build - words week 4

In our final installment of our words series we are going to be talking about building the global church. This is so vital, as a disciple of Jesus Christ, I am to build the Kingdom of God.

Matthew 21:33-46 NLT [33] "Now listen to another story. A certain landowner planted a vineyard, built a wall around it, dug a pit for pressing out the grape juice, and built a lookout tower. Then he leased the vineyard to tenant farmers and moved to another country. [34] At the time of the grape harvest, he sent his servants to collect his share of the crop. [35] But the farmers grabbed his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another. [36] So the landowner sent a larger group of his servants to collect for him, but the results were the same. [37] "Finally, the owner sent his son, thinking, 'Surely they will respect my son.' [38] "But when the tenant farmers saw his son coming, they said to one another, 'Here comes the heir to this estate. Come on, let's kill him and get the estate for ourselves!' [39] So they grabbed him, dragged him out of the vineyard, and murdered him. [40] "When the owner of the vineyard returns," Jesus asked, "what do you think he will do to those farmers?" [41] The religious leaders replied, "He will put the wicked men to a horrible death and lease the vineyard to others who will give him his share of the crop after each harvest." [42] Then Jesus asked them, "Didn't you ever read this in the Scriptures? 'The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.This is the LORD's doing, and it is wonderful to see.' [43] I tell you, the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation that will produce the proper fruit. [44] Anyone who stumbles over that stone will be broken to pieces, and it will crush anyone it falls on." [45] When the leading priests and Pharisees heard this parable, they realized he was telling the story against them-they were the wicked farmers."

1.      Build how? The directing power of the Holy Spirit.

1.      Parable of the wicked farmers. Vs. 33-34

1.      These are just ordinary spiritual guides of the people, under whose care and culture the fruit of right living are expected to grow.

2.      We are farmers in the Kingdom of God.

2.      And God the Father went into a far country "for a long time" leaving the vineyard to our care and concern.

3.      And when the time of the fruit drew near, (when the harvest time came) He sent His servants (apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers), to the farmers.

4.      God raises these "servants" up and continues to send them to the people of this earth that they might know and experience Him.  

1.      God has raised you up to build His Kingdom!

5.      Vs. 35-36 These religious, took his servants, and beat them, killed them, and stoned them.

1.      Every time God sent a messenger they beat them, killed them, and stoned them over and over.

6.      We will always fight to build the Kingdom of God.

1.      Do you think for one second that the Devil is going to allow you to walk right in here on his territory and take back what he thinks belongs to him?

2.      Do you think for one second that he is going to allow you run out here and shine your light into all the world and him not fight you every step of the way?

3.      Do you think for one second that God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit are going to allow the devil to keep what is rightfully Theirs?

4.      They will step in and take back what they have paid the ultimate price for, people. 

1.      Bottom line, biblical truth the darkness can never extinguish the light.

2.      Where people sin more and more, God's marvelous, miraculous grace becomes more abundant.

7.      Vs. 37 But last of all He sent unto them His son.

8.      They will reverence My Son--I have one Son, He is deeply loved, He is deeply respected, I will send them My very best, My very faithful, my very committed Son, surely, they will receive My Son.

1.      If they will not reverence Jesus Christ the Son what gives you right to think they will respect and receive you?

1.      The cause of Jesus Christ is not built on the talents of a few but the sacrifices of many.

2.      Build why? The mission of Jesus Christ, His cause.

1.      Peter said Jesus don't die, don't go and sacrifice your life, don't give up everything, surely we can do this another way.

1.      Jesus says get behind me Satan.

2.      If I don't do this there is nothing to build upon.

3.      If you keep me from this you are a thief, a robber, and a liar.

4.      If I refuse this I am refusing My mission, My cause, My very reason for coming to this earth.

5.      If I don't do this there is no hope for mankind.

2.      Although we love Christ and Christ loves us, love was not, nor is the demand, His sacrifice was the demand and our belief in and trust upon Him is the requirement.

1.      Christ's perfect life is the payment for your sinful soul.

2.      Christ came to rescue, He came to meet the needs of people throughout every age, that was His mission.

3.      That is how He has built His eternal Kingdom.

1.      Meeting the needs of others.

Illustrate Here: Have different people in congregation come up to spell out needs.

4.      Vs. 42-44 God will take away the opportunities we have and put them into the hands of fruitful people if we choose not build His eternal Kingdom.

3.      Vs. 45 They perceived.

1.      They became aware that He is talking about us, me, He is talking about the way we run the kingdom, the kingdom of self.

1.      The Kingdom of God is never about self, it is never about flesh, it is only about Christ.

2.      Many times people get frustrated when their kingdoms don't work out.

1.      We can be a part of it, we can move it forward, we can build it, we can accelerate His Kingdom.

3.      Build the Kingdom of God where? Every where we go and in every thing we do. 

1.      We are going to meet the needs of the people that's what Jesus did, He built the kingdom of God through hard work, discipline, sacrifice, healing, new life, and forgiveness.

1.      He challenged them, encouraged them, taught them, and invested in them.

build-to erect or construct; to edify or encourage; to increase, enlarge.

