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

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

You have to personally do something different

Your life group has to do something different

Life Church has to do something different

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

Increase your "intake" to increase your "yield"

Spam email, telemarketers

Singles looking for a spouse

Type A unbelievers - open to church (i.e. "church friendly")

Type B unbelievers - closed to church, but open to you

Look for key people

"worthy person" - Mat 10:5-16

"man of peace" - Luke 10:1-12

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

Andrew tells Simon about Jesus - John 1:40-41 ("type A" example)

Paul and his team in Philippi speaking to the women - Acts 16:12-15

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

"Out Of The Saltshaker" by Rebecca Manley Pippert

Mary - pp18-23

Born Again In Barcelona - pp148-151

Our Vision - Tree Of Life / Resurrection Life

Jesus of Nazareth is the Christ, the Anointed One, the Son of the Living God - Mat 16:15-18

Life Church is a growing community of Christians who are organized into small groups.

Life groups are to the celebration as rooms are to a house

You can't be in my house without being in a room

We are called to be like the tree of life

Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. - Rev 22:1-2

We are fruitful - producing souls for Jesus

We heal our communities by offering them genuine community

Our Mission

Develop Mature Believers
Our members become mature in loving God, in loving one another, and in self-control. They in turn reproduce that maturity in others -- purposely making disciples. This happens through worship services, small groups, disciplined prayer, discipleship, and systematic teaching.

Develop Effective Leaders
We develop leaders to direct other believers in ministry activities and we develop leaders to provide pastoral care at every level -- small groups and large congregations. We develop apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers to fulfill the mission of Eph 4:10-16. We do this through life groups, prayer, discipleship, and systematic training.

Extend God's Kingdom Wherever We Go
We expand God's Kingdom by developing relationships with people. We allow the Holy Spirit to draw them to Jesus through us. Our life groups are a net for gathering the people who interact with us. We use businesses, entertainment, community activities, and educational programs to reach those who don't yet follow Jesus

Our Objectives

Our Core Values

God's Word – We study God’s Word (the Holy Bible) and put it into practice

Prayer – We practice daily intimate fellowship with God through prayer

Worship – We practice staying in God’s presence through worship

Fellowship – We make fellowship a habit by meeting together regularly

Discipleship – We are faithful in discipleship

Agreement – We walk in agreement with our pastoral leadership and with one another

Serving – We are faithful in serving God, one another and the lost

We gather together on Sundays for worship and instruction

We meet together weekly in small groups (life groups) for fellowship and support and evangelism

Basic Christian Community - Acts 2:41-47; Acts 4:31-37

Devoted themselves to:

apostolic teaching

fellowship

breaking of bread

prayer

awe, wonders, and miraculous signs

all together, everything in common,

selling possessions and goods, giving to meet needs

met every day in the temple courts

broke bread in their homes, ate together gladly and sincerely

praising God

favor of the people

daily growth

We take time to love and to get to know God and each other.

We take time to fulfill God's mission for our lives.

We live rich and balanced lives together.

We win people in our lives and in our communities to Christ and help them

establish godly habits

transform godly habits into skills

develop godly habits and skills into ministries

We take time to love and to get to know God and each other.

Life group leaders need to make sure their members know how to contact each other.

Take personal responsibility for the ministry and for your life group

Pray alone and with your prayer partners

Love one another - 1Cor 13; 1Pet 1:22; 1John 4:7 - 5:5

How can you love your brother/sister and not call him/her on the phone?

How can you love your brother/sister and hot visit him/her?

What you don't do for "the least of these" you don't do for Jesus! - Mat 25:31-46

Has your love run cold? - Luke 24:12

Your brothers and sisters are wrapped presents under the Christmas tree

They are gifts from God

Open them up!

Creation Awaits

The Law is not enough - Rom 7

No condemnation to those in Christ - Rom 8:1-16

Live according to the Spirit

Transformed by renewing your mind - Rom 12:1-2

Rom 8:17-39 - Creation Awaits

We are God's children

We are heirs - if we share in Christ's sufferings

Creation waits for the sons of God to be revealed

We are to be liberators

Bind the strong man - Mat 12:22-32; Luke 11:14-26

Finger of God - Ex 7-8; 8:19

Creation groans

We groan waiting for the redemption of our bodies

Resurrection

The power of an indestructible life - Heb 7:16

Eph 1:15-23

Note - Paul's observation of their faith in Christ and their love for all the saints motivated his prayer for them.

