Ps 133:1
Behold, how good and how pleasant it is
For brethren to dwell together in unity! NKJV
When did God move in a mighty, explosive manner in the early church? On the Day of Pentecost right? Right! But have you ever thought much about how the Bible describes the members of that first Church on that day? Acts 2:1 syas they were of one accord, in other words, they were Unified! They had come together for one purpose, to pray and God moved!
When God's people come together in unity of purpose, God always moves! At Cool Springs our mission statement is simply; "Guiding people to faith and to devotion to Jesus Christ." That is what we want to be about. Fulfilling the Great Commission of Christ to the best of our ability using the gifts and talents that He has given us. And no is off the hook when it comes to taking the responsibility to fulfilliing our mission. It is our mission that Unites us!
This weekend has given us glimpses of how beautiful the Church can be when the people are unified in the mission. Saturday morning my family and I rolled out of bed at 4:00 a.m. and I do mean rolled out of bed, I only like to see one 4:00 per day and it's not followed by "a.m."! We rolled out of bed and loaded the church van full of sleepy, yet anxious teenagers and drove them to the airport in Nashville. They were following God's call to take a week of their summer vacation to travel to a country they had never been, to minister the Gospel of Jesus to a people they had never met all because they had captured the mission! To say that I am a proud pastor is an understatement.
How could God follow that up? How could He make Sunday as powerful as Saturday? As only He can do, He did! My Executive Pastor got a late night call on Saturday to preach at a community venue at 8:00 a.m. on Sunday. With a heart for the mission, he accepted, preached and 8 people responded to God's invitation.
Tonight, God put the icing on a great weekend of what He can do when His people are united in the mission. A testimony service broke out in our evening worship service. Now, I have to admit to you that I get nervous when a testimony service breaks out unplanned! You just never know what you are going to hear. But Thank God it did break out tonight. For twenty minutes one tear-filled testimony after another broke out from people, many of whom have been a part of our church family for less than a year. They each shared how God had used the people of the Church to minister God's love and grace to them. They shared how they had came to faith in Christ, left a life of addictions, fears and scars and now have a peace that passes understanding. Each of them had finally found a Spiritual Family! I once again sat as a proud pastor.
The psalmist wrote: "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is
For brethren to dwell together in unity!" Ps. 133:1 Dear Lord, may we at Cool Springs, and may all your children wherever they are, always be a united people, united in your mission!
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Monday, July 6, 2009
The Following is the Scripture references and notes from my sermon of Sunday, July 5, 2009. I was not able to cover these points in depth due to time constraints and shared with the congregation that they would be posted on this blog. If you want to listen to the sermon in it's entirity, simply click on "Listen to sermons" in the navigation bar to the right or go to www.coolspringschurch.net Thanks.
Sermon notes………………………………………...
In Acts chapter 13, we find a Church meeting and operating in the Grecian city of Antioch. Notice the wording of verse 2:
“As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said; ‘Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” NKJV
We are in a series of messages concerning the Holy Spirit and what it means to live under the power and influence of the Spirit. The series is titled; “The Anointed Life.”
In this passage, we see that Saul and Barnabas were…
1. Called by the Holy Spirit
2. Empowered by the Holy Spirit
3. Gifted by the Holy Spirit.
Just as these men of God were called, empowered and gifted, all Christ-followers are called, empowered and gifted by the Holy Spirit that we may fulfill the Mission of our Lord Jesus Christ.
What is the Mission of our Lord Jesus? It is the Great Commission our Lord gave to the Church in Matthew 28:19-20. His desire is for us to go into all the world making disciples for Him. Baptizing these new believers and teaching them to be fully devoted followers of Christ!
That is what the Holy Spirit wants us to do. But there is a key found in verse 2. Do you see it? Before the Holy Spirit called, empowered and gifted these men for the work before them, the Scripture says; “…they ministered to the Lord and fasted…”
How do we Minister to the Lord?
A) Through Worship
a. Psalm 29:2: “Give unto the LORD the glory due to His name; Worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness. NKJV
b. Psalm 95:6-7: “Oh come, let us worship and bow down; Let us kneel before the LORD our Maker. For He is our God, And we are the people of His pasture, And the sheep of His hand. NKJV
B) Through our Giving
a. It has been said that you are never more like God than when you are giving. John 3:16; “For God so love the world that He Gave His one and only begotten Son…”
b. Jesus said in Matthew 6; that you cannot serve both God and mammon (money). When you support the work of God through your Tithes and Offerings, you are saying to God that you trust Him and value Him more than you do Money!
C) Through Studying and Receiving the Word of God
Psalm 33:4: “For the word of the LORD is right and true;
he is faithful in all he does. NIV
Psalm 119:11: “I have hidden your word in my heart
that I might not sin against you.” NIV
Psalm 119:16: “I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.” NIV
Psalm 119:28: “My soul is weary with sorrow;
strengthen me according to your word.” NIV
Hebrews 4:12: “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” NIV
2 Timothy 3:16-17: “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” NKJV
D) Through Prayer
a. Jerermiah 29:11-13: “Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 13 And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.” NKJV
b. It was midnight when Paul and Silas began to pray in the Philippian jail and God sent an earthquake and set them free.
c. It was in a House Prayer Meeting that God heard the prayers of the Church for the Apostle Peter and God sent an angel to loose his chains and lead him out of the prison.
d. It was in the Garden that our Lord Jesus prayed so earnestly that his sweat became great drops of blood and the Father sent angels to strengthen His Son so He could go to the cross and take away our sins.
