PURSUING THE MISSION
MAKING CHRISTLIKE DISCIPLES
ACTS CH. 5:1-11, 38-40
INTRO-
I HAVE SHARED WITH PEOPLE WHAT THE LORD HAS SHOWN ME DURING MY PRAYER TIME. OUR CHURCH MOVING TO THE NEXT LEVEL. MOVING FORWARD WILL BE BY PRAYER AND THAT IT WILL NOT BE JUST BY THE ABILITIES AND TALENTS OF THE CHURCH. I MAKE NO APOLOGY FOR THAT AND WE ARE FACED WITH A DECISION, DO WE AS A CHURCH JOIN TOGETHER IN PRAYER AND BREAK THE BARRIER AND GO TO THE NEXT LEVEL, OR STAY AT THE SAME SPOT AND WAIT FOR IT TO FALL INTO OUR LAPS.
THIS MORNING SCRIPTURE IS ABOUT THE EARLY CHURCH. THEY BELIEVE THEY WERE ABOUT A YEAR OLD HERE. TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THOSE AROUND THEM, SOME WOULD SELL WHAT THEY HAD AND GIVE IT TO THE CHURCH TO DISTRIBUTE TO THOSE IN NEED.THERE IS A BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT IS REAL AND WHAT IS A EXCITED MOMENT. BARNABUS WAS A GENUINE CHRISTIAN (CH. 4) ANANIAS AND SAPPHIRA WERE NOT. BARNABUS SOLD HIS LAND BECAUSE HE WANTED TO OBEY GOD AND PLEASE HIM. ANANIAS AND SAPPHIRA HAD OTHER INTENTIONS. INSTEAD OF PLEASING GOD, THEY WERE MORE INTERESTED IN IMPRESSING OTHERS. ONE HAD A PASSION FOR GOD, ONE HAD A PASSION TO BE NOTICED AND PRAISED BY OTHERS. WIIFM “WHAT’S IN IT FOR ME” OUR MOTIVES ARE CRITICAL
ILLUSTRATION-
AN ELDERLY MAN ON THE BEACH FOUND A MAGIC LAMP. HE PICKED IT UP AND A GENIE APPEARED. BECAUSE YOU HAVE FREED ME, THE GENIE SAID, I WILL GRANT YOU A WISH. THE MAN THOUGHT FOR A MOMENT AND THEN RESPONDED, MY BROTHER AND I HAD A FIGHT 30 YEARS AGO AND HE HASN’T SPOKEN TO ME SINCE. I WISH THAT HE’LL FINALLY FORGIVE ME. THERE WAS THUNDERCLAP, AND THE GENIE DECLARED, YOUR WISH HAS BEEN GRANTED. YOU KNOW, THE GENIE CONTINUED, MOST MEN WOULD HAVE ASKED FOR WEALTH OR FAME. BUT YOU ONLY WANTED THE LOVE OF YOUR BROTHER. IS IT BECAUSE YOU ARE OLD AND DYING? NO WAY, THE MAN CRIED, BUT MY BROTHER IS , AND HE IS WORTH ABOUT 60 MILLION.
WHAT’S YOUR MOTIVE? ANANIAS AND SAPPHIRA WEREN’T DOING IT OUT OF NEED, THEY WERE DOING IT FOR THEMSELVES.
THERE MOTIVE WAS TO DECEIVE THE CHURCH., MAKE THEM THINK THEY WERE MORE SPIRITUAL THAN THEY WERE.
THEY WERE TRYING TO DECEIVED GOD- LYING AND CONSPIRING TOGETHER TO LIE. THE LORD SEE’S ALL. THERE IS NO SECRETS WITH GOD.
THEY WANTED:
TO BE SEEN AS ONES WHO GAVE ALL FOR THE CHURCH.
THEY WANTED TO BE COMMENDED FOR THEIR SACRIFICE.
THEY APPEARED DEDICATED, BUT THEY WERE DECEITFUL.
THEY APPEARED FAITHFUL, BUT WERE FRAUDULENT
APPEARED SELF SACRIFICING, BUT EVIL.
