Great morning in church. Paul Benger continued our mini series on 'God the Builder'. A growth inspiring message!
Ephesians 4:11-16
Whole nutha level...whole measure!
The taller we want to build the deeper we need to dig
The right foundations are crucial for our growth
The church is you and me...God is going to get his will done through us!
There can be restrictions to our growth, God addresses those issues through love. Let's get rid of those restrictions. Paul shows us from Ephesians 4 how we can do this.
We can't do this on our own...we need God in our lives at the centre...so that we can grow.
Be gentle...be at rest, people of grace
Have forgiveness in your life and the spirit of unity
Another restriction can be not recognising the gifts that God has given us. We are limited on our own...we need one another.
It's not about changing your environment but its about changing you! Who you are goes with you!
God builds us by increasing our capacity
Ephesians 4:11-12
God is into increasing our capacity. To have more influence. He has a blue print for your life...he hasn't changed it, he still believes in you! He restores us. Renewed...but back to it's original order. Shalom...nothing missing, nothing broken.
God is working towards his vision for us.
He builds us through the fruit of the Spirit...
Galatians 5:22
He builds us through the gifts of the Spirit...
Romans 12:6-8
He builds us through natural gifts but also supernatural gifts
1 Corinthians 12:7-11
These gifts are for the common good to build up the church
Not for our own individual good, to promote us
These are gifts of Gods grace (charismata)...gifts that rely on the grace of God.
Ephesians 4:11
It all happens in church! Success begins on Sunday.
It's all part of God growing us, equipping us...increasing our capacity. Enabling us to navigate life well.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Sunday, November 14, 2010
God is a Builder
Loved this message from Paul Benger this morning in church. All about the fact that God is a Builder.
Ephesians 4:1-16
How does God build our lives?
God is into growth! Development, advancement etc
The higher we build the deeper God has to put the foundations into our lives
God develops us, test us, stretches us so that we can grow!
God takes us from a place of unbelief to a place of faith and trust
Progress is built inside of us...human nature!
If you're alive, breathing! Then you're going to want to grow!
Myths about our growth...
If we face a challenge it's not a rejection by God...he is building something our lives
Myth 1. Every growth step is met by a miracle...not always, it can start with a miracle but then God builds kingdom principles into our lives...step by step!
Myth 2. All I need Jesus...it's true but it's also not true. There are times when that might be all we've got...but that's not how we are meant to live. We need one another. The church.
Jesus is more than enough
Myth 3. I just need to read my bible. It's a partial truth. We need to put his words into practice.
Myth 4. I need new surroundings. Sometimes... but what we need is a new us! We go where ever we go! Let God change us.
1. God reveals our calling
Ephesians 4:1
2 Timothy 1:8-9
God has called us...we need to appreciate that! Don't lose sight of this! Sin separated us from God but we've been rescued...saved but also called. We are here to rescue the world!
How do I live out this calling? To live this great life that God has given us. Serve where you are...flourish.
2. God nurtures us in a unified body
Ephesians 4:3, 13
God builds in environment of unity. Things cannot be built in a place of disunity.
God has placed us in his church...an environment of unity...of the Spirit
Ephesians 4:2-3 - unity matters (Psalm 133)
God grows us by giving us an environment of unity
3. God builds us by his grace
Ephesians 4:7-8
Favour...an enabling by God.
God’s grace is sufficient for me! (Paul)
God is going to make a champion out of you!
Grace environments will cause you to flourish...even when we fall and fail.
God has given us more than enough!
God is wanting to build us, CLC, so that he can populate us with more and more people!
Ephesians 4:1-16
How does God build our lives?
God is into growth! Development, advancement etc
The higher we build the deeper God has to put the foundations into our lives
God develops us, test us, stretches us so that we can grow!
God takes us from a place of unbelief to a place of faith and trust
Progress is built inside of us...human nature!
If you're alive, breathing! Then you're going to want to grow!
Myths about our growth...
