Sermon Central
-
Keeping Our Home Base Strong
Contributed by Ivan Casteel on Jan 5, 2005 (message contributor)
Summary: Biblical instructions for keeping the home, the church, and the nation strong.
PP0347 DATE
KEEPING OUR HOME BASE STRONG!
Ps 11:3 If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do? (KJV)
Everything depends on a foundation. The foundation must be solid and secure.
WTC. World Trade Center. We have heard a great amount of information about the World Trade Center since 911. I saw an interesting documentary on the Trade Center a few months back. It gave all of the information about the original buildings. There was a great amount of effort and planning on the foundation and structure under the ground. The dirt that was removed when preparing for the foundation was placed along the West harbor of Manhattan and increased the total land size by 11 acres. It is said that is some of the most valuable real estate in the whole state of New York.
The point I am making is that the foundation of anything must be strong and solid. Nothing will stand very long if the base is not solid. That’s why all the emphasis on “You’ve Never Been So Loved”. We are strengthening the home base here at BHBC. Isa 54:2 Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations: spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes; (KJV)
Ac 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto
me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. (KJV)
This is one of the most well know mission verses. We know that Matt. 28:19-20 tells us to go into “all the world” preaching the gospel. We see a little different definition of that same commission given in Acts 1:8. In that Scripture we see four parts of the commission. Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the remainder of the world. Three fourths of the commission has to do with “home missions.” By this I would assume that three-fourths of our mission efforts should be home focused. I do know that it is telling us to make and to keep the home base strong and secure in all areas of missions endeavor. If Baptists had followed this principal through the years there would be enough Baptist Churches world wide to send enough missionaries to all foreign lands. We haven’t kept our base structure firm enough. It takes a missionary from 2 to 3 years to raise support to go to any field. That is too long, but it is because there is not enough churches in the home base structure.
In times of war our president, his advisors and the military leaders are always concerned about the home base being solid and stable to support the effort that will be required in time of war. That same concern is always present in churches. God’s plan and program must also have the same emphasis. Without that effort the structure will be weak and will crumble eventually.
If we don’t keep the home base strong and functioning on all cylinders then we will have a collapse in all missions activity. Our purpose today is to focus on keeping the base strong. A large number of Baptist Churches working together for the purpose of missions can do more than the same number working separately.
By that I mean that we will have a solid and firm base with which to finance mission work all over the world.
How do we do that?
I. EVERY CHURCH MEMBER MUST PARTICIPATE
This must be a total church endeavor.
A. In Every Part Of The Plan.
1. The failure of one will hinder.
2. Every person has a place to fill.
3. If there are gaps in the plan failure will come. One little hole in the roof of a house will let a great amount of water leak through, and unless it is repaired great damage to the house will be caused.
If a tiny pinhole developed in the Boulder Dam the Corps of Engineers would have to immediately repair it lest the whole dam fail.
You might think your part of our missions program is insignificant, but it is very vital.
B. Success Depends Upon Every Member Participating.
Suppose with me for a minute what would happen if Tinker Field only had 15 – 20 percent of the people participating?
Suppose the same with General Motors – or any other organization that relied on people to function.
How can a local church be expected to make its program function and be strong if only a few are involved? Each member should be ready and eager to get into the program – we should have recruits standing in line waiting for action. If any object is expected to be strong all of the parts of that object must be acting in unison.