DON’T WORRY, THIS IS NOT A TITHING MESSAGE. I AM NOT EXPECTING YOU TO SELL YOUR HOUSE AND BRING ALL THE MONEY IN. IF THE LORD TELLS YOU THAT...BE FAITHFUL
QUESTION-
HOW DANGEROUS IS IT TO HATE WHAT GOD LOVES AND LOVE WHAT GOD HATES? ANANIAS AND SAPPHIRA WERE A COUPLE WHO USED A GOD GIVEN BLESSING IN A GOD FORBIDDEN WAY. THEY LOVED MONEY AND PRAISE OF OTHERS MORE THAN GOD. THE NUMBER ONE REASON PEOPLE SAY THAT THEY DON’T ATTEND CHURCH IS BECAUSE IT IS FILLED WITH HYPOCRITES. WOULD YOU CONSIDER YOURSELF A HYPOCRITE? EVALUATE YOURSELF BASED UPON WHAT ONE MAN WROTE. HE SAID, I MET THE STRANGEST MAN THE OTHER DAY. HE SAID HE BELIEVES IN THE BIBLE, BUT NE NEVER READS IT. HE SAID HE THOUGHT WELL OF THE CHURCH OF WHICH HE IS A MEMBER, BUT NEVER ATTENDS. HE SAID A MAN SHOULD BE HONEST WITH GOD IN MONEY MATTERS, BUT NEVER TITHES. HE SAID THE YOUNGER GENERATION NEEDS THE LORD, BUT HE ISN’T LEADING THEM IN THAT DIRECTION. HE SAID THE CHURCH NEEDS DEDICATED CHURCH MEMBERS, BUT HE ISN’T ONE. HE SAID THE CHURCH SHOULD DO MORE MINISTERING TO PEOPLE, BUT HE DOESN’T HELP. HE IS CRITICAL OF THE WAY THE CHURCH IS RUN, BUT NEVER PARTICIPATES. HE SAYS PRAYER CHANGES THINGS, BUT HE NEVER PRAYS.
REV. 3:15-16- I KNOW YOUR DEEDS, THAT YOU ARE NOT COLD OR HOT. I WISH YOU WERE EITHER ONE OR THE OTHER. SO, BECAUSE YOU ARE LUKE-WARM, NOT HOT OR COLD, I AM ABOUT TO SPIT YOU OUT OF MY MOUTH.
ILLUSTRATION-
THE JOB OF THE CHURCH IS NOT TO IMPACT THE CHURCH., BUT TO IMPACT THE WORLD. IT’S LIKE A HUDDLE IN A FOOTBALL GAME. 67,000 PEOPLE DON’T PAY MONEY TO WATCH THE PACKERS HUDDLE. WHAT IF YOU WENT TO A PACKERS GAME AND FOR 2 ½ HOURS YOU WATCHED 11 MEN STAND IN A CIRCLE AND TALK? THAT’S NOT WHAT YOU PAID FOR 67,000 PEOPLE PAY TO SEE WHAT DIFFERENCE THE HUDDLE MAKES. WHAT THEY WANT TO KNOW IS, HAVING CALLED THE PLAY IN SECRET, DOES IT WORK IN PUBLIC? THE CHALLENGE FOR THE CHURCH IS NOT WHAT WE DO WHEN WE CALL OUR SUNDAY MORNING HUDDLE, BUT WHAT WE DO WHEN WE BREAK OUR HUDDLE AND HEAD FOR OUR SUNDAY MORNING ASSIGNMENT. WE ARE NOT TO HUDDLE UP, BUT GET SOMETHING ACCOMPLISHED.
IF THE ENEMY OF THE CHURCH COULD FOG OUR THINKING, WOULD IT NOT BE AT THE POINT OF PURSUING OUR MISSION. IF WE HAVE BEEN BUSY DOING EVERYTHING BUT MAKING DISCIPLES.
