Becoming People Of Impact

27, June 2004

Dakota Community Church

Becoming People of Impact

Introduction:

There are many ways to make an impact. Some large ways:

Matthew 4: 23-25

23Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. 24News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed, and he healed them. 25Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed him.

Small things make some huge impacts:

Mark 12: 41-44

41Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. 42But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny.

43Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. 44They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything--all she had to live on."

Impact Questions:

- If I were to disappear, would anybody know that I was missing or gone?

- What lives have been changed because of me being born?

- Is my life positively or negatively impacting peoples lives?

- Are the people closest to me better because I am in their life¡¨

- Are the things that I am involved with producing, stagnant, or decreasing?

- Am I involved in anything that we will be producing and lasting after I am gone?

Luke 12: 16-21

"The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. 17He thought to himself, ’what shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’

18"Then he said, ’this is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19And I’ll say to myself, "You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry." ’

20"But God said to him, ’You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’

21"This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God."

People of impact:

1. Become a part of something bigger than themselves.

Romans 5: 7-8

7Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. 8But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

- People of Impact are never satisfied with only their own life. Within them is the desire to go beyond themselves and into the life of others.

- Self-centeredness and self-absorption are two contributing factors to loneliness and isolation.

Illustration:

Some years ago the MINNESOTA CRIME COMMISSION released a statement more in line with what the Bible teaches about man¡¦s basic nature.

Every baby starts life as a little savage. He is completely selfish, and self-centered. He wants what he wants when he wants it, his bottle, his mother’s attention, his playmate’s toys, his uncles, watch. Deny him these once, and he seethes with rage and aggressiveness, which would be murderous were he not so helpless.

He is, in fact, dirty. He has no moral, no knowledge, no skills. This means that all children, not just certain children, are born delinquent. If permitted to continue in the self-centered world of his infancy, given free reign to his impulsive actions, to satisfy his wants, every child would grow up a criminal, a thief, a killer, or a rapist.

THE MINNESOTA CRIME COMMISION HAS IN EFFECT INDICTED THE WHOLE HUMAN RACE! Not the first time though

ROM 3:23 All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.

PS 51:5 Surely I have been a sinner from birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.

Becoming a person of impact means maturity.

- Maturity means growing beyond yourself.

- It means having a vision and passion to help others.

John 6: 37-38

37All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. 38For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me.

Question:

Are you part of anything that is not benefiting you directly in any way? Are you contributing to a cause that is bigger than yourself?

People of impact:

2. Are willing to expand beyond their own needs, wants and desires.