The Prevailing Power of the Church
Slide 1
There is a terrible fire in our world…
photo of fire and house
This week is the second anniversary of the September 11th attacks on our country.
19 Men used airliners filled with people against the World Trade Center Towers and the Pentagon and over 3000 died. That’s an evil that is still raging in our world. There are others evils.
There is a constant feeding of desire in this country of ours. There is frenzy for sex with pornography on the Internet, MTV video’s, television shows, and sexually graphic dances in our High Schools.
There is fascination in the gore and violence depicted in movies, described in graphic detail in books, and inflicted on our children.
There is an uncontained greed for power, money, and notoriety seen in the emphasis on a person’s worth being measured by the accumulation of influence, wealth, and fame.
Some people today are uncomfortable with the concept of evil. They think that all men are innately good. Not so. There is evil and it has a terrible power in our world. Look around you. I can’t always define evil but I know it when I see it.
We have been given the task of putting those fires out.
The church – yes, the church – has been called to stand against the ways of evil in our world and in the world. We stand as God’s Family as a people who will not be ruled or shaped by the evil that is evident around us.
The angry fires of evil will be quenched by the passionate love of God’s people.
Love puts out the fires of evil. Not laws and not moralistic judgmental pronouncements. Shouting “Shame on you” and turning our backs on those who are caught up in the fiery evil of our times will not change a thing. Only by showering love on evil will the fires of hell be put out.
That is precisely what God has called us to do!
We need to switch from using a garden hose of compassion to letting loose a powerful wave of living love
I once saw a picture of a man with a garden hose trying to protect his home from a forest fire. He was standing on the roof holding the hose and a stream of water spraying over the shingles. He was looking up at a wall of fire headed his way. This guy needed more than a garden hose. He needed a monster tidal wave of water.
Now, going from a garden hose to a tidal wave requires a change in mindset. Both have something to do with water but they are completely different in there effect on their world. With a garden hose you can put out a campfire. But a wave of water can wash across whole communities and engulf a city of burning buildings. The dam upstream can be broken and the wave of water can rumble down the canyons and pour over the valleys below.
God did not send his son to die on a cross so that we could sprinkle a little water on some hot coals in the back yard. God did not quicken us with new life and give His Holy Spirit gifts for us to get some grass wet.
No! God has given us a mission: We are to change the landscape of our world and of the world. To do that there must be prevailing power.
This Sunday we’ll look at the three barriers that stand between us and the being a church of prevailing power.
Are you ready… this is not going to be easy… these are hard things… here we go…
Slide 2
The 1st Barrier: Finances
1 Corinthians 16:1-4
Now I will write about the collection of money for God’s people. Do the same thing I told the Galatian churches to do: 2 On the first day of every week, each one of you should put aside money as you have been blessed. Save it up so you will not have to collect money after I come.
Money is a part of ministry.
Your tithes and offerings allow us to pay the staff so they can minister to you and the community.
Your tithes and offerings support the efforts involved in putting down living water in a fiery world.
Money is a touchy subject for a couple of reasons:
First, Money is a touchy subject for many preachers because they are afraid to offend people or to have them think that money is all we really care about.
The sad truth is that some people believe that all the church cares about is money because money is all they care about. It has hold of them instead of them having hold of it.
Second, Money is a “touchy” subject because many people in church believe they can’t give as much money as they think they should. They have so tied themselves up financially with credit card debt, house payments, car payments, insurance payments, jet ski payments, snowmobile payments, boat payments, and school loan payments that they can barely keep gas in lawnmower and meat in the freezer – that they are still making payments on. Then they come to church and the preacher talks about giving an offering of Love to God.
That creates some conflict and tension in a person and tends to make them feel a little guilty and to react with a bit of irritation. Guilt + Irritation = TOUCHY
I’d like to help you with that starting today
Slide 3 – build three points
1. Start somewhere today!
Three simple guidelines are given here
Consistently – on the first day of the week
Individually – each one of you
Proportionately – as you have been blessed. I like the tithe. Scripture tells us that we are to return 10% of our increase to God to honor Him. This is called our tithe. Start with something that has value to you if you want it to have value with God.
2. Change your circumstances
Stop living beyond your means and start living within your means. That’s good stewardship
This will take some time.
One of our encore classes in October will be on Financial Stewardship.
3. Give cheerfully
It is fun to give! It is fun to be a part of the winning team. Guess what! We win!
