Who Do You Think You Are? Series

WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?

(AND WHAT ARE YOU DOING ABOUT IT?)

I Peter 2.9-10

S: Church purpose

Th: His power, His work – in us!

Pr: WE ARE LIVING ADVERTISEMENTS OF GOD’S GREATNESS.

?: How? How do we do that?

KW: Advantages

TS: We will find in our study of I Peter 2.9-10 six advantages we have been given as a community of faith.

Type: Inductive; topical

The ____ advantage is…

I. SELECTION

II. DOMINION

III. SANCTIFICATION

IV. DISTINCTION

V. ILLUMINATION

VI. COMPASSION

PC: How is the change to be observed?

• God must be seen and heard in us – what are we doing about it?

• We must be intentionally missional.

Version: ESV

RMBC 09 September 07 AM

INTRODUCTION:

1. Do you want to be a success?

For a lot of us, we are geared for success.

We like the recognition.

We like the opportunity to meet a challenge

We like making the big sale or tackling the next project at work.

I was thinking about my teen years, and it was during those years, I wanted to be successful in multiple areas.

All throughout high school, I wanted to play sports, but because I did not belong to the “jock” crowd and I was very small during my teen years, I was generally discouraged.

During my Junior year, I did finally weigh enough to wrestle in the lowest weight class – 98.

But in the end, it was not a successful season as I lost my last two matches – by being pinned and then losing by default in a match I could not finish because of re-injuring my back.

I also tried my hand at school politics and ran for Student Council President.

I thought it would be an easy win.

After all, with the slogan “Small Paul Stands Tall”, how could I lose?

But I did.

Apparently, it was not even close.

So, when I made it to college, since sports was not going to be my thing, nor student government, I decided I would be the student’s student.

I would be an academic.

Until I got my first exam back in Psychology.

I got a D.

I had never seen a D on a test I had taken except in my name.

If you are like me, you have probably had some failures along the line.

ILL Success (H)

It reminds me of the story of former baseball great and sportscaster, Ralph Kiner.

After the season in which he hit 37 home runs, he asked Pittsburgh Pirate general manager Branch Rickey for a raise. But he refused.

"I led the league in home runs," Kiner reminded him.

"Where did we finish?" Rickey asked me.

"Last," I replied.

“Well," Rickey said, "we can finish last without you."

It is on my heart that, as a church, we would be successful.

Not necessarily success in the world’s eyes, but certainly in God’s eyes.

This is why, when it comes to our theme for 2007…

2. ‘07 Theme: We have been striving for unity under the phrase Come…Together (I Peter 3.8).

Our theme verse has been I Peter 3.8 where Peter says…

Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. (NIV)

We are given some specific directions in this verse about how we are to be with each other.

How we live with each other…

How we treat each other…

The attitudes that we have toward one another…

These are all essentials in living the unity God has already given us.

Please note this…no church can be successful unless it is making unity a priority.

We are to make every effort, according to Ephesians, to maintain it.

We are now entering into our second week of our annual discipleship emphasis.

This year’s theme is…

3. DE ’07 Theme: His power, His work – in us (Ephesians 3.20-21).

…and it is based on Ephesians 3.20-21…

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. (NIV)

Note again…God’s power at work within us…that’s how He wants it.

As disciples of Jesus, He wants us actively succeeding – doing more that we could ever ask or imagine.

But we do it, not in our own strength, but according to His power.

So, as we began our study…

4. Last week, we asked “what good is the church?”

We were considering how Jesus created and designed the church, and it is His plan.

There is no other plan.

It is God’s method for building His kingdom.

As we came to the end of our study, we concluded that…