New Year’s Revolution
Resolution = “the act of determining”
Revolution = “A Revolution is where passion takes on purpose to effect a radical change in one’s surroundings.”
Revolution Cry…by Steve Fee
When passion takes on a purpose and searching one embrace the light
When skeptics find themselves down on their knees, you’ll know it’s here
When you hear a sound as loud as thunder
And you hear a cry that shakes the ground beneath you
When you hear a shout that shatters the darkness you’ll know it’s here
And when the lost find a Name worth believing in,
And the fallen get back onto their feet
When the broken start to dream again
And the sound of peace fills these streets, you’ll know it’s here
How long do we have to wait (We wait for You)?
And how long will we stay silent?
When will this weeping generation dance again?
And, O God, when will your truth be restored?
Tonight we’re not just talking about a simple “act of determination”…
We’re not talking about “turning over a new leaf”…
We’re not talking about a new year’s resolution…
A resolution deals with a change in only us – a revolution is bigger than just us!
We’re talking about a REVOLUTION…a passion burning deep within us that we can’t contain…passion to see the world around us change…this is our mission!
Tonight is the night we begin a Revolution that will make demons tremble…
Tonight we’re starting a Revolution that will bridge generational gaps…a Revolution that will restore broken homes and broken relationships…a Revolution that will change the way we worship…a Revolution that will impact this generation with a prophetic message of repentance…a Revolution that will take back the moral ground that has been stolen from under our feet…a Revolution that will cause Christians of every denomination to live out the gospel with all it’s radical claims.
The question isn’t whether or not this Revolution is beginning. The question is WILL YOU BE A PART OF THIS REVOLUTION?
With this in mind, I want to share with you again what our Purposes are as a student ministry and how that ties into the purpose of our Church and this “year of building”.
This past Sunday morning, Pastor Tim preached a Word from the Lord concerning our church’s vision for 2004. I want you to realize the importance of having a vision.
The Bible says in Proverbs 29:18 “where is there is no vision, the people are unrestrained” (NAS).
Illustration: Having vision is like being “restrained” in a roller coaster…we follow the “track” and are “held captive” by the seat belt. Without that “restraint” we wouldn’t be able to stay on “track”…
Pastor’s vision for our church isn’t just some nice sounding cliché that we can repeat and feel good about ourselves. It is divine guidance from God so that we can stay “on track” with focused determination to accomplish what God has called us to do.
The vision of this student ministry is the same as that for the whole church…
“Building the House of God one person at a time”. We accomplish this just as Pastor preached it on Sunday – Building our lives – Building other people – Building the work at Caring First.
This Student Ministry will help build this house by wholeheartedly fulfilling our purpose statement…
Reach Out in loving fellowship to every student in the greater St. Joseph area…
Provide students with an opportunity to Respond to God’s love and glory through heartfelt worship…
Refashion this generation to a lifestyle of moral Godly living through Biblical discipleship…
Reestablish the ministry effectiveness and destiny of teenagers within the local body…
Retake our homes, schools, and communities with the message of Jesus Christ.
1. Reach Out in loving fellowship to every student in the St. Joseph area
We need to Revolutionize the way we “love” and reach out to the world.
“You’re familiar with the old written law, ‘Love your friend,’ and it’s unwritten companion, ‘Hate your enemies.’ I’m challenging that. I’m telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer, for then you are working our of your true selves, your God-created selves. This is what God does. He gives His best – the sun to warm the rain to nourish – to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty. If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody can do that. If you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal? Any run-of-the-mill sinner does that.
“In a word, what I am saying is, Grow up. You’re kingdom subjects. Now live like it. Live out your God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you” (Matthew 5:43-48 The Message).
Illustration: Mary from Lebanon (17 years old), was a Revolutionary by the way she loved her enemies. After being shot and paralyzed by a Muslim fanatic, she said, “I will offer my life for Muslims, like the one who cut my father’s throat, cursed my mother and stabbed her, and then tried to kill me. My life will be a prayer for them.”
Jesus said that this was one of the two most important commands in Matthew 22:34-40. “Love others as well as yourself” (The Message).
Illustration: Average Joe…what a joke!
This is how we build the house of God – building other people…loving them, welcoming them, and speaking words of encouragement.
Let’s start a Revolution in the way we love the world.
2. Provide students with an opportunity to Respond to God’s love through heartfelt worship.
We need to Revolutionize the way we worship.
