SIGNS 2
“Road Work”
by Pastor Donny Granberry
Today we continue in our summer message series, “SIGNS.”
Today’s theme will be “Road Work,” as we take a look at one of the Fundamental truths in the word of God.
THE CHURCH AND ITS MISSION
The Church is the habitation of God through the Holy Spirit, with divine appointments for the fulfillment of the Great Commission.
Each and every believer, or Christian, is an integral part of the church and has been given directives (orders) from our General and Chief Commander, God.
• We were not been redeemed to fill up a space on a pew.
• We were not been redeemed just to escape the fires of damnation.
• We were not been redeemed just to bear the name of Christ.
• We were not been redeemed merely to be carriers of the Holy Spirit.
• WE HAVE BEEN REDEEMED FOR A PURPOSE!
That purpose is the mission of the church.
As some might think, it is not a "mission impossible"; it is a "mission possible" through the endument of the power of the Holy Spirit.
Ephesians 1:22-23 NIV
And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.
Ephesians 2:22 NIV
And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.
We have been entrusted by God with much, and to whom much is given, much is required.
God pours His spirit into us that we might become not just carriers of this gospel, but sharers of the word.
ILLUSTRATION
I observed a waitress the other night. We had a large party of people and as they brought our food, that we were hungry for and would provide nourishment to us, she was straining under the weight of the tray filled with food.
Yet when she set the meal before us, as she left, she was twirling the tray with ease that had been such a weight before.
God’s purpose concerning man is threefold:
• To seek and to save that which is lost
• To be worshipped by man
• To build a body of believers in the image of Christ
These are the three things I want to shed light on today.
In our fundamental truths we call it, “The Church and its Mission.”
1. To be an agency of God for evangelizing the world.
The concept of evangelism is not to get the word out, but to let the word out.
How can we call ourselves Evangelicals if we are not evangelistic?
Matthew 24:14 KJV
And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
Mark 16:15-16 NIV
"Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.
People of the world would have to do spiritual forensics on most Christians to find out what they believe.
Acts 1:8 says that you shall be witnesses unto me.
The world is wondering, “When’s it going to happen?”
VIDEO CLIP “When’s it going to happen?” (Sermonspice.com)
We come into the church and sing, “What the world needs is Jesus,” and I believe that we mean it, but we must share Jesus with them.
If we share Jesus with others, they will respond.
RITA SHOTWELL
Began a new ministry of the body, visiting out shut-ins at home and in the nursing homes about 3-4 weeks ago.
While ministering to our shut-ins, God opened the door for her to share Jesus with others there who had not received Him as their Lord and Savior.
Her second week of visitation, she led a lady to the Lord. The next week they called in hospice to help this lady. Any day now, she will be in heaven because someone shared Jesus with her and led her to the Lord.
The mission of the church is to be an agency of God for evangelizing the world, and …
2. A corporate body in which man worships God.
Just as we do not have to go to church, we get to go to church, we do not have to worship God, we get to worship God.
You can tell where a person is with God by watching the way they worship.
ILLUSTRATION
When I hold my little five month old granddaughter, Morgan, in my arms I can’t seem to take my eyes off of her.
It does not matter if I am feeding her, playing with her, talking to her, or even changing a diaper, I can’t seem to take my eyes off of her.
Why? She is the object of me affection.
As I begin to worship the Lord I can’t seem to focus on nothing else.
I can’t seem to think of anything else. My eyes are upon Him, My heart is directed toward Him, and every thought is upon Him.
Why? He has become the center of my affection.
• I love to praise Him
• I love to lift my hands to him
• I love to lift my voice to Him
• I love to sing to Him
To many people think that singing in church is for singers.
The truth is that “singing is for believers.”
The relevant Question is not “Do you have a voice?” but “Do you have a song?”
Psalm 40:2-3 NIV
He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.
3 He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God.
Has the Lord put a song in your heart?
Has the Lord put a praise on your lips?
Has the Lord put a shout in your voice?
Has the Lord put a dance in your feet?
Has the Lord put a clap in your hands?
A shout, praise, shout, dance, clap, the all make noise, let’s make some noise in here.
We need to worship Him!
He is Jehovah Adoni – Almighty, He is Jehovah Shalom – our peace, He is Jehovah Ropheka – our healer, He is Jehovah Tsidkeenu – our righteousness, He is Jehovah Jireh – our provider, His is Jehovah Nissi – our banner, He is Jehovah Shammah – the present God.
Let’s take a moment and worship Him right now!
Somebody give a shout of praise to the Holy One.
The mission of the church is to be an agency of God for evangelizing the world, to worship God, and …
3. To perfect believer’s into the image of Jesus Christ.
The term we use to describe this is discipleship.
1 Corinthians 14:12 NIV
Since you are eager to have spiritual gifts, try to excel in gifts that build up the church.
Ephesians 4:11-13 NIV
It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, 12 to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
Who Jesus called the twelve disciples he said to them, “Follow me and I will make you to be fishers of men.”
Becoming a Christian does not make you a disciple; you are a disciple when you begin to reproduce yourself.
ILLUSTRATION
From time to time lobsters have to leave their shell in order to grow.
They need their shell to protect them, yet if they do not abandon it the old shell would become their prison – and finally their casket.
We are not much different from lobsters.
To change and grow we must sometimes shed our shells – our place of comfort that we have grown dependant on.
Being a disciple means being so committed to Christ that when he says follow, we will change, risk, grow, and leave our old “shells” behind.
To take part in the church and its mission meant (To the church of that day, as well as today) that they had to follow the biblical pattern for the church.
The New Testament apostolic pattern by teaching and encouraging
Believers to be baptized in the Holy Spirit.
The church and its mission is to evangelize the world, to worship the Lord, and to build a body of believers perfected in the image of Jesus.
