Service - Mark 10:45; 2Cor 4:5

Service the Kingdom way

We are not "driven"

His yoke is easy - Mat 11:30

God helps us to will and act according to his purpose - Phil 2:12-16

Charismatic Service

Based on gifting and calling

God is telling his people to be about his business

by knowing and operating in their purpose

God's will is revealed

in discrete revelations

in our purpose (standing orders)

MASH units don't have to be ordered to treat wounded soldiers

Find your purpose

Set aside pleasurable distractions that obscure God's will for your life

Deny yourself - Luke 9:23-25

Look pleasure (i.e. a "good time") in the face and say "no thankyou - maybe later")

If God is willing to restrict sexuality, he's willing to restrict anything

Warnings re living for pleasure - Prov 21:17; 1Tim 5:6; 2Tim:3:4

Get feedback from others

Look for opportunities - starting with your own church

Put your gifts to work

Watch your attitude (Parables of Mina and Talents - Luke 19; Mat 25)

wicked lazy servant had bad view of God

Take the risk now

I'm going to take advantage of existing opportunities now

I'm not going to wait for something better to come along

How do you serve?

Carnal

Use your gifts to satisfy yourself

Focus on me - my goals, my wants, my pain, my failures, my safety, my security

Spiritual

Use your gifts to satisfy God and others

Sacrificially

Look out for the interests of others - Phil 2:3-4

It's not about your rights! - 1Cor 8:1 - 11:1

"Woe unto me if I don't preach the gospel" - 1Cor 9:15-18

Different personalities serve in different ways

Motive Gifts - Rom 12:3-8

Prophesying

Serving

Teaching - Apollos (Acts 18:23-28)

Encouraging - Barnabas (Acts 4:32-37; Acts 9:22-28; Acts 11:19-26)

Contributing

Rich people need to give - 1Tim 6:17-18

God directs resources to them for redistribution

Leadership - servant leadership (Luke 22:24-28)

Showing Mercy

God reveals himself as we serve

God reveals himself to those who diligently seek him - Heb 11:6

God is revealed in our limitations - 2Cor 4:5-11

Jesus is with those in need - Mat 25:31-46

Servants - those with a motive gift of serving (Rom 12:7)

Naturally find ways to help

Easily see what needs to be done

Others need to be intentional about serving

Make up your mind to be useful

Pray for God to make you useful

Set aside time to serve

Consider this to be consecrated time - for Kingdom use only

Don't get distracted by you own desires

Don't be afraid to work hard - Acts 20:32-35

Make yourself consistently available

Pick someone who is already serving

Watch what they do

Ask them if they need help

Hurricane Katrina

Unless you repent, you too will perish - Luke 13:1-5

Does disaster come to a city and the Lord has not caused it? - Amos 3:1-8

God's Wrath - Rev 9:12-21; Rev 16:1-11

The time of God's favor - 2Cor 6:2

Disasters are intended to get our intention

Prophetically predicted disasters

Noah's flood

Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah

Egyptian famine

Assyrian captivity of northern kingdom

Babylonian captivity of southern kingdom

Destruction of Jerusalem

Unpredicted disasters

Capture of Lot

Abram's famine

Harvest starts at home

Lead a life group first - then extend your ministry

Establish the pattern/discipline of covenant first

The apostles spent time with Jesus and each other before going out

Harvest workers leave a legacy

Our works will bring a reward - Mat 25; 1Cor 3:10-15

God honors those who take care of his sheep - Luke 12:39-48

Touch someone else's life - Prov 24:11-12; 1John 3:14

It is more blessed to give than to receive - Acts 20:32-35

Share MIT BCF experiences to illustrate power of small groups

You Can't Take It With You

We all must face God's judgement

New heavens and new earth - 2Pet 3:3-14

Parable of the ten virgins - Mat 25:1-13

CEDA B2B Conf.

We can't take our business to heaven - 2Pet 3:3-14;

We can take some other things:

our skills

our character

the people we win to the Kingdom of God

Our business can provide some things

Jobs

Needed goods and services

Godly influence on our society

A vehicle for evangelism

Commerce is a vehicle that God uses to spread the gospel

Ethiopia was first evangelized my merchants

Paul evangelized key commercial cities

Christian business need to plan for this

The Church needs to plan for this

Expand the Kingdom of God by any means necessary

Go on to maturity - Heb 5:11 - 6:3

What are you doing to support the expansion of the Kingdom?