Enlightenment is for believers who love the saints - Eph 1:15

Treasure in jars of clay - 2Cor 4:7-12

Some of you are just trying to live a good life - you need to die and be resurrected to live God's life. - John 12:24-25

The Holy Spirit helps us

All things work together for good - Rom 8:28

Are you called according to his purpose?

Know your purpose

If God is for us who can be against us?

Nothing can separate us from God's love

You Have Everything You Need - 2Pet 1:3-4

Membership

Qualifications

Commitment to Jesus Christ

Commitment to Life Church

Commitment to Jesus Christ

Christian - Acts 11:26; Acts 26:28; 1Pet 4:16

Follower of Christ

What does the world mean by follower?

Are there any "followers" today?

How do little children follow?

Saved (sqzw)- Rom 10:9-10

Meaning

Healing - Mat 9:22; Luke 7:50; Luke 8:48

Physical Rescue - Mat 14:30; Acts 17:20

Spiritual Rescue - Luke 19:20; John 3:17; John 5:34; John 10:9; John 12:47; Acts 4:12; Acts 11:14

References

He who stands firm to the end - Mat 10:22; Mat 24:13

Whoever believes and is baptized - Mark 16:16

Those who believe - Luke 8:12; Acts 16:31

Those who call on the name of the Lord - Acts 2:21; Rom 10:13

What are we saved from?

Sickness

This corrupt generation - Acts 2:4

God's wrath - Rom 5:9-10

Past, Present, and Future

We have been saved - Eph 2:8-9; Tit 3:4-5

from the power of sin - Rom 6:15-18

We are being saved - 1Cor 1:18; 2Cor 2:15

from the practice of sin - Rom 8:5-6

We will be saved - 1Cor 3:15; Phil 1:28

from the presence of sin

from God's wrath

Born Again - John 1:12-13; John 3:1-8; Tit 3:5; James 1:18; 1Pet 1:23

Meaning

Redeemed (exagorazw, lutrow) - Gal 3:10-14; 1Pet 1:18-19

from the curse of the law - Gal 3:10-14

from all wickedness - Tit 2:14

Past, Present, and Future

We have been redeemed - Gal 3:13

We are being redeemed

We will be redeemed - Rom 8:23; Eph 1:14

Believer - Acts 4:32; Acts 9:41; Acts 10:45; Acts 11:2; Acts 21:25; 1Cor 6:5; 1Cor 7:12-13; 1Cor 14:22; Gal 6:10; 1Thes 1:7; 1Tim 4:12; 1Tim 5:16; 1Tim 6:2; James 2:1; 1Pet 2:17

Believe (pisteuw) - Mark 16:16; John 1:12-13; John 3:14-18; John 5:24; John 6:24-29; John 6:40; John 11:25-26; John 12:44; John 20:31

Not just intellectual assent

"come to me" = "believe in me" - John 6:35 (Heb. par. Psalm 24)

Faith produces results - Heb 11; James 2:14-26

Saint (agios) - Acts 9:13; Acts 9:32; Acts 26:10; Rom 1:7; Rom 8:27; Rom 16:15; 1Cor 6:1-2; 2Cor 1:1; Eph 1:1; Phil 1:1; Phil 4:22

The set apart ones

Christianity is not

a verbal formula

"joining church"

just living a "moral" life

Christianity is

a love relationship with your Father in heaven

following him like a little child - Mat 18:1-4; Mark 10:13-16

being enthusiastic about his agenda

Phinehas - Num 25:1-16

Mark those who grieve and lament - Ezek 9:1-11

Jesus cleanses the temple - Mat 21:11-13; John 2:13-21

Marking th 144,000 - Rev 7:1-17

Redemption - Psalm 107

Get the order right

Exodus / Red Sea; Moral Law; Tabernacle

Redemption; Righteousness; Worship

Repentance - pictures salvation with emphasis on transition

Faith in Christ - pictures salvation with emphasis on commitment

Testimony - faith in Christ expressed verbally - Rev 12:11

Baptism - faith in Christ expressed physically - Mat 28:18-20

Commitment to Life Church

Sunday Celebration

God wants to get the whole family together (e.g. Thanksgiving)

Life Group

Intimate fellowship, accountability, and team ministry

Resurrection

The power of an indestructible life - Heb 7:16

Eph 1:15-23

Note - Paul's observation of their faith in Christ and their love for all the saints motivated his prayer for them.

Enlightenment is for believers who love the saints - Eph 1:15

1 Cor 15:50-58 - flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom.

our original thinking cannot manifest God's Kingdom

Treasure in jars of clay - 2Cor 4:7-12

Joining The Body (Part 1)

Pastor Rocklyn E. Clarke - Sunday November 13, 2005