INTRO: We Build People Overview
FIRST BASE: COMMITTED TO MEMBERSHIP (Include Them) “Come and See…” – John 1:39.
NON-NEGOTIABLE VALUE: “Every person has the right to a presentation of the gospel at his or her level of understanding.
PRIMARY FOCUS: Evangelism * Assimilation * Ministering to needs * Building relationships
FOUR HABITS:
1. Minister to their needs.
2. Build relationship with them.
3. Include them in groups.
4. Share the gospel with them.
101CLASS: Discovering Faith Assembly (Membership Class)
SECOND BASE: COMMITTED TO MATURITY (Instruct Them) “Come and Follow…” – Mark 1:17.
NON-NEGOTIABLE VALUE: Every person needs a biblical moral compass to guide and protect him or her throughout life.
PRIMARY FOCUS: Nurturing new believers * Discipleship/teaching * Assimilation * Care ministry
FOUR HABITS:
1. Enroll them in a discipleship group.
2. Teach spiritual disciplines.
3. Establish mentoring relationships.
4. Model a biblical lifestyle.
201CLASS: Discovering the Life You Have Always Wanted – A study of the spiritual disciplines.
THIRD BASE: COMMITTED TO MINISTRY (Involve Them) “Come and be…” – Mark 3:13.
NON-NEGOTIABLE VALUE: Every believer has unique gifts to be discovered, developed and used to strengthen the church.
PRIMARY FOCUS: Ministry discovery * Mentoring * Training * Equipping
FOUR HABITS:
1. Help them identify their ministry gifts.
2. Establish ministry apprenticeships with them.
3. Provide leadership training for them.
4. Model servant character before them.
301CLASS: Discovering Spiritual Gifts – The biblical purpose of Spiritual Gifts and their use.
HOME PLATE: COMMITTED TO MISSION (Invest Them) “Remain and Go…” – John 15 & Matthew 28:19 & 20.
NON-NEGOTIABLE VALUE: Every believer has a purpose in advancing the global mission of Christ and the church.
PRIMARY FOCUS: Ministry development * Life purpose * Evangelism * Missions
FOUR HABITS:
1. Provide cross-cultural experiences.
2. Provide leadership experiences.
3. Provide opportunities to disciple others.
4. Provide continued leadership training.
EXAMPLE CLASSES ON THE 400 LEVEL:
1. Becoming a Contagious Christian – A proven approach designed to equip believers for effective evangelism in today’s world.
Illustr. – God has used some pretty unusual things down through history. He used a stick to part the Red Sea. Jesus used a boy’s lunch to feed a multitude. He took 12 basically uneducated men (the disciples) and used them to change the world. And He can use you! With His help, you cannot fail!
PROP: GOD WANTS TO USE YOU TO MAKE AN ETERNAL DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF OTHERS DURING YOUR TIME ON EARTH.
TEXT: Isaiah 6:1-8 (READ)
INTERR. QUESTION: WHAT IS YOUR ANSWER TO GOD’S QUESTION – “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” Are you full of excuses when God calls, or are you willing to say, “Here I am – use me!”?
Illustr. – THE DOG
I’m telling you, God is ready to use you. You don’t have to prove anything to Him. All you have to do is say, “Here I am, Lord – Use me!” It’s not hard. In fact, I’m going to share three things with you that are the secret to being used by God. IF YOU PRACTICE THESE THREE THINGS I’LL GUARANTEE YOU, GOD WILL USE YOU! THE FIRST THING GOD IS LOOKING FOR IS…
I. HUMILITY. “‘Woe is me!’ I cried. ‘I am ruined! For I AM A MAN OF UNCLEAN LIPS, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.’” – Isaiah 6:5
When Isaiah saw the Lord in all His glory, he felt completely unholy and unworthy. He felt disqualified from service. And yet, it was just the opposite. It was necessary for Isaiah to have an encounter with God before God could use him. Isaiah quickly realized it was God’s holiness and worthiness that qualified him for ministry. If God could only use holy people, He would have no one to use! We are all just sinners saved by grace. God is not waiting for you to get perfect, He’s just waiting for you to get honest and admit that you need Him.
