Project 7

Video... Welcome to our Church

Slide #1

Welcome...

Prayer

While sitting and praying in my office this past week about a man the world only knows as Jesus.

My mind began to wonder who the non-church goer really thinks that Jesus is...or why He even came and lived on earth.

For those of us here today that are believers...we are familiar with Jesus and the Easter Holiday...we know the reason why He came and lived on earth.

We know all about the sacrifice He made...the lives He changed...the difference He makes in the believers life.

But what about the unbelievers???

-most of them feel like it’s too late for Jesus

-most of them feel like their lives are unforgivable

-To them Jesus is nothing more than a fictional character in another book

Understanding who Jesus was...and the reason why He came is a life changing event that every person needs to understand and experience...

And once Jesus enters our lives...

Our thoughts immediately change from who is Jesus too...

Slide # 2 What are you willing to do for Jesus?

One of the first things a believer must realize is...

Slide #3 Following Jesus in not always about out Plans

God may be asking some of you here today to step up to a challenge...that He has laid on your heart.

And how you respond to that challenge...is important...

I can’t help but think about how the city of Nineveh would have ended up if Jonah would not have been willing to step up when God challenged him?

Slide #4 Jonah...

Jonah Chapter 1:1-2...

“The LORD said to Jonah son of Amittai, 2 “Go immediately to Nineveh, that large capital city, and announce judgment against its people because their wickedness has come to my attention.”

Know we all know that as soon as God asked Jonah to go to Nineveh...without hesitation...he immediately jumped up and went...right?

No...Jonah did completely the opposite...

At the port of Joppa...He bought the first ticket on any ship that was heading as far away from Nineveh as possible.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again...serving God is not an easy thing to do.

And I truly believe that when most new believers are asked by God to step up to a challenge... they do it with good intentions.

But like Jonah...before they become totally committed...they must each go thru a time where there desires and thoughts go from self-motivation...to Godly motivations.

For Jonah this meant ...3 days and night in the belly of a whale. (God has a unique way of getting our attention doesn’t He?)

I don’t think that very many of us will ever have to get to a point that God would force us to be swallowed by a whale.

But I do believe that there are times that God is asking more of us and we “kinda put Him on the back burner” (He has the power to turn up the heat)

The only way that God is able to minister thru us...is by us being submissive to whatever it is He asks us to do!!!!!

Let’s be Honest...Being Submissive is not an easy thing to do...

Matter of fact...I’m sure there are even some of you here today that are saying...that’s easy for you to be Submissive Pastor Bret...that’s your job!

But I would disagree with you... being a Pastor is not a job...It’s a Ministry that I love to do. (Being a servant in the body is not a job either...it’s a ministry)

What most people fail to realize about knowing who Jesus is...is He wants every one of us to surrender to His plan...but most people Will Not.

The world struggles with giving up the pleasures of this life...

I can remember before Christ entered Shiela And My life...everything that we did...was for personal gain.

-We owned a home...

-We had the brand new Bass Boat

-We ordered the brand new Ford Explorer

-We had the man cave...pool/darts

-I drove my dream truck

-We contributed to a retirement funds

-I had big plans of taking Shiela to Hawaii on our 25th anniversary (God still has ---days and ---years)

But when Christ entered my/our lives...we began to see the big picture.

We understood that...

-we do own a home in Heaven

-the bass boat/explorer isn’t needed in Heaven/ color clash...

-Our treasures should be heavenly focused –not on the 401k or the Roth IRA.

-As nice as Hawaii is Heavens better.

God’s desire is that every person...lives their life with the mindset that...

Following Jesus’ plans for our life...is more important than what we feel is...

The next important thing that every new believer needs to understand is...

Slide #5 Following Jesus Must Involve Community

We read story after story of where Jesus’ ministry always was structured around people.