is not to randomly develop our own vision, but to plug in to God’s vision and then articulate it for our community and culture. Thus while every church shares God’s Great Commission it isn’t going to be expressed the same way in different churches or locations. The thing is though, we don’t have a choice w/ regard to the mission, we only have to determine how to best accomplish His mandate in our community.

Trans: This AM, I want to paint the picture God has placed in my heart as your pastor. I believe God has called us to be a disciple-making church. But this will not occur by happen chance – we must intentionally focus our energies and build a strategy that seeks to make God’s vision a reality.

Trans: In the past few months God has been re-ordering my ideals and concepts of ministry – fine tuning them. In fact, I feel as if He has accomplished more in me in the last 6 months than in the last 6 years. And it all centers around simplifying my life and our church to be able to be on mission w/ Him.

Insert: A few months ago while in Pigeon Forge, I woke up around two in the AM sensing God was speaking to me. I felt compelled to read 1st and 2nd Timothy, Titus, and Ephesians. While many things jumped out at me, I was shattered by the reality that Paul’s first encouragement to Timothy was to entrust the truth in reliable men able to teach others and that his final challenge was to preach. I was blown away and convicted that I was preaching first and discipling last.

Insert: Milk jug analogy – preaching versus discipling.

Reality: God hasn’t called everyone to be pastor and Sunday School teachers, but He has called all of us to make disciples. Are we all making disciple?

Note: I began to ask the question – what is a disciple? A disciple is one who honors God by connecting people w/ Christ and a local church, who grows in their relationship w/ God and who shares in the responsibility of ministry to nurture and encourage the saved and to reach the lost and unchurched.

Note: Why do we exist? To honor God! How do we honor God? By connecting people w/ God, by growing believers in the faith, and sharing God’s love, hope, and truth w/ one another and w/ a world in need of Jesus.

Note: To simplify our understanding of our mission, I believe we need to refresh and clarify our mission to match our ministry structure and strategy.

Insert: FBC White House, the celebration church – exists to honor God by connecting people, growing believers, and sharing hope.

Trans: Today I want to focus on the idea of honoring God. I believe to honor God we have to have a heart that is captured by him.

Video: David Crowder Clip – All this for My King

I CAPTIVATED – fixated, hungry, thirsty

Note: What is your first impression of this clip? (response) I was challenged, convicted – CAPTIVATED!

Is it possible that in my life I can be so swept away by God’s presence that I become oblivious to the bustling world around me to enjoy the presence of my King? Can I get lost in His immensity? Do I hunger to honor Him no matter the cost and what others might think?