Summary: If the building up of the church were a sport, here’s where I would tell you, “its hard to put any points on the scoreboard from the sidelines,” Contrary to popular belief, “Serving the Lord” is not a spectator sport.

We Can Make a Difference? “Yes We Can!”

There’s no quicker way to find out who your friends are, then by starting a building project and asking them to be involved and help you with it.

It doesn’t really matter what your building, it could be a house, a garage, or something on a smaller scale.

All you have to do is mention the time and place for the work to start and suddenly,

everyone’s schedule is busy and seemingly full, for no apparent reason.

Its the same way with the church, so much to do for the Kingdom, so few willing to really get involved.

If the building up of the church were a sport, here’s where I would tell you,

“its hard to put any points on the scoreboard from the sidelines,”

Contrary to popular belief, “Serving the Lord” is not a spectator sport.

Oh, the various reasons all seem to sound convincing and good,

or at least they do, to the one who is saying them, as they decline to participate.

There is a great misconception amongst the church,

Serving and Giving to the Lord of not only your time, but of your resources as well, is a Great Privilege.

We all need to strive to make it more about Him, and less about us in our lives!

Its easy to get caught up in, the everything else in life and all it has to offer.

But the only thing that matters, that really matters in this life, is what we do for the Lord and the building up of His Kingdom.

One day, we will be held accountable for what we have done.

We’ve all heard the saying, “I just wish I could have done more”

But when someone says that, you have to wonder, is it really true?

Or does it somehow, make them feel better, because they know they could have done more, but chose not to!

I don’t know if you’ve noticed lately, but this world around us, is going to hell in a hand basket it seems like more and more on a daily basis.

We have never been closer than we are right now, to Christ return for His Church!

If we don’t do more for the Lord now, (while were able to) it makes you wonder, will we ever do more for Him?

Isaiah 6:8 NKJ

8. Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: Whom shall I send,

And who will go for Us?

Then I said, Here am I! Send me.

Its time the church took the Great Commission seriously.

Matt.28:16-20 MSG.

16-17. Meanwhile, the eleven disciples were on their way to Galilee, headed for the mountain Jesus had set for their reunion. The moment they saw him they worshiped him. Some, though, held back, not sure about worship, about risking themselves totally.

18-20. Jesus, undeterred, went right ahead and gave his charge: "God authorized and commanded me to commission you: Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the threefold name: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then instruct them in the practice of all I have commanded you. I’ll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age."

Some though, held back, not sure about worship, about risking themselves totally.

Not much has changed in some 2,000 plus years, there are still Christians today that are the same way!

Still holding something back, whatever that it might be,

unsure if they want to risk themselves all the way and be totally committed and sold out for the cause of Christ!!

TBS.(the bible says) though, Jesus was undeterred by the way they felt, the charge that He gave them, still rings true today,

We Can Make a Difference, Yes we Can!

We need to develop a Yes We Can Do Attitude

Phil. 4:13 NKJ says;

13. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

We need to tell everyone what we know about who we know, so that they can know what we know about who we know!

Matt. 10:32-33NKJ

32. Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.

33. But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.

TBS. To whom has been given much, much is required, wouldn’t you agree?

Don’t you think that, the knowledge of and our relationship that we have with Jesus, is of great worth?

You know it is!

Then why is it, we have a hard time sharing and telling others about something of such great worth?

It seems like we can talk about everything else under the sun, but when it comes to what we know about the Lord,

for some reason or another, (pause) that’s exactly what we do, we say nothing!

Did you know, that when a scientist discovers a new formula, or a new cure for a decease,

They don’t just tell their families or their colleagues,

they tell the world, they want everyone to know!

And you know what else, they don’t spend all their time, talking about the negative side effects that the medicine produces,

They only talk about the cure!

That’s what Jesus told them to do, when He gave them the Great Commission,

He didn’t tell them to tell everyone about themselves, or about what they thought, or what their version of the story was.

He told them, Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, that I have taught to you!

For centuries, man has done nothing but complicate what was spelled out from the start,

Some where along the lines, it became more about mans view and mans opinion on the subject,

than about Jesus Powerful Grace Message, that He died for, so the whole world could experience the forgiveness it makes possible!

Its high time the church quit trying to tell the world about their particular view on religion, religion isn’t going to save anyone, Jesus is!

We need to focus on getting people into a relationship with Jesus and let His presence in their life, change their life!

We need to use the (kiss method) keep it simple Sam!

The Pharisees back in the day, didn’t like it very well when Jesus told them the same thing!

John 14:6 NKJ

6. Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

That’s why Jesus came, to abolish the law of condemnation, to make it easier to have a relationship with Him.

What we need to do (and I say we, as in every single one of us) is tell the world about the Life Changing Grace relationship,

that’s available with God, to all who will accept it, through His Son Jesus!

Those were the instructions of the Great Commission.

We Can Make a Difference, Yes We Can!

Eph 2:19-22 MSG.

