the table

We've had a powerful series this month and tonight we'll conclude on the thought of "what are you bringing to the table?"

Romans 6:13 "Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God."

1.When Paul uses the term "instrument of evil," he uses a word that can refer to a tool or weapon.

1.Our skills, capabilities, and bodies can serve many purposes, good and bad.

1.In sin, every part of our bodies are vulnerable.

2.In Christ, every part can be an instrument for service.

1.It is the one to whom we offer our service that makes the difference.

3.Will you give yourself completely to God, asking him to put you to good use for his glory?

2.What part of your body have you not completely given to God?

1.Your mind? Choices, attitudes, wandering.

2 Corinthians 10:3-5 (NLT) "We are human, but we don't wage war as humans do. [4] We use God's mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. [5] We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ."

1.Your Spirit? The true inner workings of God in you. Your emotions, character, true you. The you God knows.

1.Omnipresent-God is present everywhere all at the same time.

2.Omniscient-God knows all things.

3.Omnipotent-God's unlimited power, able to do anything.

Hebrews 12:9 (NLT) "Since we respected our earthly fathers who disciplined us, shouldn't we submit even more to the discipline of the Father of our spirits, and live forever?"

1.Your members?

1 Corinthians 9:27 (NLT) "I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified."

1.Discipline your mind, your spirit and your body to do what you want and need it to do for God.

2.Don't disqualify yourself by not hearing and responding to the voice of God.

3.Don't disqualify yourself by knowing what to do then refusing to make yourself do it.

4.Your body and all it's 2000 parts is a terrible thing to waste but such a powerful thing to surrender.

Proverbs 6:16-19 (NLT) "There are six things the Lord hates- no, seven things he detests: [17] haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that kill the innocent, [18] a heart that plots evil, feet that race to do wrong, [19] a false witness who pours out lies, a person who sows discord in a family."

1.Haughty eyes.

1.Arrogantly superior.

2.Lying tongue.

1.Refusal to tell the truth.

3.Hands that kill the innocent.

1. Abortion, murder.

4.A heart that plots evil.

5.Feet that race to do wrong.

6.A false witness who pours out lies.

7.A person who sows discord in a family.

1.These sins are in a provoking manner to God, which are hurtful to the comfort of human life.

1.These things which God hates, we must hate in ourselves; it is nothing to hate them in others.

2.Let us reject all such practices, watch and pray against them;avoid, with marked disapproval, all who are guilty of them, whatever may be their rank.

1.When I think about what I bring to the table, what I personally offer, I want to be loyal to God, loyal to His message, loyal to His mission and not just faithful.

1.There is a huge difference between being loyal and being faithful.

2.Many people faithful to the core but disloyal to the cause.

Loyal-showing firm and constant support or allegiance to a person or institution.

Faithful-constant, reliable.

1.It could be that your current life challenge is just God giving you an opportunity to do something you've never ever done before?

1.To be a voice of God to this generation you must know who and what you are to this generation.

2.God has gifted you, open your mouth to speak for Him, open your heart to serve for Him, open your ears to the injustice in this society, and open yourself to others they desperately need the message.

Romans 12:9-10, NLT "Don't just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other."

1.Most of us have learned how to pretend to love others--how to speak kindly, avoid hurting their feelings, and appear to take an interest in them.

2.We may even be skilled in pretending to feel moved with compassion when we hear of others' needs, or to become indignant when we learn of injustice.

1.But God calls us to real and sincere love that goes far beyond pretense and politeness.

2.Sincere love requires concentration and effort.

3.It means helping others become better people.

4.It demands our time, money, and personal involvement.

1.We are the change the world is waiting for.

2.We've got a love the world is desperate for.

1.Use my calling, use my gift to change the world!

1.Now, right now is my time I am the voice to this generation I abandon all to you God and only to you will I surrender.

2.Carry hope, let love shine and show this world that mercy is alive.

3.Whatever you are bringing to the table is what is being consumed by this generation, by this culture, by society, by your friends, your family.

1.So it's imperative that you bring your very best, your anointed, your reason and calling from God to this table.

4.The world needs your testimony of hope, your testimony of passion, your testimony of salvation, your testimony of rescue, your testimony of His Spirit's power working in you!

