Text: Luke 5:1-7 Title: Is It Time To Build? October 27, 2002
Illustration: Church Building experts say that its time to build when you’re church has reached 80% of your max capacity. They also say that if you don’t build, you may reach 100%, but statistics prove that you will begin to lose members and the overall number will diminish. Currently, we have 14 twelve foot pews and 1 five and 1 six foot pew. At 5 people per pew we are able to seat comfortably 70 people, squeeze an extra 5 people in with the 2 pews in the back, our max seating capacity is now 75 people. Now, 80% of 75 is 60 persons. Currently we average around 70 people in a given month, but when everyone is here, we have over 80 not counting 1st time visitors. So the question I want to ask you this morning is this: Is it time to build?
I.What About Our Current Building, Isn’t It Good Enough?
A.Jesus said in Matthew 16:18, “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.”
B.Notice here that Jesus said that He was going to build His Church on the principle that He was the Christ the Son of the Living God! You see, Church, I thank God for the work that was put into this Church building that we currently enjoy! I’ve preached in a lot church structures where the roof leaked all the time; the carpet had holes and tears all in them. I’ve sit in the ole pine slat pews that are nowhere near as comfortable as what we have now. However, folks, what you must understand is that Jesus didn’t say He was going to quit building His Church after this First Assembly of God church building here at Stratford was erected. He said, “I will (Future Tense) build!” Glory to God!
C.You see, its His Church, and as long as He’s the Boss, He will keep building and adding on! People will keep getting saved! People will keep getting baptized in the Holy Ghost! New Christians will get baptized in water, and the Church of Jesus Christ here at Stratford First Assembly of God will keep growing and this building will not be able to contain the harvest God is going to give us!
II.Jesus Desires For This Church To Grow! How do you know Bobby? Well lets break down Luke chapter 5, because I believe Jesus shares with us from His heart here and that He is wanting you and I to “Catch the Vision” for Church growth and letting Him build His church using you and I.
A.First of all in V. 1 the Word tells us, “the people were pressing in close to Jesus to hear the Word of God.” You see folks; we’ve got to preach the Word of God here! People are hungry for “All the Gospel.” They don’t want to hear a bunch of man-made rules and regulations, but they want to hear the GOOD NEWS! And when we preach the Word of God, people will press in and be set free from sin and God will save them! God will fill them! God will change them! God will set them free!And this Church will grow!
B.V. 2 tells us that some of the fishermen had left their boats and were washing their nets. This allowed a divine access for Jesus and Peter, James, and John. You see, I believe it was set up that way for a reason, and Jesus wanted to show us that sometimes people are going to have to get out of the way so Jesus can take control of the boat! Glory to God! I’m here to tell you that if you want Jesus to be Lord in your life, you must first let Him in your boat! Let Him have control!
i.This goes for Church growth! This goes for Building Programs! This goes for everything! He must have complete control of the process! Don’t leave Him out!
ii.You see, some people had to step out of the way so that Jesus could have their boat. They were washing their nets. They were probably tired. They had probably been fishing all day and hadn’t caught anything, so they turned the boat over to Jesus. The point is, “They didn’t object to Jesus using the boat.”
iii.You see folks, why is important that everyone be behind this building program? Why is important for everyone to catch the vision for Church growth? Why is important for everyone to let Jesus build His Church? Because there’s multitudes of families and children who are hurting and need Jesus! Multitudes of drug attics and alcoholics! Multitudes of sinners and people without God who are waiting for somebody to be obedient to the Word of God and lower their Gospel net, bringing them safe into the presence of Jesus.
iv.Jesus - Boat - Disciples - You and Me
v.Fishing Nets - The Gospel - The Fish -Lost Humanity
C. You may be an older saint of God, you may feel tired, you may feel like you don’t have a lot to offer, you may not even see the need to build, but may I tell you this morning that God is telling us to catch the vision of the harvest! Know this my friend, Jesus Christ has commanded His disciples is to lower their nets! Even when you don’t see any need in it! Even when you’ve fished all day long and haven’t caught anything! Even when you were here at this Church in its highs and its lows! Even Pastor after Pastor! See the vision! Don’t lose sight; let Jesus have your boat! He’ll do something fantastic with it! You may feel tired and worn out, but don’t let the Devil tell you that God’s thru with you, because you ain’t thru until your walking down streets of Gold! You see, you can still donate your prayers and finances to the cause! You can give to the Kingdom of God. You see, this is not our building, its God’s! Our new building will really not be ours; it will be God’s! And when we are riding with Him in the boat, He is our Captain, He is the owner, and the catch of the harvest will be so great that we’ll have to call for other boats to help out in getting them to the bank. Glory to God.
Conclusion (AIM): Have you caught the vision? Look around this morning at all the people here this morning. Last Wednesday night, we had 30 kids here for royal rangers and Missionettes! WE need at least 2 Royal Ranger Commanders. We need more space! We are planning to build a 60X60 sanctuary out back that would connect on to this building that would be able to seat 280 people. We would have a really nice facility! A much larger Fourier! Larger Men and Women’s bathrooms! Larger office space! And if you were wondering about our current sanctuary, it wouldn’t be collecting dust, for this would be our new Youth Center. You see, we had 14 youths here last Wednesday night! Glory to God! It would also be turned into classrooms; teaching kids the Word of God! Do you see the vision?
Alter Call: (Should align with the sermon AIM)
There will be a special offering on the First and last Sunday of the Month dedicated to the Building of a new sanctuary. I don’t really want to try to “Pick” peoples pockets, however, I desperately want you to pray and seek God on what you can give to this project! The Bible says in Ezra 2:69, “According to their abilities people gave to rebuilding the Temple.” What is that telling me Bobby? Well, above your tithes and what you normally give, according to what you can financially give, give it! Some of us can give $10 more a week, some $20, some $30, some $50, and some $100. Some may be able to make $1000 pledges. According to your ability.
Now, what does that mean for me, your Pastor? I am on a fixed income just like many of you sitting here this morning? However, I can still give more than what I do right now. I don’t have to go out and eat 4 times a month. I don’t have to do this or do that, but I can give what I would normally spend elsewhere to the Kingdom of God. Pray about it and seek God on what you can give!
