Here’s what I believe:
Because as Christians, God’s not done with you yet.
Now, if you haven’t accepted Christ as your Lord and Savior, we’ll visit about that a bit later.
Maybe you’ve asked yourself that question in a different form-
Do I have a calling?
Am I fulfilling my calling?
What are my gifts?
Am I using my God given gifts for His glory?
One last question…maybe!
Why are you here today? @ CPC
Ok, now the usual questions:
Did you read something new in God’s Word today?
Did you see a familiar passage with new eyes?
I hope you did!
Today our key verses are found in:
• Matthew 13:8
• Ephesians 4:11-13
Parable of the sower:
Sower went out to sow.
On some seeds:
• Birds devoured them
• Sun scorched and withered away
• Thorns choked them
• Fell on good soil
Matthew 13:8:
But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundred fold, some sixty and some thirty.
Since a vast majority of my career has been in sales, I can’t help but to look at those four groups of seeds, and think “Jesus was telling us “It’s a numbers game”.
• I’m thinking only 25% of the soil yielded a group!
• We must also realize that Jesus spoke these words before the crucifixion.
• Disciples ask: why do you speak to them in parables?
o Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.
Here’s what I believe:
• Jesus is telling them before the crucifixion that not everyone you witness to, is going to receive me!
• But don’t be discouraged, because some will!
I’m completely convicted by the Holy Spirit, that our Childrens Ministry is about to swell up into an explosion!
• A good kind of explosion, you know like when you make popcorn: We can’t have popcorn if that seed don’t explode!
I want to take a few minutes to talk about our church logo.
It doesn’t matter if this is your first time to CPC or your hundredth time, that message applies.
Purpose of the logo is:
• Branding- I know that is a buzzword that may be a turn-off for some.
• Tell people about CPC
Begin with Branding:
• Think of these logos:
o Golden Arches
o Jeep Grill
o Swoosh
o Curved Arrow- use hand motion
Part of the purpose of Branding is to promote consistency.
• Conversations with Garry about restaurants-Consistency
• As a church, we need to be consistent in our message, and telling people what we are about.
o We can’t be one week, talking about the Trinity, and the next week preaching Buddhism. It won’t work!
So, the second purpose of the logo, is to give an opportunity to explain our logo.
When wearing our shirts for example is might cause people to ask:
• Where is CPC?
• What does the logo mean?
• Church tenets or core beliefs
We need to be ready to answer these questions, and be consist from person to person.
On the shirts, there isn’t an address or phone number. We need to be prepared to provide both.
You don’t need to answer this out loud, but do you know the actual address?
Do you know what phone number we use?
We need to get the word out.
Someone took the initiative to make a business card to hand out to people to tell them about CPC
Years ago, Fred Henson called a meeting for all the managers at all three dealerships.
There were 15-20 people there.
He started the meeting like this:
• I want each of you to pull out your business card. ( side note: Henson paid for the cards for each manager)
• Only two managers were able to pull out their business card. No, I wasn’t one of them!
• He then pulled out 100 bill and gave to each of them.
• Needless to say, since then; I always carry a business card with me!
We need to be ready in season and out of season to tell people about Jesus!
Matthew 13:8 is before the crucifixion, but Matthew 28:19-20 is after the resurrection.
Matthew 28:19-20 (read from my bible)
Acts 1:8
M28: Go forth and make disciples
Acts: Be my witness
Rhetorical questions for you, no need to answer out loud:
Can we make disciples without witnessing?
Can we witness without making disciples?
Chew on that for a bit!
I believe Jesus told the story of the sower, specifically for the disciples’ benefit, because He knew we would get discouraged whenever we began spreading the Good News.
I also believe He sent the Holy Spirit to give us courage to spread the Good News.
I also believe (y’all are getting a dose of it today aren’t you?)
That one main difference between the early church and the modern church is:
The early church focused on allowing the Holy Spirit to empower the apostles to spread the gospel, while the modern church focuses on everything the church (you know “all those other churches) is doing wrong.
Repeat:
The early church focused on allowing the Holy Spirit to empower the apostles to spread the gospel, while the modern church focuses on everything the church is doing wrong!
