Series: The Cure [#21]
GROWING OUR CHURCH THE RIGHT WAY
Romans 12:9-16
Introduction:
At the beginning of the week, I was excited about this sermon- By Thursday, I wasn’t. It seems like the Church finally gets going well and then something happens that sets us back. The devil is attacking our Church as hard as he can. So what do we do? We can give up, we can just keep surviving, or we can allow God to grow this Church the right way. How do we grow a Church that is pleasing to God?
Romans 12:9 (NIV)
“Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.”
We grow our Church the right way by…
1. Being sincere.
We need to be genuine, real. We need to take off the mask and love people. This is not a game. We are to hate evil and hold on to what is good. The sign of how genuine your faith is found in how you behave behind closed doors.
Romans 12:10 (NIV)
“Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.”
We grow our Church the right way by…
2. Being devoted to one another.
We need to be aware of other’s needs. We need to be able to trust one another and love one another. We are supposed to put others before yourself.
Romans 12:11 (NIV)
“Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.”
We grow our Church the right way by…
3. Being excited.
This is a very important point. If you make your Church out to be a terrible place full of terrible people, no one will want to be a part of it. We should be excited about what God is doing. Our enthusiasm for serving God ought to be contagious.
Romans 12:12 (NIV)
“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”
We grow our Church the right way by…
4. Being positive.
To be joyful in hope means that you see the glass ½ full, not ½ empty. As Christians, we have a lot to look forward to. Through Christ, there is victory.
Romans 12:12 (NIV)
“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”
We grow our Church the right way by…
5. Being patient.
The Bible says that we can be confident that the plan of God and the power of God are greater than even the problems we're going through. We can be patient because we know that God's using even these things in our lives to strengthen us. Don't look at the temporary situation- Look at the eternal benefit of that temporary situation that we're going through.
Romans 12:12 (NIV)
“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”
We grow our Church the right way by…
6. Being prayerful.
No matter what is happening, we need to pray. Without prayer, we don’t have a chance.
Romans 12:13 (NIV)
“Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality.”
We grow our Church the right way by…
7. Being hospitable.
We are to open our hearts and our homes to others. One of the fastest ways for a Church to pull together is through spending time together. We are to help one another.
Romans 12:14 (NIV)
“Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.”
We grow our Church the right way by…
8. Being forgiving.
We are to forgive others for what they do to us. We aren’t supposed to be battling one another. We must learn to forgive and love one another.
Romans 12:15 (NIV)
“Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.”
We grow our Church the right way by…
9. Being there for one another.
When one of us has a victory, we should celebrate and when one of us is going through a difficult time, we should be there to cry with them.
Romans 12:16 (NIV)
“Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.”
We grow our Church the right way by…
10. Being fair with one another.
Being prejudice, discriminating, etc… will destroy a Church faster than anything else. The economic or social level of the people in our Church should not matter. We are to get along with one another and not to think that we are any better than anyone else.
Conclusion:
This is a long list of things that we need to be doing in order to see our Church grow in a way that brings glory and honor to God.