It has been said that; “Prayer is our Greatest Privilege.” No one likes a one sided conversation. In prayer we talk with God, we commune with God and God will commune with us!
E) Through Complete Surrender:
a. Romans 12:1 “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-this is your spiritual act of worship.” NIV
b. God is not looking for ability, He is looking for Availability.
c. When we assemble together as a Church, we assemble many different people, with different likes, different tastes, different needs, different gifts, but we come united in one purpose, to minister to our Lord and one desire; to Hear from Him!
i. Acts 2:1 says the Church was gathered in “one accord” before the Holy Spirit came down on the Church.
ii. Jesus taught us to leave our gift on the altar and be reconciled with our brothers and sisters then come back and offer our worship (gift).
The Holy Spirit has called you and empowered you for His purpose. God will complete His mission and He wants to you in the plan, but He will not use you without complete dedication to the Lord on your part.
Our community, our Nation, our world are in desperate need for the Saints of God to come boldly before the Throne of Grace, yield to God, minister to Him and Listen to what the Holy Spirit has to say to us!
Sermon notes………………………………………...
In Acts chapter 13, we find a Church meeting and operating in the Grecian city of Antioch. Notice the wording of verse 2:
“As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said; ‘Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” NKJV
We are in a series of messages concerning the Holy Spirit and what it means to live under the power and influence of the Spirit. The series is titled; “The Anointed Life.”
In this passage, we see that Saul and Barnabas were…
1. Called by the Holy Spirit
2. Empowered by the Holy Spirit
3. Gifted by the Holy Spirit.
Just as these men of God were called, empowered and gifted, all Christ-followers are called, empowered and gifted by the Holy Spirit that we may fulfill the Mission of our Lord Jesus Christ.
What is the Mission of our Lord Jesus? It is the Great Commission our Lord gave to the Church in Matthew 28:19-20. His desire is for us to go into all the world making disciples for Him. Baptizing these new believers and teaching them to be fully devoted followers of Christ!
That is what the Holy Spirit wants us to do. But there is a key found in verse 2. Do you see it? Before the Holy Spirit called, empowered and gifted these men for the work before them, the Scripture says; “…they ministered to the Lord and fasted…”
How do we Minister to the Lord?
A) Through Worship
a. Psalm 29:2: “Give unto the LORD the glory due to His name; Worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness. NKJV
b. Psalm 95:6-7: “Oh come, let us worship and bow down; Let us kneel before the LORD our Maker. For He is our God, And we are the people of His pasture, And the sheep of His hand. NKJV
B) Through our Giving
a. It has been said that you are never more like God than when you are giving. John 3:16; “For God so love the world that He Gave His one and only begotten Son…”
b. Jesus said in Matthew 6; that you cannot serve both God and mammon (money). When you support the work of God through your Tithes and Offerings, you are saying to God that you trust Him and value Him more than you do Money!
C) Through Studying and Receiving the Word of God
Psalm 33:4: “For the word of the LORD is right and true;
he is faithful in all he does. NIV
Psalm 119:11: “I have hidden your word in my heart
that I might not sin against you.” NIV
Psalm 119:16: “I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.” NIV
Psalm 119:28: “My soul is weary with sorrow;
strengthen me according to your word.” NIV
Hebrews 4:12: “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” NIV
2 Timothy 3:16-17: “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” NKJV
D) Through Prayer
a. Jerermiah 29:11-13: “Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 13 And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.” NKJV
b. It was midnight when Paul and Silas began to pray in the Philippian jail and God sent an earthquake and set them free.
c. It was in a House Prayer Meeting that God heard the prayers of the Church for the Apostle Peter and God sent an angel to loose his chains and lead him out of the prison.
d. It was in the Garden that our Lord Jesus prayed so earnestly that his sweat became great drops of blood and the Father sent angels to strengthen His Son so He could go to the cross and take away our sins.
It has been said that; “Prayer is our Greatest Privilege.” No one likes a one sided conversation. In prayer we talk with God, we commune with God and God will commune with us!
E) Through Complete Surrender:
a. Romans 12:1 “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-this is your spiritual act of worship.” NIV
b. God is not looking for ability, He is looking for Availability.
c. When we assemble together as a Church, we assemble many different people, with different likes, different tastes, different needs, different gifts, but we come united in one purpose, to minister to our Lord and one desire; to Hear from Him!
i. Acts 2:1 says the Church was gathered in “one accord” before the Holy Spirit came down on the Church.
ii. Jesus taught us to leave our gift on the altar and be reconciled with our brothers and sisters then come back and offer our worship (gift).
The Holy Spirit has called you and empowered you for His purpose. God will complete His mission and He wants to you in the plan, but He will not use you without complete dedication to the Lord on your part.
Our community, our Nation, our world are in desperate need for the Saints of God to come boldly before the Throne of Grace, yield to God, minister to Him and Listen to what the Holy Spirit has to say to us!
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