HUMILITY is where it all begins. Isaiah said, “I’m not worthy.” And God said, “But when I touch you I’ll take your guilt and sin away.” When HUMILITY bows before Eternity God always responds positively. When He touches you, He qualifies you. The first step to being used by God is HUMILITY. Some of you struggle with UNWORTHINESS. Others are hampered or hindered by just the opposite. A great many Christians aren’t being used by God because they are too self-absorbed. It’s all about their needs, their comfort and their pleasures. We come to Jesus asking, “What can you do for me?” instead of, “What can I do for you after all you’ve done for me?” We want God to use us on our terms. Our priorities are way out of line.
Philippians 2:3-7 – “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: ‘Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant.’”
Let’s be honest: Some of us are afraid to humbly come into God’s presence because we’re afraid of what He’ll ask us to do. We don’t want Him to cramp our style or change our habits or confront our selfishness.
Illustr. – Ghandi’s Understudy
If you will HUMBLE yourself before God and come into His presence, He’ll overcome your sin and shatter your pride and with His touch upon your life, He will use you! THE SECOND THING GOD IS LOOKING FOR IS…
II. AVAILABILITY. “‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘HERE AM I.’”
Illustr. – “Horshack” character on “Welcome Back Kotter.” God said, “I’m looking for volunteers.” And Isaiah said, “Ooooh, ooooh, ooooh, pick me!”
“God’s not interested in ABILITY as much as He is AVAILABITY.” If you’re walking before God in HUMILITY – if you’ve gone into His presence and let Him deal with your insufficiency or pride, then all you have to do next is say, “Here I am God! Pick me!”
Illustr. – Chuck Childers always standing by the football coach wanting to get in the game. God will pick heart and desire over talent every time! What are you waiting for?
Illustr. – A Push. All someone needs is a push. All they need is a word or a deed or a smile or a helping hand or a prayer or a hug. “A hero is nothing more than a normal guy who gave someone a hand when they needed it most.” Hey, the disciples weren’t anything special when Jesus picked them! But do you know what the difference was between those twelve men and a lot of others? They said, “Yes” when Jesus said, “Follow me.”
Illustr. – TRY. God’s not looking for heroes. He’s looking for HUMBLE people who will say, “Here I am! Use me!” I may not be the most talented, but I’m AVAILABLE. THE THIRD THING GOD IS LOOKING FOR IS…
III. RELIABILITY. “‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I. SEND ME!’” Isaiah was not only AVAILABLE – he was RELIABLE. He said, “God, you can count on me!” This last step is where many people fall just short of being used by God to their full potential. They’ve HUMBLED themselves. They’ve said, “God, here I am, I’m AVAILABLE.” But when the God-given opportunities come their way, they have other plans. Something unexpected always comes up. They said, “You can count on me to teach that class, work the nursery, come and pray, help in the office, reach out to that hurting person, etc…” But they never follow through.
It’s frustrating. You see all this ability and potential. You’re counting on them. But you can’t. They’re late. They’re unprepared. They give you a call at the last minute and say, “I can’t make it.” Does that describe you? God is ready to use you but you always stop short because you’re unreliable. To be useful for God does not call for great achievements. It’s not what I would do with the million dollars I don’t have, but what I’m doing with the hundred dollars I do have. It’s not how I would serve God if I possessed the abilities of the most gifted person, but how I use the gifts He has entrusted to me now. It’s not the hours of service I can devote to God at a future leisurely time, but how I use my hours in the turmoil of today.
It’s a stewardship issue. There will always be “other things” to do. But are you concentrating on doing the most important things? Are you spending all your time and energy on things that will not last or are you “laying up for yourselves treasures in heaven…”? Investing in a “crown of righteousness that will never fade away…”? In the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25), the servants were not rewarded for keeping what they were given, but for INVESTING what they were given. Are you using your talents and abilities or are you burying them because of irresponsibility?
Illustr. – Batteries Not Included? God did not create you and save you to stay hidden away in a drawer. He wants you to let your light shine. To help you develop your unique talents and abilities. How RELIABLE are you with the things God has entrusted to you?
CONCLUSION:
Illustr. – One Person
God wants to use you. All it takes is HUMILITY, AVAILABILITY AND RELIABILITY. Where do you need help this morning? What’s holding you back?
SONG/VIDEO – “Use Me”
