Poured Out … ready to be poured out
Coming to church ready to be the church
Colossians 3: 12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. 15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Today we have teapots in front of us… each of these teapots are different in shape, xize, color, and made from different materials…
The pouring comes from what is in the vessel, not the outward shape or size.
We are all like teapots – different in look – but we all have the same purpose… to be poured out.
The question – from our daily lives…. What are we filled with? And how can we be poured out?
Does a teapot serve a purpose until it has something to pour out? So too are we meant to be full – ready to pour out what we have been filled with…
So how can we be filled up? What are we to be filled with? And how should we be poured out?
Our series: Driven by Eternity
Our purpose today… to discuss how you should come ready to church… Today I want to challenge us from this scripture part of what it means to be the community of Christ-followers that we are meant to be.
What does it mean when we gather together in a service … how should your heart be prepared before you even get here?
What should you come ready to do, ready to give, and ready to receive; ready to pour out from what is inside of us.
Our passage this morning is layered with many things… we will focus on 4 … GETTING NEW PERSPECTIVE, TEACHING, ADMONISHING, WORSHIPPING, and all of these sprinkled with what is most import – LOVE…
Why is this so important… why is how we come ready to give and be poured out so important?
17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
EMPTIED: for new perspective… how can we be ready to do everything in word and deed in the name of the Lord?
1st step to new perspective…
READY TO BRING GIFT... Ready to be poured out… BUT before we can pour out – we must be filled up… so if church isn’t the only place to be filled up – what else can we do.
1. Every vessel must first be emptied out, cleansed and then filled…
a. Romans tells us – all are born with a sunful nature that produces things in us that are not good when poured out…
b. Bitterness, rage, anger, malice, jealousy, lying, doubt, selfishness…
c. So to be emptied is what we can confession or repentance… to ask forgiveness of our sin…
d. Confession empties us out – acceptance of what Jesus did on the cross… His sacrifice covers our sin… that now we may be filled up…
e. But with what
2. Every vessel filled up… with what?
a. John 14:15-17 15 "If you love me, you will obey what I command. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever-- 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.
SO for Christians… those serving God… what must you do now that you are emptied…
NEW PERSPECTIVE: is an unselfish approach to church… get past the “what have you done for me lately?!” attitude.
As we come to church we should all come ready to give, not just to receive. So many times our approach to church attendance is about what we get vs. what we give. We arrive empty handed, and often leave feeling disappointed if the music didn’t suit our tastes or the sermon didn’t move our soul.
Scripture tells us that we have it Wrong – by coming to church with our hands full of gifts for others, we will live more filled up than ever before. So many times we selfishly come asking what we will get out of it… NOW… a balance point. Should you receive when you come to church – yes… is it something to be enjoyed – yes. BUT, being a Christian is not a spectatur sport.
John 7 tells us that from our inner most being will flow rivers of living water… water that nourishes others…
Remember – a teapot does not serve it’s purpose until it is filled, and poured out- for the benefit of others…
So now we come and are emptied… God fills us with His Spirit… and His word says clearly… Lu 11:13 - If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"
Emptied… now filled – but with what and for what are you filled?
BEING FILLED…
to teach, admonish, and worship.
Step 2-4 are what we are to be filled with… so we might pour out… through the power and infilling of the Holy Spirit what should we be ready to pour out to others?
1st: be ready to teach… be full from the week with something ready to pour out… 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom
Question – is this passage written to just pastors – NO
Is this passage written to just deacons or leaders of the church – NO
It’s written to all of us… why?
We should all be studying God’s word and applying it to our lives on a weekly, if not daily, basis. Then coming together on Sunday is simply a time where we come with our arms full of gifts to give… things we have learned during the week… lessons we gained, nuggets of truth we have found… READY TO BE POURED OUT AND TEACH…
2nd: be ready to admonish.. b: to express warning or disapproval to especially in a gentle, earnest, or solicitous manner2: to give friendly earnest advice or encouragement to …
Intentionally looking for ways to connect with others and encourage them. No one is left alone, unless they want to be… if everyone was intentionally looking for others to encourage, no one would leave discouraged… no one. So if you are filled and ready… God will pour you out like a drink offering for the benefit of others…
READY TO BE POURED OUT AND ADMONISH…
But it is not only about others… first and foremost it is about worshipping God…
3rd: Be ready to worship: and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.
Psalms… Hymns… Spiritual songs
Primary purpose for all: All with gratitude in your hearts to God… this is the heart of worship…
Gratitude – the focus of being thankful for all God has done…
So when you complain about a song choice… whether a psalm, hymn, or spiritual song – is that being grateful? When we walk away and say I really enjoyed that… could we have missed the point?
READY TO BE POURED OUT AND WORSHIP…
Remember – a teapot does not serve its purpose until it is filled, and poured out- for the benefit of others…
First – emptied of all that is evil… forgiven… redeemed… made new. Now we have a choice of what we will be filled with…
If we ask God – the Holy Spirit fills us up… so that we might… have God’s word in us – teach others
Have a joyful heart – encourage and admonish others
And a heart of Gratitude – heart of worship to God…
Poured out – ready to minister to others – ready to minister to God… In worship to Him… the heart of worship – is it is about God… The heart of coming to church – is that Sunday is an overflow of what we have already been living in the week…
all of us, like these teapots are different, but have the same purpose in the end…
Remember – a teapot does not serve its purpose until it is filled, and poured out- for the benefit of others… and for worship to God…
17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Today what is your response?
• repentance, confession… forgiveness?
• Filled up – asking God for His Holy Spirit…
• Worship – coming back to the heart of worship
SONG – worship team…