SENIORS SAY- WE WERE IN THE CHURCH EVERY TIME THE DOORS WERE OPEN. DO YOU KNOW WHY? BECAUSE THOSE WERE THE ONLY DOORS OPEN. THAT WAS BEFORE 24 HOUR WALMARTS, STORES CLOSED AT 5 O’CLOCK, STREETS ROLLED UP AT 6 O’CLOCK, ONLY THREE CHANNELS ON THE T.V., BEFORE SO MANY HIGHWAYS, COMMERCIAL AIR FARE WARS, AND THREE DAY WEEKENDS.
PURSUE THE MISSION EACH ONE OF US
WHO IS DISCIPLING YOU, AND WHO ARE YOU DISCIPLING.IT IS THE OBJECTION FROM EVERY PERSON FROM THE GENERAL SUPER INTENDANT OF THE NAZARENE’S TO EVERY NAZARENE SITTING HERE. “MAKE CHRISTLIKE DISCIPLES AND HAVE THEM UNDERSTAND WHAT GOD IS EXPECTING FROM US.”
DO YOU THINK THERE IS A PROBLEM THAT GOOD CHRISTIANS ARE DOING EVERYTHING EXCEPT MAKING CHRISTLIKE DISCIPLES, THAT OUR LIVES ARE FILLED WITH BUSYNESS THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE EVANGELISM.
IS IT POSSIBLE WE HAVE CHRISTIANS WHO DO NOT PRAY AND READ GOD’S WORD? COULD WE HAVE CHRISTIANS WHO DO NOT SERVE AND GIVE WITNESS ABOUT JESUS? COULD THEY NOT BE DOING WHAT GOD HAS TOLD THEM TO DO?
DIETRICH BONHOEFFER-
“CHRISTIANITY WITHOUT DISCIPLESHIP IS ALWAYS CHRISTIANITY WITHOUT CHRIST”
JESUS IS NOT ASKING YOU TO DISCIPLE A MILLION PEOPLE. BUT HE DESIRES YOU AND ME TO DISCIPLE A FEW CLOSE FRIENDS WHO ARE AROUND YOU.
THE MISSION IS TO GO BEYOND MEMBERSHIP TO DISCIPLESHIP. WE USE TO THINK - GET PEOPLE SAVED, BRING THEM TO CHURCH, RECRUIT THEM TO SING IN THE CHOIR, SERVE AS USHERS.( WE NEED MORE OF THAT STILL, BUT IT IS DISCIPLESHIP THAT GETS THEM GROUNDED AND WILL KEEP THEM )
HAVE YOU EVER HAD SOMEONE TO SAY “NOW I’M GOING TO SAY THIS IN LOVE”
YOU DUCK BECAUSE YOU KNOW YOUR GOING TO GET HIT. ONLY THOSE WHO ARE WILLING TO LAY DOWN THEIR LIVES FOR US HAVE EARNED THE RIGHT TO HOLD US ACCOUNTABLE.
3 KINDS OF DISCIPLESHIP
CLASSIC DISCIPLESHIP- UNDERSTANDING AND GETTING INTO THE BASIC CURRICULUM- SUNDAY SCHOOL
SPIRITUAL FORMATION- UNDERSTANDING WHAT YOU BELIEVE, SO THAT YOU ARE NOT MADE IN THE IMAGE OF BUDDHA, MUHAMMAD, CONFUCIUS. IT IS TO BE IN THE IMAGE OF CHRIST.
COMMUNITY DISCIPLESHIP- GETTING INTO SMALL GROUPS, BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS, CONNECTING WITH OTHERS WITHIN THE BODY.
“I DON’T GO TO CHURCH- I JUST WORSHIP GOD BY MYSELF. YOU CAN DO THAT, BUT CHRISTIANITY IS LIVED OUT AS THE BODY OF CHRIST. WE NEED EACH OTHER. "AMERICANS ARE RICH IN EARTHLY GOODS, BUT THEY ARE POOR IN RELATIONSHIPS. THE REST OF THE WORLD MAY BE POOR IN EARTHLY GOODS, BU TRICH IN RELATIONSHIPS"
ANANIAS AND SAPPHIRA LIKE THE IDEA OF BEING IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD’S PEOPLE, THEY LIKED THE THOUGHT OF PEOPLE SEEING THEM HELP OTHERS.
