Strengthened for the Mission (August 7, 2022)
Sermon Outline for Sunday, August 7, 2022
Pastor Andy Lambert
PASSAGES: Nehemiah 2:18; Ezra 4:4; Hebrews 10:25; 1 Corinthians 12:13–18; Psalm 122:1; Mark 2:1–2; Colossians 1:9–11
Nehemiah 2:18 “18 And I told them of the hand of my God that had been upon me for good, and also of the words that the king had spoken to me. And they said, “Let us rise up and build.” So they strengthened their hands for the good work.”
Ezra 4:4 “4 Then the people of the land discouraged the people of Judah and made them afraid to build”
The devil will stop at NOTHING to stop the MISSION of the church. We have over the past few months looked at the following:
• A Spirit-Empowered Church
• Anchors of Pentecost
• Who’s in Your Circle
• The Favor of God for His Church
• The Fire of the Church
• Are You Throwing Stones or Building an Altar?
• The Faith of the Church
• To Tithe or Not to Tithe
• Important Mission
• Now – Our Mission
In the past seven years, foundations have been laid in all of our lives. Things have moved forward in so many of our lives and then – Life happens. Every time we move forward, the devil like to stop us and keep us from moving forward, he pushes us backwards. We have to put a stop to that. The enemy seeks to weaken the Hand of the people who work for the Kingdom of God … those people are the church! Your hands can be weakened so that it will hinder you in the Word of God. How can he do this?
• By your Carnality – Following the Flesh
• By your Criticism – Finding Fault
• By your Coldness – Failure to Fellowship
• By your Complacency – Forgiven & Fruitless
We must watch and pray and work to keep the church fires burning, else the MISSION will be stopped. How do we strengthen ourselves to do the work of the CHURCH ON MISSION?
• By Attending Church and Being the Church
Hebrews 10:25 “not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”
• We must never neglect worshipping together. We make sure the things we WANT happen. (i.e. Ballgame, Trips, Visit to favorite restaurant).
• We assemble together …
• for worship
• for prayer
• for study of God’s Word
• for ministry and witnessing
• By Accepting Responsibility in Your Church
1 Corinthians 12:13-18 “For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit. For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose.”
• We all have a place to fill in the Body of Christ.
• We all have a part in the Mission of the Church
• We all have work to do.
• Some feel like they are less gifted and therefore unimportant to the body of the Church; they have a sense of being …
• less gifted
• less able
• less capable
• less worthy
• insignificant
• unimportant
• inadequate
• ungifted
• Every person who truly belongs to the body of the Church, the body of Christ, is significant and important to God and has a gift and function in the Church.
• Every member is necessary.
• Every member has an essential function
• Every member is in the body / church as God wills
• Every member is distinct, but together, there is only one body
• We all have a place and a work to fulfill in the Mission of the Church. Whatever your part is, do it. Little things first, then Big things for the Lord.
• By Appreciating Your Church
Psalm 122:1 “I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord!””
• We need to thank God for the privilege to be able to go to church.
• We need to thank God for the privilege to be able to be around people who will partner with us in prayer and who will rejoice in our times of victory.
• We need to thank God to be able to have Bible teaching and preaching.
• By Advertising Your Church
Mark 2:1-2 “And when he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. And many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door. And he was preaching the word to them.”
• Tell others about the Church.
• Tell others about what God is doing in the Church.
• Tell others about Sunday School, Morning Worship, Wednesday Bible Study, Prayer Meetings, times of Fellowship.
• Like the verses in Mark, when people hear about Jesus, they fill the house.
• By Agonizing for Your Church
Colossians 1:9-11 “And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy;”
• When a church family is truly the Body of Christ, the devil will fight against that body.
• What do we do? We cease not to mention the body of the church in Prayer.
• What are we Praying for?
• Spiritual Wisdom and Understanding
• Ability to Walk Worthy of Christ (not enough to know God’s will or possess wisdom and understanding)
• The Power of God to Work in our lives to give:
• patience
• endurance
• fortitude
• steadfastness
• constancy
• perseverance
• longsuffering
• joyfulness through trials and tribulations of life
To be Strengthened for the Mission we must:
• Attend Church and Be the Church
• Accept Responsibility in and for our Church
• Appreciate our Church
• Advertise our Church
• Agonize for our Church
Pastor Andy Lambert ~ pastorandy@cvcog.church
Call/Text: 205.642.8744 ext 101