Acts 4:32-33 (NLT) "All the believers were united in heart and mind. And they felt that what they owned was not their own, so they shared everything they had. [33] The apostles testified powerfully to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and God's great blessing was upon them all."

1.God's great blessing was upon them all.

1.God's great favor and protection was upon them all.

2.Your love in us has given us the power to change the world.

3.Your love in us is how we change the world.

the table (what attitude are you bringing)

 

 

1.What attitude are you bringing to the table?

 

Luke 18:9-14 (NLT)

Then Jesus told this story to some who had great confidence in their own righteousness and scorned everyone else: [10] "Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector. [11] The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: 'I thank you, God, that I am not a sinner like everyone else. For I don't cheat, I don't sin, and I don't commit adultery. I'm certainly not like that tax collector! [12] I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.' [13] "But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, 'O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.' [14] I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted."

The attitude of the Pharisee.

•    God I belong here.

•                God I thank you that I'm so much better than the rest of the world.

•                God I'm so glad that you chose me, called me, destined me for greatness and you bypassed so many others.

Or the attitude of the despised tax collector.

•    God be merciful to me.

•    Forgive me.

•                I don't always live life right.

•                I'm not perfect.

•                There are times I am so selfish God, change me, shape my thinking, rearrange my life.

 

2. Attitude of gratitude or an attitude of entitlement?

•    People live in a attitude of entitlement rather than gratitude.

•                Entitlement says you owe me, gratitude says you owe me nothing. 

•                Entitlement says what will you give me, gratitude says what can I give?

•                Entitlement says give that to me now, where gratitude says I'm so thankful for what I have now, what I am now, and God what you are doing in me in the now.

 

3. Attitude will determine your altitude in every situation.

•                Attitude will make or break your future, your perspective on life, in life, and all through life.

•    I've seen people give up on life, give up on people, give up on themselves, and worst of all give up on God.

•    God never promised ease, never promised abundance, never promised that hard work would not be a part of our every day, and never promised us simple solutions to our every problem.

 

Acts 2:46-47, NLT "They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord's Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity--all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved."

 

1.They worshipped together.

1.We have to worship in unison, we have to come together in a plan, a strategy that will change ourselves, culture, society, and everyone who would connect themselves.

2.You have to choose to worship God and go all out to Him.

3.Forget bystanders, forget the Devil, forget society, ,forget shallow relationships, forget anyone that would try to keep you from worshipping Him and worship!

4.They prayed for each other and deeply cared about the well being of their community and those entering their community.

2.Shared with joy and generosity.

1.What? 

2.They shared their food with what?

3.Joy and generosity.

3.Continually thanking God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people.

1.goodwill-Friendly, helpful, or cooperative feelings or attitude.

2.Thanking God is an action.

1.You have to speak it, act it out, declare it, and live in it with a sincerity about you.

4.A healthy Christian community attracts people to Christ.

1.Like a moth to a flame.

2.Like kids to candy.

3.Like a magnet to metal.

1.The church's zeal at this time for worship and concerned love was contagious.

2.A healthy, loving church will grow in numbers.

4.What are you doing to make your church your student ministry the kind of place that will attract others to Christ?

1.We each have to ask the question in and of ourselves what am I doing or not doing to grow myself, grow others, and grow the global church by reaching others for the cause of Christ?

1.We can each make excuses, we can each choose to be connected or disconnected, we can each choose what our attitude will reflect but ultimately it's the world that suffers.

2.It's our family that suffers, it's our peers that suffer, heaven suffers, and it will eventually make us suffer.

 

1.In these verses we have the history of the truly primitive church, the first days of it; its state of infancy and the state of its greatest innocence.

2.These Christians kept close to the plans and purposes of God, overflowed in respect, reverence, devotion for God; for Christianity.

1.God continues to remind me that He is able.

2.He continues to remind me that He is able to do the impossible.

1.God spread the good news of Jesus Christ sacrifice to a world without cell phones, Internet, Facebook, twitter, and email.

2.God did it without speakers, flyers, concerts, conference, guest cards, electricity, planes, trains or automobiles.

3.He used His Spirit.

1.Maybe we should rethink our strategy, plans, programming, and structure.