NO AMOUNT OF HOW MUCH THEY HELD BACK WAS GIVEN, BECAUSE IT DID NOT MATTER.
THEY DID NOT HAVE TO SELL THEIR HOME.
THEY DID NOT HAVE TO GIVE IT ALL
THEY WANTED TO APPEAR MORE SPIRITUAL THAN THEY WERE.
THE PROBLEM IS WE ARE TO MUCH LIKE THE APOSTLE PETER- UPON JESUS ARREST, AS HE IS LED AWAY TO STAND BEFORE CAIAPHAS, MATTHEW 26:58- ‘BUT PETER FOLLOWED HIM AT A DISTANCE”
WE ARE FOLLOWING HIM AT A DISTANCE
WE ARE DOING OUR OWN THING
UNBELIEVERS CAN SEE THAT WE ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN THE CHURCH AND AS INDIVIDUALS, BUT THE ONES THAT ARE HALF IN AND HALF OUT CONTINUE TO STRUGGLE.
ANANIAS AND SAPPHIRA WERE HARD INTENTIONAL DISCIPLINE- IT OPENED THE EYES OF THE CHURCH.
5:12- THE APOSTLES PERFORMED MANY MIRACULOUS SIGNS AND WONDERS AMONG THE PEOPLE. AND ALL THE BELIEVERS USED TO MEET TOGETHER AT SOLOMON COLONNADE. NO ONE ELSE DARED JOIN THEM EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE HIGHLY REGARDED BY THE PEOPLE.
WHY? BECAUSE GOD CLEANED HOUSE AND LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT HE WAS SERIOUS ABOUT WHAT WAS GOING ON INSIDE THE CHURCH AS WELL AS OUTSIDE.
ILLUSTRATION-
HOUSE OF PRAYER IN CALI COLUMBIA CHURCH BEGAN IN 1983, NOW IT HAS 11,000 EACH SUNDAY. 5 SERVICES 7-9, 9-11, 11-1:00. 1-3, A BAPTISMAL SERVICE WITH UP TO 100 PEOPLE BAPTIZED, AND AN EVENING SERVICE 7-9 P.M.
THEY HAVE PRAYER AND FASTING
THEY BELIEVE THE AUTHORITY OF GOD’S WORD
THEY ARE NOT GOING TO ARGUE OVER IF THE FIRST 11 CHAPTERS OF GENESIS ARE TRUE.
THEY BELIEVE IN THE ANOINTING POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT AND DO NOT ATTEMPT ANYTHING WITHOUT THE SPIRIT OF GOD BEING IN IT.
GAMALIEL THE PHARISEE SPEAKING:
ACTS 5:38- “LEAVE THESE MEN ALONE LET THEM GO FOR IF THEIR PURPOSE OR ACTIVITY IS OF HUMAN ORIGIN, IT WILL FAIL. BUT IF IT IS FROM GOD, YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO STOP THESE MEN; YOU WILL BE FIGHTING AGAINST GOD.”
CLOSING:
IF WE ARE TO MOVE TO THE NEXT LEVEL, IT WILL TAKE PRAYER AND STEPPING OUT IN FAITH. JESUS SAID WE ARE TO MAKE DISCIPLES. EACH ONE OF US TO MAKE AN IMPACT WITH THOSE THAT WE ARE AROUND. IT IS BEYOND A PROGRAM , IT MUST BECOME A LIFESTYLE. EACH ONE WINNING ONE AND DISCIPLING THEM.
JESUS SAYS “IF YOU LOVE ME, YOU WILL OBEY WHAT I COMMAND” HE ALSO SAYS “ THIS IS MY FATHER’S GLORY, THAT YOU BEAR MUCH FRUIT, SHOWING YOURSELVES TO BE MY DISCIPLES”
ALTAR CALL
