People Our Church Could Not Do Without

PHIL. 4:1-7 "PEOPLE OUR CHURCH COULD NOT DO WITHOUT"

A) Paul organized many churches and his interest in them never ceased! * This was only natural!

* Some of these churches pleased him, some of them disappointed him!

B) It seems that the church at Philippi was his favorite!

* In the text, he calls the members of that church, "My brethren, dearly beloved and ......."

* He felt that the church at Philippi represented the crowning work of his life, and of course,

it brought him his greatest joy!

C) There are some people in every church like these Philippian Christians!

* They are a crown to their Pastor, they make his life worthwhile!

* They cause his heart to swell with joy!

D) The church could not get along without them!

* Who are they? * Let me share with you tonight who they are!

(1) THE CHURCH COULD NOT GET ALONG WITHOUT FAITHFUL PEOPLE!

* The Bible nowhere commends anyone for greatness or brilliance, but for faithfulness!

* Matt.25:21 "Well done thou good and faithful servant ......."

A) In 1927, Lou Gehrig of the N.Y. Yankees was the outstanding baseball player of the year!

* During his lifetime he played in more consecutive games than any other man in the history

of the sport! * He never missed a game! * They called him the "Iron Man of Baseball."

B) What made Lou Gehrig so great? * It was his faithfulness!

* Every day he was out there on first base doing his best!

C) Now, if Christ picked out the most outstanding member of our church,

* Who would it be? * It would surly be the one who was most faithful!

* Jesus says in Rev.2:10, "Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life."

D) So my prayer is, "God, give us faithful Christians!"

* We need people who are faithful in giving, attendance, Christian living, service, in witness!

* We couldn’t get along without faithful people, we can’t have too many of them!

(2) THE CHURCH COULD NOT DO WITHOUT WILLING PEOPLE!

* Oh, we have willing people, all right, some willing to work & others willing to let ’em!

A) We have members who are willing to do the work of the world,

* But not the work of the Lord! * The job calls them and they go .......

* The club calls them, the lodge calls them, the outside organization calls them, and they are

ready and willing! * The Lord calls them, the church calls them, and they’re too busy!

B) A man said to me one time, "I don’t come to church on Sun. nights because,

* That’s the only time I have for my family." * Why?

* Because he gave the other nights to his social life and pleasures!

* Now he felt that he could give God’s night to the family!

C) Christians ought to be willing to make some adjustments!

* The Lord and the church ought to have priority!

* These other things will die with the setting sun, the things of Christ will last forever!

D) The grasshopper on the fence makes more noise than the ox in the field!

* But the ox does the work! * Some people talk much, but do nothing for the Lord!

E) Those who really love the Lord, say, "Any place that I can serve suits me!"

* "I’m willing to work anywhere that I can glorify God and serve His cause!"

* Are you willing to do the work or just willing to watch someone do it?

* The church could not do without willing people!

(3) THE CHURCH COULD NOT DO WITHOUT PEOPLE OF VISION!

A) We need first a vision of the needs about us! * Prov.29:18 "Where there is no ......."

* All around us there are unsaved and unchurched people by the hundreds!

* Many of them could be brought in if our people went after them seriously!

B) Then we need a vision of worldwide needs! * Jn.4:35 "Say not ye, There are yet ......."

* We must take care of the local needs, but we must not stop there! * We’re to look beyond!

C) No church can grow by keeping the good news of the gospel to themselves!

* The church could not do without people of vision! {Where there is no vision, the .......}

(4) THE CHURCH COULD NOT DO WITHOUT OPTIMISTIC PEOPLE!

* Some people say, "We can’t do that," or "We’ve never done that before!"

A) The optimist say, "By God’s help, we will do that!"

* Illustration: Moses was leading Israel toward the Promised Land.

* They came to the point where they could easily enter the land and settle down.