3.These Christians were part of a regenerating grace.

1.God refuses to close heavens mercy, refuses to close heavens grace so that all may come to know Him.

2.God "so loved the world, John 3:16" not God so hated us, not God is so displeased with us, not God can't wait to catch you doing something wrong but God "so loved" us that His Son chose to trade His perfect existence for our imperfect one.

4.Christ's attitude was of overwhelming, confusing difference to culture, society, religion and law than that of any other king since the beginning of time. Exuding character, compassion, forgiveness, humility, servitude and vision.

 

Acts 4:32-33 (NLT) "All the believers were united in heart and mind. And they felt that what they owned was not their own, so they shared everything they had. [33] The apostles testified powerfully to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and God's great blessing was upon them all."

 

1.God's great blessing was upon them all.

1.God's great favor and protection was upon them all.

 

Philippians 2:4 (NLT)

"Don't look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too."

 

This was the life of Jesus.





October Series


 

With us 2 lead us

Exodus 33:12 “Moses said to the LORD, "You have been telling me, 'Lead these people,' but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. You have said, 'I know you by name and you have found favor with me.'  13 If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people." 14 The LORD replied, "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest." 15 Then Moses said to him, "If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here.”

1.  What is the presence of God worth to you?

a.  What are you willing to give up too get it?

b.  I love that in vs. 15 Moses expresses the great value that he had for the presence of God. When God said vs. 14 “My presence will go with you”, he caught with the purpose of, as that which he could not live and/or move without. 

15 Then Moses said to him, "If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here.”

c.   Then speaks here as one that dreaded the thought of going forward without God’s presence, knowing that their marches could not be safe, nor their encampments easy, if God had not been with them.

d.  Knowing they will not get to God’s desired location for them.

Now we skip back to vs. 11 “Inside the Tent of Meeting, the LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend. Afterward Moses would return to the camp, but the young man who assisted him, Joshua son of Nun, would remain behind in the Tent of Meeting.”

e.  Joshua stays behind while the presence of the Lord was there I believe because he was hungry for more of His presence.

                                                           i.      Are you willing to lag behind hoping for one…more…encounter?

                                                        ii.      Are you willing to holdup/delay hoping to hear God’s next step for you.

f.     These men of God modeled for the church how to get things done.

                                                           i.      On your face before God.

                                                        ii.      Following this model is our struggle.

                                                     iii.      We look for programs, conferences, the right speaker, the right theme, the right worship team, when in fact our sole reliance should be on Him.

Illustrate here: God’s presence is always in attendance the only thing that ever changes is our awareness and our conscience ness of it.

2.  I will not take no for an answer.

a.  I can’t.

b.  Observe how intense Moses is in this matter, he begs as one who would take no denial.

c.   Pay the price of getting into the presence of God or more importantly getting it into you.

                                                           i.      I believe our intentions are right but our injections are wrong.

1.  It’s like we worship God out of a fear that we’ll miss His blessings or receive His punishment instead of worshipping Him because He loves us and died for us.

2.  This is not what He envisioned when it comes to relationship with us.

John 3:30 “He must increase, I must decrease.”

d.  There is no steroid for spirituality.

                                                           i.      There is no steroid shot for my relationship with God.

                                                        ii.      There is no steroid shot for the presence, passion, or purpose of God.

                                                     iii.      The real injections come through discipleship, bible reading, worship, attending His house, fasting, and praying.

e.  We have to say God I will not move until I’m guided by you to do so. I refuse.

3.  Set apart.

Exodus 33:16 “If you don’t go with us, how will anyone ever know that your people and I have found favor with you? How else will they know we are special and distinct from all other people on the earth?”

a.  He knew of a distinction.

b.  Some things can only be accomplished in the supernatural.

c.   What sets you apart?

                                                           i.      I believe God’s people still do the impossible.

                                                        ii.      I believe God’s people are still holy, consecrated, live right, and I believe God’s people stand out.

                                                     iii.      There is a distinction that I believe lives in and through men and women of God.

d.  I don’t want to stand and declare to the world that I am different, that I am highly favored, that I am blessed, that I am set apart yet I’m actually on the same level as the rest.

                                                           i.      Moses basically says God you led us here and we’ll be lost if you leave us.