Put God's house before your house - Hag 1:1-15

Tithe

Serve

Hang out with Jesus - John 1:35-46

Hang out devotionally

Hang out while serving

Be faithful

Pray - prayer partnerships

Jesus prepared for his trial by praying - Mat 26:36-46

Harvest Habits

Pentecost - the first great harvest - Acts 2:1-47

Come together before the harvest - Acts 2:1

Wait for God to move - Acts 2:2-4

Some will apreciate what God is doing - Acts 2:5-12

Some will criticize it - Acts 2:13

When God moves - raise your voice

Be gentle with the critics - Acts 2:14-15

Explain God's move in the light of scripture - Acts 2:16-21

Life up the name of Jesus - Acts 2:22-24

His life as an historical figure - Acts 2:22

His death - Acts 2:23

His resurrection - Acts 2:24

Use corroboration from their own culture

Use the Old Testament for Jews - Acts 2:25-31

Use relevant cultural elements for Gentiles - Acts 17:22-31

Be a witness - testify to what you have experienced - Acts 2:32-33

Make the implications clear - Acts 2:34-36

Let God have his way - Acts 2:37-47

Show the people how to respond to God - Acts 2:38-40

Gather the harvest - Acts 2:41

Lay a foundation - Acts 2:42

Walk in resurrection power - Acts 2:43; Eph 1:18-23

Walk in covenant fellowship - Acts 2:44-46

Let your unity draw others - Acts 2:47

Putting God First

Introduction

Highlights of Jubilee Covenant Convention

We're on our way to exponential growth.

New people will have different levels and types of church experience

No church

Abusive church environments

Cynics (e.g. observers of Massachusetts politics)

Nothing is on the level

Everything is a deal

No deal is too small

We must teach them about Kingdom life.

God's ways are different from ours - Isa 55:6-11

Life Church must be known as a church where God comes first!

God must come first - Ex 20:1-5

We must reject wrong images of God as:

a passive deity who accepts whatever crumbs of affection we offer

a being who conforms his agenda to our wishes

Love The Lords with everything (heart, soul, strength) - Deut 6:4-5

God must be first; He must receive our best: Ex 23:19; Ex 34:26

Seek the Kingdom first - Mat 6:33

Don't be deceived

What's first in your life?

children, African-Americans, diversity, the poor

Thinking nice thoughts about my wife is not the same as prioritizing her.

Going to an action movie doesn't make me an action hero.

Some things in our lives make us feel spiritual whether we are or not

Worship music

Christian hip-hop

Putting God first requires a conscious plan.

Places to put God first:

Heart - Deut 6:4-5

Giving

Honor the Lord with your wealth

We honor by giving first & best - Ex 23:19; Ex 34:26; Prov 3:9-10

We mock by witholding - Gal 6:6-10

Soldiers mocked Jesus

Juries mock frivolous suits with miniscule awards

God blesses us by giving us opportunities to give to him

The widow and the two coins - Mark 12:41-44

Elijah: "make me a cake first" - 1Kings 17:8-17

Noone who has left houses - Mark 10:17-31

Resources are looking for you, but they can't find you in the dark

Delight yourself in the Lord . . . righteousness shine - Psalm 37:4-6

Your Light - Isa 58:1-14

Misc

Teach the Word in a manner that produces faith for applying it.

Believe God for a healthy lifestyle as a stepping-stone to receiving healing.

Don't spend your life in an endless pursuit of what feels good (i.e. pleasure)

Putting God First Continued

Places to put God first:

Speech

Brag about the Lord - 1Cor 1:31 - 2:5; 2Cor 12:9

Don't be ashamed of the Lord - Mark 8:38

Serving

Is it time for you to live in paneled houses? - Hag 1:4

Honor (worship)

Schedule

Personal devotions, Sunday service, life group, etc.

Lifestyle

You are God's temple - 1Cor 6:12-20

God lives in you

God wants to live in your lifestyle

Putting God first has a tangible manifestation

Faith without works is dead - James 2:14-26

Abraham got up early to obey God by

sending Ishmael away - Gen 21:9-14

sacrificing Isaac - Gen 22:1-3

God must be first if we want victory - Achan's sin - Josh 7:1-11

Putting God first yields benefits

Faithful with few things --> ruler over many - Mat 25:14-30

Onan's selfishness - Gen 38:1-10

On To Harvest

Topsfield Fair - celebrating harvest

Carry out your ministry - Eph 4:11-16

If you're too busy to share the gospel - you're too busy!

Parable of the two sons - Mat 21:28-32

Parable of the tenants in the vineyard - Mat 21:33-46

Many are invited but few are chosen - Mat 22:1-14; Luke 14:16-27

You can't get new results doing the same old thing

Relational Evangelism

Your "oikos"

Meaning: household, sphere of influence - Acts 16:25-34

The people you spend meaningful time with

Who are the unbelievers in your oikos?

If you don't have any - do something about it

Pray

Look for opportunities to develop relationships with unbelievers

Type A unbelievers

Type B unbelievers

Pray for your Oikos

with your prayer partner

with your life group

Work with your team (i.e. your life group)

Make your life group a welcoming place

Plan activities at which unbelievers will feel welcome

Represent God's Kingdom

Be a friend

Listen

Pray for them and expect results - Acts 28:7-9

Speak words of healing and expect results - Acts 3:1 - 4:4

Be prepared to share your testimony - Acts 1:8

Say something! Angels won't do it for you! - Acts 10:1-6