MCC is a moving; growing; fun place to be! We are good at rocking our world and we’re gonna get better!
Slide 4
The 2nd Barrier: Faithfulness
1 Corinthians 16:8-11
8 But I will stay at Ephesus until Pentecost, 9 because a good opportunity for a great and growing work has been given to me now. And there are many people working against me.
10 If Timothy comes to you, see to it that he has nothing to fear with you, because he is working for the Lord just as I am.
Notice that Paul was dealing with several pressures in his life
1. A good opportunity for a great and growing work
2. Many people working against him
3. The need for many to be supportive of his efforts
To let loose the Prevailing Power of God we must prove to be faithful to His purpose
Rick Warren talks about being Purpose driven
It takes people that will be faithful to God in their calling. Our text has examples of men, women, and churches that were faithful to the purpose.
Timothy, Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus, the churches of Asia, and the list goes on through the centuries right up to this moment in time. Right here. Right now.
God has put us together in this place at this time to do his work…
Think about what it has taken to pull this all together. What has it taken to get you here, today, at this time… There is a purpose. It is not an accident of fate…
My own travels have led me from my days in school at Kalkaska and Escanaba through my years of college at Great Lakes Christian College in Lansing to my first ministry in St Joseph, MI. God has led me to start a church in Marquette, through some difficult years of marriage restoration and growing up. He has led me to start a church among the Buckeye Pagans in Beavercreek, Ohio where we raised our family and struggled with the illnesses and handicaps of our youngest daughter. God led us to leave a good and prosperous church to come here to this place with you.
How did you get here? What steps were taken? What was the path that led you here? None of this was an accident of fate but the gentle encouragement of a loving God.
Our purpose… is His purpose
Notice that Paul was staying in Ephesus because God was opening a door of ministry. He didn’t stay because he wanted to. He stayed because God said so.
I left a good opportunity in Beavercreek and came to another good opportunity here for the same reasons… God has called us to his work
This is not always easy. There are those who oppose – Alaiedon Twp has made it tougher… God is bigger and stronger… He will make what men mean for limitations to be the breaking of the dam and releasing of prevailing power.
We need you to remain faithful to the work God has called us to – together.
Slide 5
The 2nd Barrier: Faithfulness
1 Corinthians 16:13-14
13 Be alert. Continue strong in the faith. Have courage, and be strong. 14 Do everything in love.
Let me help you with this today
Slide 6 – build three points
1. Come to Church every week you possibly can
2. Minister to others at every opportunity you have
3. Never; never; never; never give up, let up, or quit. Just keep on keeping on.
Slide 7
The 3rd Barrier: Fruitfulness
1 Corinthians 16:17-18
17 I am happy that Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus have come. You are not here, but they have filled your place. 18 They have refreshed my spirit and yours. You should recognize the value of people like these.
God not only asks us to be faithful but also to bear fruit
Fruitfulness requires effectiveness in our efforts.
Every person bears fruit. Unfortunately many believers in Jesus Christ are busy bearing bad fruit. The main component of missions is the fruit our lives bear. People are drawn to Jesus Christ or pushed away from Jesus Christ depending upon our lives.
We have some real advantages!
A place to experience the love of God
A home where there is a sense of community and belonging
A purpose that defines and gives personal significance
See, missions isn’t just overseas. In fact we are sitting right in the middle of a mission field and guess who the missionaries are? Us!
Let me help you with today
Slide 8 – build two points
1. Invest in the people around you
Take the time to care about the people who live in your world. They don’t care about what you know until they know you care.
Start now in preparation for the Open House by investing in the people around you – not because you want a “notch” in your belt – because they are your people you care about!
2. Invite them
There is a spiritual revival going on in our country – right now… The problem is that people are looking in all the wrong places. Invite them to a Celebration Service… The very fact that we meet in an auditorium at the Chippewa Middle School is a PLUS to many people. Invite them to our Open House in November.
Slide 9
We are a people who have found our way to God’s Family who are helping others find their way home
Let us rip away that which chokes off the prevailing power of the Church
Finances
Tither – October 26th – Tithe Sunday – Give a tithe – keep it up
Offering Giver
Faithfulness
Christians, we are called to serve faithfully right here.
Fruitfulness
Christians, what kind of fruit is your life bearing?
Communion Service Today up front
Prayer People
Decision Time