                                                        ii.      He is “with us to lead us” and I don’t want to move forward in my life or ministry without Him. I won’t. I can’t.

Isaiah 42:5 “God, the LORD, created the heavens and stretched them out. He created the earth and everything in it. He gives breath to everyone, life to everyone who walks the earth. And it is he who says, 6"I, the LORD, have called you to demonstrate my righteousness. I will take you by the hand and guard you, and I will give you to my people, Israel, as a symbol of my covenant with them. And you will be a light to guide the nations. 7 You will open the eyes of the blind. You will free the captives from prison, releasing those who sit in dark dungeons.”

4.  You have to position God first place in your life.

a.  In the first steps/days of my Christian experience I had enthusiasm/passion without knowledge but do I now have knowledge with no enthusiasm/passion?

Exodus 34:14 “You must worship no other gods, but only the Lord, for He is a God who is passionate about His relationship with you.”

b.  God told the Israelites not to join in religious rites with the sinful people around them, but to give their absolute loyalty and exclusive devotion to Him.

c.   Pagan worship simply cannot be mixed with the worship of the Holy God.

As Jesus pointed out, “No one can serve two masters…You cannot serve both God and money.” Luke 16:13

d.  Love of money is the god of this age, and many Christians attempt to make a treaty with this enslaving god.

                                                           i.      Making deals with God, “God if you’ll just make me famous, rich, influential, inventive, then I’ll do great things for you.”

1.  Are you trying to worship two gods at once?

2.  Where is your first allegiance?

Illustrate here: Boards (sheets of foam or plywood to represent-sin) that come between us and God show us the practical ways that sin will destroy our relationship with God.

e.  When this happens it creates distance between us and God.

f.     The human race can not continue to create distance we need to know the ways that draw us closer and immediately respond.

g.  I hate to be away from my wife and sons.

                                                           i.      I loathe, hate, and can’t bear being away from them.

                                                        ii.      They are fun, they are encouraging, they are lovable, they are funny, and they are my favorite people in the whole world to be around.

                                                     iii.      Separation from them is punishment.

                                                     iv.      Take away anything, you can have anything but you will not, can not, better not try to take them away from me.

h.  God’s love for you is much, much more passionate and personal than mine could ever dream of being.

i.     God’s love for mankind is much more protective than mine.

j.     God’s love is eternal, and infinite.

k.  Eternal separation from God and His presence is the real punishment of hell.

                                                           i.      When this happens it creates hearing problems between us and God.

                                                        ii.      When you stack up all the sin, all of the disobedience, all of the disrespect, you can’t hear God’s voice clearly.

                                                     iii.      His voice becomes clouded, distant, soft that it makes you feel isolated and cut off from heaven.

                                                     iv.      You say I want to know God’s plan for my life and He’s speaking to you, you just can’t hear and recognize that it’s Him.

l.     He’s trying to get your attention and you are ignoring the Creator of the Universe cause your hearing is stopped up like a dirty toilet.

                                                           i.      No clarity of His guidance, no clarity of His direction, no sign of Him speaking to you at all.

5.  When this happens it creates visual problems between us and God. 

a.  God wants you to see His plan for your life.

b.  God wants you to see His mission for your life.

c.   When we stack up all the barriers between Him and us how in the world can we see where He wants us to go or what He wants us to do.

6.  Finally when we say God be with us so you can lead us it means in every aspect of our lives.

a.  I believe God’s people are led in their job placement, in their relationships, in their school work and activities, in the places they go, the things they watch, listen to or speak, and in the way they live life every day.

God is “with us to lead us.” 

Psalm 91:1 "Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. 2 This I declare about the LORD: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety;he is my God, and I trust him. 3 For he will rescue you from every trap and protect you from deadly disease. 4 He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection. 5 Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night, nor the arrow that flies in the day. 6 Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness, nor the disaster that strikes at midday. 7 Though a thousand fall at your side, though ten thousand are dying around you these evils will not touch you. 8 Just open your eyes, and see how the wicked are punished. 9 If you make the LORD your refuge, if you make the Most High your shelter, 10 no evil will conquer you; no plague will come near your home.”

What is the presence of God worth to you? 

Go ahead join the conversation...