Now let’s consider how we:
• Scatter the seed (God’s word and the good news of the gospel)
• Reap the harvest
• Disciple the harvest to become apostles to scatter the seed.
o One quick distinction:
? Disciple-follower of Jesus
? Apostle-messenger for Jesus
Stand with me as we honor God while reading His Word in Ephesians 4:11-13 (read from my bible)
Ephesians chapter 4 is one of my favorite chapters in the entire NT.
There are a few other places in the NT where “the spiritual gifts are mentioned.
Although we are not going to cover those today, I would at least like to give the addresses:
Romans 12:3-8
1 Corinthians 12:4-11
Here are the main distinctions between these three passages:
• Ephesians- Jesus giving gifts to the church
• Romans- Gifts from God to the individual
• 1 Corinthians- Gifts distributed by the Holy Spirit to the individual.
Today we are looking at the passage in Ephesians.
I believe Jesus gives every person @ least one spiritual gift.
Purpose for the message today is to consider how we apply Matthew 13:8 by using the spiritual gifts of the church that Jesus gave us!
V11- and He himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers.
Apostle- Greek transliteration definition is:
• A delegate, especially an ambassador of the Gospel
• Messenger- he that is sent
Prophet-in the context of this passage, Paul is referring of speaking from an immediate revelation as a fundamental function of either future events, or to the mind of the spirit in general.
Evangelist- A preacher of the gospel. Usually not located in any one particular place-traveller
Pastor- in this context- shepherd, specifically a spiritual guide of a flock.
Teacher- one who teaches or instructs
Let’s look at how these applies to us:
V12-for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for edifying of the body of Christ.
So, how do we equip the saints for the ministry?
I think there are @ least 5 ways:
• Fellowship- Greek transliteration (koi-nO-nEa)
o Apparently there is not an English equivalent to the Greek word (koi-nO-nEa),
but as closely as scholars to translate:
? Holding something in common
? Intimate sharing of oneself with another. (yes church, there is more than one definition for the word intimate, ok?)
Several of us went to Gateway Church Men’s Summit Thursday and Friday, and on Saturday pastor Jeff sent us a text:
What did the 28 hours of getting together @ Summit mean to you?
There were 7 on this text message- three replied “fellowship”.
BTW- pastor Jeff always makes sure we get fed well.
• I can never help but wonder “are we getting fattened for the slaughter or fueled to get us through the Summit!
o But I say that for this reason:
? Some of the most intimate fellowship found in the bible was when Jesus was breaking bread with disciples and others (right Garry?)
A second way we equip the saints is:
Worship- Sometimes people need to be taught how to worship and the importance of worship.
Shaye story-
Isaiah 43:7 If you don’t think worship is important, check this out:
• Everyone who is called by My name, Whom I have created for MY glory, I have formed him, yes I have made him.
I just want to share this, where there is pride; worship is hindered- I think you’ll find that in Genesis and Revelation, and many places in between.
Mens and Women’s conference-Pride
Discipleship-
• Training
• Teaching
• Leading
• Serving
Ministry-
Ministry is telling people about Jesus
Countless ministries
Hopefully, you are beginning to see how these gifts intertwine with each other, and how we equip the saints.
The final one to cover today is:
Missions-
Acts 1:8 You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit come upon you, and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and all Judea, and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.
My picture of this verse- rock in water.
Jerusalem
All Judea
Samaria
Ends of the earth
Read v11-12 again from my bible
V13 is one the most mind-blowing verses to me.
It is truly so mind blowing that I can’t put it into words.
I have this picture in my head that I cannot transfer in words to come out of my mouth.
Paul lays it out so beautifully in v11-12, then he says “here is the end goal”
I’m going to ask you to close your eyes as I read verse 13.
Then say:
• Unity of the faith
• Knowledge of the Son of God
• To a perfect man
• Measure of fullness of Christ
My finite mind asks this question:
How can any one of these be achieved, much less all four?
Paul tells us how to do it in v11-12- read again
-Call worship team up-
Church, as I close, I have more questions for you.
• Are you denying your calling?
• Is there something tugging on you way down deep?
• Do you want to be a part of something, yet not know where you fit in?
• Do you feel unworthy?
Listen to me, if you are experiencing any of the above questions, just know that is spiritual warfare raging within you.
As a church, let us get these conflicts won today!
