Assuming The Position Series

“Let’s Get Engaged”

Part 1 – Assuming the Position

VIDEO – MeChurch (Available at SermonSpice.com)

The Passion Process. We have covered the first two steps in the Passion Process until you should know them like you know your hand! We are determined to Encounter God and become Equipped. Illustrated by Hands Up and Hands Open. Now we examine the last aspect or step in this process. We have come to the conclusion that a person reveals how mature they are as a disciple and how far along they are in their walk with Christ not by how much they worship or by how much they know how to do. We are convinced that a person’s spiritual condition is actually revealed by how Engaged they are in winning and impacting their culture. It is imperative that we get our Hands Out! Bounce off the walls all you want in here. Study the tenants of faith until your head swells to hot air balloon size. But at the end of the day what really matters is whether or not you are willing to leave the confines of the stadium seats and get on the field and go to war. Anything less than that makes the rest nothing more than exercises in emotionalism and intellectualism. Without actual involvement in our community and our culture we become nothing more than another self-help seminar and institution of learning. We must become engaged.

TEXT:

Numbers 16:42-48

42And it came to pass, when the congregation was gathered against Moses and against Aaron, that they looked toward the tabernacle of the congregation: and, behold, the cloud covered it, and the glory of the LORD appeared. 43And Moses and Aaron came before the tabernacle of the congregation. 44And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 45Get you up from among this congregation, that I may consume them as in a moment. And they fell upon their faces. 46And Moses said unto Aaron, take a censer, and put fire therein from off the altar, and put on incense, and go quickly unto the congregation, and make an atonement for them: for there is wrath gone out from the LORD; the plague is begun. 47And Aaron took as Moses commanded, and ran into the midst of the congregation; and, behold, the plague was begun among the people: and he put on incense, and made an atonement for the people. 48And he stood between the dead and the living; and the plague was stayed.

Romans 6:11

11From now on, think of it this way: Sin speaks a dead language that means nothing to you; God speaks your mother tongue, and you hang on every word. You are dead to sin and alive to God. That’s what Jesus did.

I. Introduction

If you have ever played any sports at all you know that being in the right position is absolutely crucial to the success of the efforts individually and as a team. Ask any basketball coach if it is important for the point guard to fall back on defense to prevent a fast break for the other team and he will tell you that being in the right position is paramount. Ask a football coach how important it is for a defensive end to stay home to prevent an end around or reverse and he will tell you that position is everything.

The same can be said in war. Ask a general if it is important for a company of men to be where they are supposed to be during an offensive and he will explain that if they aren’t there defeat is almost certain.

I want to talk to you about assuming the position. There is a position that is absolutely essential for each of us to fill in order for us to have any impact or effect at all on our community.

II. Framework

But before we can talk about that position we must first establish a couple of facts based on Scripture:

1. We are alive.

According to the Word of God there are two types of individuals on the earth today. There are those who are alive and there are those who are dead. Look at your neighbor and see which type they are. Go ahead and put your hand under their nose to see if they are still breathing. There are those who are alive because of their relationship with Christ and there are those who are dead due to their sins. There is no middle ground. You can’t be half way alive and half way dead. It is black and white, cut and dry. If you are in the room this morning and you have accepted Christ into your heart as your personal savior then you are alive. If you are in the room and you have never made that commitment you are dead. I know you are breathing and moving, but just as sure as I am standing here you are dead. Just because you attend church doesn’t make you alive any more than standing in a garage makes you a corvette. The only method or path that brings you to life is an encounter with Christ in which you place Him as Lord and savior of your life. So as we walk throughout our day, as we go into Wal-Mart, or rub shoulders with people at Starbucks, or interact with the folks around us at the bank we must understand that we are coming into contact with some folks who are alive and some who are dead. It is our job to figure out who is who so that we can get into position.