If we face a challenge it's not a rejection by God...he is building something our lives
Myth 1. Every growth step is met by a miracle...not always, it can start with a miracle but then God builds kingdom principles into our lives...step by step!
Myth 2. All I need Jesus...it's true but it's also not true. There are times when that might be all we've got...but that's not how we are meant to live. We need one another. The church.
Jesus is more than enough
Myth 3. I just need to read my bible. It's a partial truth. We need to put his words into practice.
Myth 4. I need new surroundings. Sometimes... but what we need is a new us! We go where ever we go! Let God change us.
1. God reveals our calling
Ephesians 4:1
2 Timothy 1:8-9
God has called us...we need to appreciate that! Don't lose sight of this! Sin separated us from God but we've been rescued...saved but also called. We are here to rescue the world!
How do I live out this calling? To live this great life that God has given us. Serve where you are...flourish.
2. God nurtures us in a unified body
Ephesians 4:3, 13
God builds in environment of unity. Things cannot be built in a place of disunity.
God has placed us in his church...an environment of unity...of the Spirit
Ephesians 4:2-3 - unity matters (Psalm 133)
God grows us by giving us an environment of unity
3. God builds us by his grace
Ephesians 4:7-8
Favour...an enabling by God.
God’s grace is sufficient for me! (Paul)
God is going to make a champion out of you!
Grace environments will cause you to flourish...even when we fall and fail.
God has given us more than enough!
God is wanting to build us, CLC, so that he can populate us with more and more people!
Monday, November 08, 2010
Involved!
Great day in church yesterday. Mark Wilkins spoke in both services about us all getting ‘Involved’ in the building of the church.
We all play a part in this great work of the church and in particular here at CLC.
Don't just go to church...be church
Matthew 22:27-40
God loves people and has a plan for their lives...even those that rub you up the wrong way!
We serve God and we serve people.
James 2
True faith means we love people as well as God...good works naturally flow It becomes who we are Don't have a consumer mentality with regards to church...be the church!
Matthew 16:17-18
Acts 1:7-8
Our mission is to build the church. Plan A...there is no plan B!
The local church is the hope for the world People doing great things for God together is the church...not just buildings.
1 Corinthians 12:7
Romans 12:4-8
There is a role for each one of us in the church and we are all different! But every part working together is vital to a healthy body.
Acts 2:42-47
The early church was a group of people being church.
Church is at its best when helping others lifting their lives
Church is at its best when people stop attending church and start being church
Future-Engage-Deliver
What it takes to be a great volunteer...
Future...those whose future is aligned to building the church. We have a vision of what we believe the church should look like.
Engage...we can agree with the vision...but to be a great volunteer we need to engage with vision, get involved! Carry the vision...not just look at it and nod our heads.
Deliver...we set our goals alongside the vision, the future of the church. Commitment to seeing it through! A great volunteer desires to deliver.
We all play a part in this great work of the church and in particular here at CLC.
Don't just go to church...be church
Matthew 22:27-40
God loves people and has a plan for their lives...even those that rub you up the wrong way!
We serve God and we serve people.
James 2
True faith means we love people as well as God...good works naturally flow It becomes who we are Don't have a consumer mentality with regards to church...be the church!
Matthew 16:17-18
Acts 1:7-8
Our mission is to build the church. Plan A...there is no plan B!
The local church is the hope for the world People doing great things for God together is the church...not just buildings.
1 Corinthians 12:7
Romans 12:4-8
There is a role for each one of us in the church and we are all different! But every part working together is vital to a healthy body.
Acts 2:42-47
The early church was a group of people being church.
Church is at its best when helping others lifting their lives
Church is at its best when people stop attending church and start being church
Future-Engage-Deliver
What it takes to be a great volunteer...
Future...those whose future is aligned to building the church. We have a vision of what we believe the church should look like.
Engage...we can agree with the vision...but to be a great volunteer we need to engage with vision, get involved! Carry the vision...not just look at it and nod our heads.
Deliver...we set our goals alongside the vision, the future of the church. Commitment to seeing it through! A great volunteer desires to deliver.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
