September 17-18, 2005, Selected

DIVINE DESIGN!
DESIGNED TO DEVELOP!

*** Acts 2:42, 44-47 "They joined with the other believers in regular attendance at the apostles' teaching sessions and at the Communion services and prayer meetings. [44] And all the believers met together constantly and shared everything with each other, selling their possessions and dividing with those in need. They worshiped together regularly at the Temple each day, met in small groups in homes for Communion, and shared their meals with great joy and thankfulness, praising God. The whole city was favorable to them, and each day God added to them all who were being saved." [Living Bible]

FIVE PURPOSES OF THE CHURCH!

• CORE - EVANGELISM or MISSION!
• COMMUNITY - FELLOWSHIP or MEMBERSHIP!

*** Matthew 16:18 "...On this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it." [New International Version]

GOD WANTS HIS CHURCH TO BE BIG AND STRONG!
*** Eph. 2:19-22 "Now you are members of God's very own family...and you belong in God's house-hold with every other Christian. What a foundation you stand on now: the apostles and the prophets; and the cornerstone of the building is Jesus Christ himself! We who believe are carefully joined together with Christ as parts of a beautiful, constantly growing temple for God. You also are joined with him and with each other by the Spirit and are part of this dwelling place of God." [Living Bible]

THE STRONGER THE BASE - THE STRONGER THE BUILDING!
GOD'S DIVINE DESIGN FOR DEVELOPING A STRONG CHURCH HINGES ON:

1. DEEPENING - DISCIPLESHIP or MATURITY!
*** 2 Peter 3:18 "But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." [NIV]

ONCE YOU KNOW JESUS, THE MOST IMPORTANT OBJECTIVE IS TO GROW LIKE JESUS!
*** Col. 1:28 "So we continue to preach Christ to each person, using all wisdom to warn and to teach everyone, in order to bring each one into God's presence as a mature person in Christ." [NCV]
*** Eph. 4:11-13 "He is the one who gave these gifts to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God's people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ, until we come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God''s Son that we will be mature and full grown in the Lord, measuring up to the full stature of Christ." [NLT]

WE CAN PROVIDE ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW BUT WE CAN'T MAKE YOU GROW!
*** Luke 8:4-8 "One day Jesus told this story...: "A farmer went out to plant some seed. As he scattered it across his field, some seed fell on a footpath, where it was stepped on, and the birds came and ate it. Other seed fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. This seed began to grow, but soon it withered and died for lack of moisture. Other seed fell among thorns that shot up and choked out the tender blades. Still other seed fell on fertile soil. This seed grew and produced a crop one hundred times as much as had been planted." When he had said this, Jesus called out, "Anyone who is willing to hear should listen and understand!" [New Living Translation]

WHAT KIND OF HEART DO YOU HAVE FOR SPIRITUAL GROWTH?
HARD HEART?
#1 REASON PEOPLE GROW SPIRITUALLY IS BECAUSE THEY WANT TO!
SHALLOW HEART?
MANY ARE THRILLED BUT NOT TRANSFORMED!
OVERCROWDED HEART?
#1 EXCUSE FOR PEOPLE NOT GROWING SPIRITUALLY: TOO BUSY!
RECEPTIVE HEART?
*** 1 Cor. 11:1 "Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ." [NIV]
*** James 1:21 "Don'’t be proud but accept God's teaching that is planted in your heart. This teaching can save your soul." [International Children’s Bible]

GOD'S DEVELOPMENT DESIGN CALLS FOR DISCIPLESHIP or MATURITY!
*** 1 Tim. 4:7 "Take the time and the trouble to keep yourself spiritually fit."
[JB Phillips Translation]

2. DEMONSTRATING - SERVICE or MINISTRY!
*** Acts 2:44-45 "All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need." [NIV]
*** Acts 4:34 "There were no needy persons among them." [NIV]
*** Galatians 5:13 "For you have been called to serve one another in love." [NLT]
*** 1 Cor. 12:4-7 "Now there are different kinds of spiritual gifts.... There are different kinds of service in the church.... There are different ways God works in our lives, but it is the same God who does the work through all of us. A spiritual gift is given to each of us as a means of helping the entire church." [NLT]

GOD'S DIVINE DESIGN FOR THE CHURCH IS TO HELP YOU: DISCOVER - DEVELOP and DEPLOY

YOUR SERVICE or MINISTRY INTO THE CHURCH and COMMUNITY!
*** 1 Peter 4:10 "Each of you has received a gift to use to serve others. Be good servants of God's various gifts of grace." [New Century Version]

WE NEED TO FIND OUT HOW GOD WANTS US TO SERVE; WHEN GOD WANTS US TO SERVE & WHERE GOD WANTS US TO SERVE - THEN SERVE!
***John 13:14-15 "If I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash _________________ feet. I did this as an example so that you should do as I have done for you." [NCV]

WE SERVE GOD BY SERVING OTHERS!
*** Gal. 6:10 "When we have the opportunity to help anyone, we should do it. But we should give special attention to those who are in the family of believers." [NCV]

"Now to Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen."

Ephesians 3:20-21 [New American Standard Version]