Refuge
By: Pastor Jeff Pearce
Intro: What is Refuge?
1: A place
a) somewhere to go and seek shelter
b) safe haven for protection
c) a special place for the seeker to find satisfaction
Point: Almost everyone at one time or another in there lives seek a refuge from something or someone. My personal story is no different, stuck in a rut or burnt out by routine and the grind of daily life. There should be a place where people can go and be restored and invigorated to live for God.
2: What about all the churches around?
a) not to slight any church
b) each house of prayer is respected and held in high regard
c) but sadly most are stuck in tradition and routine
Point: In the south east there are churches on every corner, any denomination you can imagine, something for everyone. The Bible belt thank God for it Amen!! But also there are small churches medium churches and mega churches. Nothing wrong with any, mega churches have small group ministries to help everyone feel connected, medium size churches still call each other brother and sister and everyone still knows everyone to a certain extent, small churhces have prayer meetings and have close fellowship with each other. Every church that preaches and teaches Jesus Christ the Son of God born, crucified and risen is church in thus man's opinion.
Body: Why start a new church? Psalm 51: 12-13
1: Obedience
a) when God calls you to do something it's best to be about doing it.
b) see Jonah and the whale
c) the key principal is always restoration
Point: David wrote those words restore unto me the joys of thy salvation, many church members need that type of restoration. A lost and dying world most certainly needs to know the joys of salvation. Too many times do we miss the mark for lack of just doing what God tells us to do. David penned this psalm after Nathan confronted him about Bathsheba,
2: Vision
a) Psalm 51:13
b) then will I teach transgressors thy ways
c) and sinners shall be converted unto thee.
Point: It has always been my beleif that this was the vision of the church. To see lost, broken, hurting people restored unto God. To help people establish a everlasting relationship with Jesus Christ. In the gospel of Luke gives a depiction of Christ in Nazareth his hometown in the synagouge reading the prophecy of himself written by Isaiah. ( Luke 4:16-20 ) That was God's plan for Jesus, the vision fulfilled by Christ. What about what he called us to do? Go ye therefore!!!
3: Action
a) Matt 28:19-20
b) the Great Commission
c) implies the church, the body of believers to be actively working in the communtiy in which they live
d) to seek to help and guide people to Christ
Point: We never wanted to start a church to compete with any other church or any other group of people. There may be a dozen other churches within a 5 mile radius, it's not because we think their all wrong and we are right. God called, he said Go, he didn't say exactly where or even how, he just said Go. He did tell us he would be with us always!!
Closing: Refuge
Restoration
Evangelism
Fellowship
Unity
Growth
Excellence
Faith in action