The tradition and law of the day dictated to people where, when, and how to worship. But Jesus challenged that. He said “But the time is coming – it has, in fact, come – when what you’re called will not matter and where you go to worship will not matter” (John 4:22).
Jesus was a revolutionary! He was saying that it doesn’t matter what church you’re from, or what day you have a service, or where you meet. He said…
“It’s who you are and the way you live that count before God. Your worship must engage your spirit in the pursuit of truth. That’s the kind of people the Father is out looking for: those who are simply and honestly themselves before him in their worship. God is sheer being itself – Spirit. Those who worship Him must do it out of their very being, their spirits, their true selves, in adoration” (John 4:23-24).
Worship is a way that we build our lives in pursuing God. Worship is an opportunity to be intimate with Jesus. It’s a chance to show Him how much He’s worth to us. Worship is an intentional spiritual activity where we must engage our spirit to chase after Jesus, catch a glimpse of His glory, and honor him with our full-undivided attention.
This is how we build the house of God – building our personal lives through worship.
Let’s start a Revolution in the way we worship. Let’s forget about how our day went. Let’s forget about who is here or who isn’t here. Let’s forget about what someone may think about us if we respond in worship – step out of your comfort zone. Let’s start a Revolution and engage our spirit in true worship and chase after Jesus.
3. Refashion this generation to a lifestyle of moral Godly living through Biblical discipleship.
This generation needs a Revolution in it’s ungodly lifestyle.
We build the house of God through discipleship.
“Then Jesus said to the Jews who had claimed to believe in Him. ‘If you stick with this, living out what I tell you, you are my disciples for sure. Then you will experience for yourself the truth, and the truth will free you’” (John 8:31-32 TM).
Jesus was revolutionizing their thinking of what it was to be a true disciple – a true Christian. He was saying that just to “believe” in me isn’t enough. You have to follow me and do what I tell you to do. That means that we have to “bear much fruit” (John 15:8).
To live it out we must first take it in – learn it and be discipled ourselves.
Sunday morning small groups – bi-weekly cell groups – Wednesday and Sunday services – are all parts of the big picture of discipleship. We provide these opportunities for you to learn – to grow – be discipled – and for you to disciple others.
Let’s start a Revolution where we don’t just believe in Jesus, but a Revolution where we stick to living out what He tells us to do. Let’s start a Revolution where we answer the call to bear much fruit and build the house of God through discipling others around us.
4. Reestablishing the ministry effectiveness and destiny of student within the local body.
The destiny of this student ministry has been prophesied about time and time again. It’s been prophesied that revival would come to our church through the student ministries! It’s been prophesied that the growth we would see would cause us to burst at the seams – not just doubling but tripling in size!
Matthew 20:26-28
“Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave – just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”
If these prophecies are to be fulfilled, we’ve got work to do! We have to be the servants, the slaves, and do the ministry!
If we want to be a part of this Revolution, we have to get involved.
“Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in various ways.” (1 Peter 4:10)
YOU have something to offer – not just to this student ministry, but to the whole church. Do you want this student ministry to grow? Do you want this student ministry to be great? It comes through serving one another with the gifts, abilities and talents that God has given us.
What are you doing to bring growth to this church?
What are you doing to help this Revolution?
5. Retake our homes, schools, and communities with the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
In Mark 16:15 Jesus said, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.”
Revolutions are contagious! As God begins a Revolution in your personal life, and as He begins the Revolution within our student ministry and church, it WILL become like a fire!
Illustration: forest fires in California, dry, spreads quick, the wind helps…
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you; and you will be my witnesses…to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)
We already have the command and the power to start this Revolution!
Let’s start a Revolution Fire where we take the life-changing message of Jesus Christ into our homes, our schools, and throughout St. Joseph.
Closing Illustration:
- Martin Luther was one man…1517 started a revolution
- It only takes one!
Heads bowed and eyes closed…
*CD – Passion: Revolution Cry – song: Take My Life
The Revolution has begun…
- A Revolution in the way we REACH OUT to the world
- A Revolution in the way we RESPOND in worship
- A Revolution in the way we REFASHION our lifestyle
- A Revolution in the way we REESTABLISH the use of our gifts
- A Revolution in the way we RECLAIM our families, schools…world
Are you willing to join this REVOLUTION?
Come to this altar and let’s pray together as a student ministry – as a church, who together will join in this Revolution and embrace this year of building.
- PRAY TOGETHER – SING w/ CD “Take My Life”
- In closing have band play and lead “Revolution Cry”