2.      Building the Kingdom of God looks like love joy, peace, gentleness, long-suffering, training, empowerment, unity, mission, cause, and purpose.

1.      Looks like belief, truth, power for service, power for testimony, living out the Christ life in a life altering, life inspiring, life changing way.

3.      Heaven is held together by love.

1.      As a matter of fact, perfect love.

2.      Heaven is held together by giving.

3.      Heaven releases mercy, continuously.

1.      Hell releases hate, fear, condemnation, and strife, continuously.

2.      Hell releases law, releases judgment.

3.      Hell is held together by hate, it's held together by division, it's held together by anger, resentment, and gossip.

4.      The kingdom of darkness is about death, destruction, and abandonment.

1.      What does hell look like?

1.      Disunity.

2.      Contention.

3.      Pride.

4.      Distraction.

5.      Unbelief.

6.      Full of sin.

7.      Hell is born of self.

8.      Hell holds on to.

4.      Heaven gives and gives out of abundance gives out of love, gives out of compassion.

1.      Many times words are what we build with and our words can dissect, divide, destroy and distract.

2.      Or they can restore, resurrect, revive, and resolve.

4.      To build means to meet the needs of the people.

1.      That's God's mission and design for the church! 

1.      Collectively and personally.

2.      Reach the lost, disciple the found.

1.      I think we often forget that we are ALL sinners.

2.      That we ALL fall short of the standards of God.

3.      We ALL need a Savior.

1.      If we never talk about sin, and God's sacrifice in paying for it, how is the world supposed to know Jesus?

1.      This takes humility.

2.      It requires us coming to the end of ourselves.

3.      When we humble ourselves, when we lessen ourselves, Christ increases.

4.      Christ begins to shine through the darkness.

1.      He takes something so dark, so broken, so confused, and so frustrated and turns it into something miraculous, something powerful, something incredible that can be used for His honor.

2.      There will always be someone that thinks you can't succeed. Make sure that some one is never you.

1.      Build His Kingdom by meeting the needs of people.

3.      There was a young man in the bible I want us to look at.

1.      This young man Jabez essentially prays and begins to implement the habits that he needed to create the future he wanted.

1 Chronicles 4:9-10 NLT "[9] There was a man named Jabez who was more honorable than any of his brothers. His mother named him Jabez because his birth had been so painful. [10] He was the one who prayed to the God of Israel, "Oh, that you would bless me and expand my territory(coast)! Please be with me in all that I do, and keep me from all trouble and pain!" And God granted him his request."

2.      The birth of the thing that God is asking you to bear will be painful.

3.      This birth will be grueling, it will be frustrating, it will be the toughest thing you have done to date but it will also be the greatest blessing you have ever encountered!

4.      Jabez a praying man knew the way to be truly great, seek to do God's will, pray with conviction and sincerity.

1.      Lord, bless me and keep me, I am at your command and disposal for ever.

5.      Prayer of Jabez starts with:

1.      Oh that you would bless me;meaning "God, don't pass me over."

1.      Blessing is what God has said, says, and continues to say over you.

1.      If you want to curse yourself go ahead and stay in that I can't do mindset, stay in the I'll never be mindset, stay locked in I'll never be blessed of God mindset.

2.      As for me, and my house, as for those I am imparting into we will serve the purposes of God!

2.      Enlarge my territory.

1.      Enlarge my influence.

2.      Enlarge my responsibility.

3.      Enlarge our care and concern for others.

4.      God, enlarge our hearts, that we might allow You more space within to reside.

5.      Delete some things in your heart to make more room for Him.

3.      That Your hand would be with me.

1.      God's hand with us, God's hand on us, to lead us, protect us, strengthen us, and His hand is all-sufficient for us.

2.      The open hand of God not a closed fist.

3.      I can't handle you being to far away God, please stay close to me. 

4.      Keep me from evil.

1.      Keep me from evil Lord, the evil of sin, the evil of trouble.

2.      Keep me from all the evil designs of my enemies, that they might not hurt, nor make me, a man of sorrow.

1.      Everything that is challenging you right now God is using to strengthen you for what is to come. 

3.      I do not want to cause any pain.

5.      And God granted him his request.

1.      "Attempt something large enough that failure is guaranteed…unless God steps in!"

1.      Greater Success.

2.      Greater Influence.

3.      Greater Power.

4.      Greater Protection.

6.      This prayer reveals that Jabez understands what many people do not, there is only one God and He should be the center of our cause, as He wants to bless every life.

Proverbs 16:3 NLT "Commit your actions to the LORD, and your plans will succeed."

1.      We have all sinned and deserve God's judgment.

1.      God, the Father, sent His only Son to satisfy that judgment for those who believe in Him.

2.      Jesus, the creator and eternal Son of God, who lived a sinless life, loves us so much that He died for our sins, taking the punishment that we deserve, was buried, and rose from the dead according to the Bible.

1.      If you believe and trust this in your heart, receiving Jesus alone as your Savior, declaring, "Jesus is Lord," with your mouth, and your life, you will be saved from judgment and spend eternity with God in heaven.