Agents Of Change

S-ubject: Change

C-entral Theme: The church changing the world

O-bjective: The Church can effectively change the world around it by avoiding three negative attitudes that can make it ineffective.

R-ationle: Attitude #1: COMPLACENCY

Attitude #2: COMPROMISE

Attitude #3: COLDNESS

R-esources: Introduction: "Change is inevitable"

Visual Illustration Props:

1. Lazy Boy Chair for COMPLACENCY

2. Ice Chest with Ice Cream in it and a bottle of Chocolate Syrup

3. Legal Document for COMPROMISE

4. A plate with some Brownies on it.

5. Heater and blanket for COLDNESS

Conclusion: "Are You God?"

E-valuation: Has the potential to move people to be world changers and not world watchers

INTRODUCTION:

Change is never easy. It’s neither easy for me or for you. But change is inevitable. Yet change is a choice. Today’s message is not about you and I changing but you and I acting as the agents of change in a world that is in desperate need for change. Actually not a mere change on the surface of things but a complete transformation.

SCRIPTURE TEXT:

Mark 16:15 through Mark 16:18 (NIV)

15He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. 16Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well."

TRANSITIONAL STATEMENT:

In order for the Church of Jesus Christ to change the world in which it has been placed it is going to have to rid itself of three detrimental attitudes, first of which is................

I. ATTITUDE OF COMPLACENCY

A. CREATURES OF COMFORT

1. One of the greatest tools that the enemy has used against the church to keep it from being an effective agent of change in our society and world is COMFORTABILITY.

Illustration: Lazy Boy & the Christian

We all like comfort and don’t want to give it up. The church world and the secular world, it doesn’t matter because we are all human.

2. We have been lured into believe the lie that we are to be comfortable at all times and at all cost. Think about Jesus the Son of God, He didn’t even have a house to call his own. And we grip and complain about whether it is too hot or cold in church.

Matthew 8:20 (NIV)

20Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head."

3. Instead of us the Church of Jesus Christ affecting, effecting and infecting our American society and changing it we have allowed the American society to affect and change us. We have gotten used to convenience because it’s our culture.

4. Convenience is great but it has been a curse for the church. God hasn’t asked us to love and serve Him at our convenience but due to our American mindset we do just that with God we serve Him at our convenience.

5. The curse of comfort will keep Jackson First Assembly of God from being the agent of change in Jackson, Alabama. God has never told us to be the initiators of change or even to promote change but He has called us to be the perpetrators of change. We are to actually change the world in which we live.

B. Getting Out Of Our Comfort Zone

1. If we are ever going to rise to the level of influence in our city that God has called, and destined this church to we are going to have to get out of our comfort zones.

2. Complacency will keep us from growing numerically, physically, and most of all spiritually. If we don’t grow spiritually we will never grow numerically. It has never been about us four and no more. It is always about those that are on the fringe, on the outside that need a home.

Luke 14:16 through Luke 14:24 (NIV)

16Jesus replied: "A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. 17At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ’Come, for everything is now ready.’

18"But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, ’I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.’

19"Another said, ’I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.’

20"Still another said, ’I just got married, so I can’t come.’

21"The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, ’Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.’