That’s plain enough, isn’t it? You’re no longer wandering exiles. This kingdom of faith is now your home country. You’re no longer strangers or outsiders. You belong here, with as much right to the name Christian as anyone. God is building a home. He’s using us all irrespective of how we got herein what he is building. He used the apostles and prophets for the foundation. Now he’s using you, fitting you in brick by brick, stone by stone, with Christ Jesus as the cornerstone that holds all the parts together. We see it taking shape day after day a holy temple built by God, all of us built into it, a temple in which God is quite at home.

What a lot of the body in the church never realizes is, it takes all of us working together, everybody doing their part!

To build the Lords Kingdom, brick by brick, stone by stone,

with Christ Jesus as the cornerstone that holds all the parts together.

Jesus said, and we have heard this many times before;

If I be lifted up, I will draw all men unto me

Thing is, no one seems to want to lift up the name of Jesus, when their out of the confines of the church!

Oh, plenty lift up Jesus name during, but far to few are willing to do it, before and after.

Its time, we not only talked the talk, but walked the walk! Amen?

We should know the story of Jesus like we know our own name and be ready to share what He has done for each us in our lives.

We Can Make a Difference, Yes We Can!

The church needs to get past its insecurities, about witnessing for the Lord!

Guess what? When you go to your neighborhood, you are the church.

This building, as beautiful as it is, will never tell anyone about Jesus, that’s your responsibility!

There are still people that don’t know about the Love of God and the Peace that passes all understanding.

And you might say yah, maybe in some far away country you’d see on the Nat. Geo. Chanel.

The reality of it is, there are people right here in our hometown, that have never heard the Life Changing Message of Jesus,

Sad thing is, there are probably people that each of us know, that we associate with during the week,

That have never heard the Life Changing Message of Jesus, or have never heard it from the right person,

that could influence them to come to know Jesus as their personal Saviour!

We Can Make a Difference, Yes We Can!

Friends, I don’t think sometimes we really realize the awesome opportunities in the Kingdom of God,

that are waiting for and on us to bring to fruition!

Luke 10:2 NKJ

2. Then He said to them, The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.

MSG. says it this way,

"What a huge harvest! And how few the harvest hands. So on your knees; ask the God of the Harvest to send harvest hands.

Romans 10:14-16 MSG.

14-17But how can people call for help if they don’t know who to trust? And how can they know who to trust if they haven’t heard of the One who can be trusted? And how can they hear if nobody tells them? And how is anyone going to tell them, unless someone is sent to do it? That’s why Scripture exclaims,

A sight to take your breath away!

Grand processions of people

telling all the good things of God!

But not everybody is ready for this, ready to see and hear and act. Isaiah asked what we all ask at one time or another: "Does anyone care, God? Is anyone listening and believing a word of it?" The point is: Before you trust, you have to listen. But unless Christ’s Word is preached, there’s nothing to listen to.

Telling others about Jesus, is truly something to get excited about, a site to take your breathe away!

You know, that there are movers and shakers, heavy hitters in the world of business,

Company mergers and acquisitions that take place all the time, making all the major players excited and very rich,

And for a moment the whole world stops and takes note of it and says Wow, I wish I could have gotten in on that deal.

But never one time in the history of the world, has one of those deals made All of Heaven Rejoice with Joy!

Luke 15:7 NKJ

7. I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.

All of them combine together, fail in comparison, to one person coming to know Jesus as their personal Lord and Saviour!

Luke 15:10 NKJ

10. Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.

MSG. says it this way;

“Count on it, that’s the kind of party God’s angels throw every time one lost soul turns to God."

Everybody loves a good party, want to cause all of Heaven to celebrate?, help bring someone to salvation!

Helping someone to find their way to Jesus, is without a doubt,

one of the most exciting things you can ever do, for your fellow man!

I have witnessed it many times and every time, it is a breathe taking experience!

All of Heaven thinks so, and its an awesome benefit besides, to think we can have a part in all of Heaven rejoicing! Praise God!

We Can Make a Difference, Yes We Can!

We have been told time and time again, through one prophetic word after another, straight from the Lord Himself,

How He is going to bring about Great Things in His Church, to just keep on praising His Name and Lifting Up His Name.

Church, now is not the time to grow weary in our walk, now is the time to keep pressing on towards the mark, we are about to reap a bountiful harvest of souls for the Kingdom!

Jesus is coming back for a Glorious Church!

We need to be found faithful now more than ever before, the blessings God has Promised are closer now than we can even imagine.

Blessings that are far beyond what we can even imagine or comprehend

Let us be found faithful, in doing our part and continue to trust God, for what He is about to do in our midst!

For the vision is yet for an appointed time...though it tarry, wait for it.

(Habakkuk 2:3, KJV)

Gods timing is perfect and who are we to question Gods perfection?

Lets just continue to rejoice and be ready for when it happens

God is building a home. He’s using us all irrespective of how we got here, in what he is building.

He used the apostles and prophets for the foundation. Now he’s using you,

fitting you in brick by brick, stone by stone, with Christ Jesus as the cornerstone that holds all the parts together.

We see it taking shape day after day a holy temple built by God, all of us built into it, a temple in which God is quite at home.

Let us be found faithful to God and our calling and Know,

We Can Make a Difference, Yes We Can

Praise God!

Do you believe it today, then receive it by faith and get ready for God to do amazing things,

in and through your life!

Lets pray!